- The Villa Suso Palace incorporates an immersive tourist visit with virtual reality, augmented reality, holograms and interactive games.
- The experience explores the history of Vitoria-Gasteiz and the palace itself, integrating models, panels and audiovisual resources.
- Tickets are €5,45 per person, with free admission for children under 12 with prior reservation.
- Visits are concentrated during Easter week and long weekends, and continue on weekends, with reservations available online, by phone and at the Tourist Office.
El Villa Suso PalaceThe building, one of the most emblematic in the Old Town of Vitoria-Gasteiz, is launching a new way of teaching its history this spring. The new tourist experience offers an immersive tour that blends digital tools with more traditional resources to bring the city's past to life for all types of visitors.
Those who approach the Machete Square You'll no longer find the typical guided tour where you only listen to the person explaining. Now, the City Council has launched an experience that combines virtual realityAugmented reality, holograms, interactive games, audiovisuals and models to discover both the palace itself and the evolution of Vitoria-Gasteiz from its medieval period to the current city.
The project, driven by City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz through its Economic Promotion, Employment, Trade and Tourism area, it strengthens the touristic offer from the capital of Álava. As the councilwoman explained Maria NanclaresThe idea is to offer a more dynamic visit that allows for clear and entertaining communication. historical aspects of the city, the architectural values of the building, and the transition from medieval to modern Vitoria.
Historians also participated in the presentation Ismael García-Gómez and Ramón Díaz de Durana, responsible for the historical content, and Jose Bellido, on behalf of the company Creative Helix, in charge of experience designThanks to this collaborative effort, a proposal has been achieved that, while remaining rigorous, is more accessible and understandable for any visitor.
The initiative comes in a context where more and more European cities are introducing immersive resources in their heritage spacesBut in this case, the focus is on a very representative building and the historical layout of Vitoria-Gasteiz, which preserves vestiges of different eras in a relatively compact space.
An immersive visit that goes beyond the traditional route
The core of the proposal is a Immersive virtual reality tour of Villa Suso and other interactive displays that aim to engage the visitor firsthand. The tour combines various formats: virtual reality headsets, augmented reality experiences, holograms, audiovisual projections, explanatory panels and models that help to contextualize what is seen.
In one of the most striking moments of the visit, the participants put on some virtual reality glasses and they move to the Medieval VitoriaThe experience allows you to contemplate the famous medieval city center as if flying over the city, with a panoramic view that helps to understand the layout of streets, walls and main buildings.
Augmented reality also plays a key role: through tablets and mobile devicesSpecific elements of the palace can be examined to obtain additional information. In this way, symbols such as the Salinas heraldry on the main door or the tapestry in the main room are interpreted in a guided way, showing on screen the meaning of each detail in a simple way.
The holograms and interactive games They complete the experience, offering small narrative and dynamic pieces that help maintain attention, especially among younger audiences. Around them, models and information panels They provide the most expository part, allowing anyone who wants to delve deeper into the history of the building or the city to expand their knowledge.
This entire set of technological resources does not replace the in-person explanation, but rather complements it. The guide sets the pace of the tour, combining interactive stops with oral explanations of a historical and heritage natureThis makes it easy to adapt the visit to very diverse groups.
The Villa Suso Palace, protagonist of local history
The setting for this immersive visit could not have been more significant. Villa Suso Palace It is one of the most recognizable examples of Renaissance palatial architecture in Vitoria-Gasteiz and is part of a historic center that preserves medieval, Renaissance and Neoclassical traces, as well as tower houses and stately buildings from different eras.
De municipal propertyThe palace is located in the Machete SquareVilla Suso is a very distinctive location, both for its urban layout and the quality of the surrounding buildings. Today, Villa Suso functions as... venue for congresses and the Municipal Cultural Service, combining its institutional use with this new aspect of a space open to visitors.
The construction of the building dates back to 1538When Martín de Salinas, ambassador of the King of Hungary and Bohemia, Ferdinand (brother of the emperor Carlos I), commissioned the construction of the residence to the south of the medieval almond of VitoriaThis location is not accidental: some of the palace's interior walls are integrated into the old high city wallThis makes the complex a key point for understanding the evolution of the urban layout.
The tour offers a glimpse into that fortified past, also showing the section of wall between the Villa Suso Palace and the church of San Miguel, next to the old rampart walk. For many visitors, this is one of the most surprising moments, as it reveals a part of the defensive structure that might otherwise go unnoticed.
On the outside, the palace boasts a Main facade with balcony-gallery from which some of the best views of Vitoria-GasteizAt the far north, the entrance stands out with the heraldry of the Salinas family, a very prominent element both for its artistic value and for the symbolism it contains in relation to the origins of the building.
A historic center with medieval roots and an educational vocation
The immersive experience at Villa Suso is best understood when placed in the context of Historic Quarter of Vitoria-GasteizIts origins date back to the Middle Ages, and it is one of the most important heritage sites in the Basque Country. Those who stroll through its streets will find medieval remains, Renaissance buildings and neoclassical constructionsas well as tower houses and palaces that have been converted into museums, cultural centers and institutional spaces.
In this setting, Villa Suso acts as a kind of window that allows one to observe the transition from a walled city to a modern metropolisThe immersive visit takes advantage of this condition to explain, with concrete examples, how the urban layout evolved, what role the walls played, and how the noble residences were transformed over the centuries.
One of the stated objectives of the project is that the visit be, in addition to being entertaining, deeply didactic. Combining virtual reality, augmented reality and audiovisual content It seeks to facilitate the understanding of historical processes that are often abstract: changes in power, urban transformations, or architectural modifications that have occurred over time.
This approach makes the proposal suitable for people of different ages and levels of knowledgeFrom those approaching the history of Vitoria-Gasteiz for the first time to those already familiar with the old town who wish to delve deeper into specific aspects, the explanations, supported by virtual recreations, strive to avoid excessive technical jargon without sacrificing historical accuracy.
The choice of an immersive format also aligns with a growing trend in museums and heritage sites in Spain and Europe, where Digital technologies are used to accompany, not replace, historical content.At Villa Suso, this philosophy translates into a balance between the experiential aspect and the documented information offered by the historians involved in the project.
Institutional collaboration and technological development
The launch of the Immersive virtual reality tour of Villa Suso This has been made possible thanks to extensive collaboration between various public and private stakeholders. On the one hand, the Basque Government Tourism Department has supported the initiative, reinforcing the commitment to a tourism model that combines the enhancement of heritage with innovation.
On the other hand, the company Creative Helix She has played a central role in designing the narrative and integrating the various exhibition resources. Her work has been coordinated with the historical contributions of Ismael García-Gómez and Ramón Díaz de Durana, who have been responsible for reviewing and structuring the content to ensure that the information provided is accurate and consistent.
Several specialized companies have been involved in the technology aspect. The solutions of virtual, augmented and extended realityThe development of holograms and interactive games, as well as other technologies, has been carried out by companies such as Amazing Up, Tifloactiva Eulen Art and Arkikus, who have adapted their tools to the particularities of the building and the route.
Integrating technology into a historic building always presents challenges, from heritage conservation to... adapting the devices to the available physical spaceIn this case, solutions have been chosen that do not alter the structure of the palace, opting for mobile equipment, non-invasive projections and elements that can be installed and removed without affecting the original walls, floors or ceilings.
The result is an experience that combines contemporary technological infrastructure with a 16th-century building, in line with other European initiatives that seek to renew the way of explaining heritage without losing sight of the protection and respect for cultural assets.
Schedules, calendar and booking methods
The new immersive tour can be enjoyed from the April 1The date on which it opened to the public after the official presentation. The planned schedule includes a prominent presence during Easter, with between three and four daily passes, a scheme that will be repeated in the May 1st bridge to meet the expected increase in visitors.
Beyond those festive periods, the idea is that the visit will become established as part of the usual tourist offer of Vitoria-GasteizTo this end, a continuation of visits has been scheduled throughout the weekendsso that both people who live in the city and those who come from outside can include Villa Suso in their plans.
Regarding reservations, several options have been made available to facilitate access. Tickets can be purchased. via the internet, in person, or by phone at the Tourist Office of the city. In addition, whenever places are available, you can sign up up to fifteen minutes before the start of the visit at the palace itself, a useful option for those who improvise their route on the fly.
El The general price for the visit is 5,45 euros per personA single fee that includes access to all technological and exhibition resources throughout the tour. To encourage participation from families and young people, the Children under 12 can enter for free, on the condition that your place is reserved beforehand.
This pricing structure, along with the variety of opening hours during peak tourist season, aims to make the experience... accessible both economically and organizationally, fitting into short stays or weekend getaways to the capital of Álava.
Accessibility and target audience of the experience
From its inception, the immersive visit to Villa Suso has taken into account the universal accessibilityThe building has features that allow access and circulation of people of different ages and with diverse needsso that the experience can be enjoyed by as many visitors as possible.
The devices and technological supports selected along the route were chosen with the intention that they would be intuitive and easy to useThe staff in charge of the visits offer assistance in the use of virtual reality glasses, tablets and other interactive elements, making it easier for people less familiar with these technologies can participate without difficulty.
The proposal is designed as a suitable plan for both families with minors as well as for groups of adults interested in heritage. The fact that it's free for children under 12, along with the combination of play and historical content, enhances its appeal for those seeking cultural activities adapted to different age groups.
Furthermore, the guided format allows the pace of the visit to be adjusted to the characteristics of each group. The explanations can focus more on historical details, architectural issues, or anecdotes depending on the public's interest, without losing sight of the common thread provided by virtual reality and the rest of the immersive resources.
Overall, the visit is presented as an ideal option for those who want to learn Vitoria-Gasteiz from a different perspectiveCombining a stroll through its old town with a technological experience that helps to visualize eras and scenes that are no longer visible to the naked eye.
With this Immersive virtual reality tour of Villa SusoVitoria-Gasteiz adds a unique offering to its range of cultural and tourist activities. The combination of an emblematic Renaissance palace, a historic center with medieval roots, and a display of modern technology creates an experience that goes beyond conventional routes, presenting local history in a clear, interactive way that is adaptable to a wide variety of audiences.
