🎨 Bilbao Travel Guide

Overview

Bilbao, the largest city in Spain's Basque Country, is a remarkable story of urban transformation. Once an industrial port city, Bilbao reinvented itself in the 1990s to become a cultural powerhouse, largely thanks to the iconic Guggenheim Museum. Today, it combines cutting-edge architecture with a beautifully preserved old town, world-class Basque cuisine, and a unique cultural identity.

The city sits along the Nervión River, surrounded by green hills. Bilbao offers a distinct experience from other Spanish cities — the Basque language (Euskara) is spoken alongside Spanish, pintxos (Basque tapas) are an art form, and local traditions run deep. It's a perfect destination for art lovers, food enthusiasts, and anyone seeking authentic northern Spain.

💰 Budget Estimate

Bilbao is moderately priced, slightly more expensive than southern Spain. A typical 3-day trip costs around €150-210 per person:

• Accommodation: €39-52 per night (budget hotel or hostel)
• Food: €30-40 per day (pintxos can add up, but menú del día is affordable)
• Transportation: €10-15 (compact city, mostly walkable, Barik card for metro/tram)
• Attractions: €20-30 (Guggenheim €16, many free attractions)

Calculate your personalized budget at our trip calculator.

🎨 Top Attractions

Museums & Art

• Guggenheim Museum Bilbao — Frank Gehry's titanium masterpiece, THE reason many visit Bilbao. Contemporary art collection with rotating exhibitions. €16 entry. Allow 2-3 hours. Book online to skip lines.
• Fine Arts Museum (Museo de Bellas Artes) — Excellent collection from medieval to contemporary art, including Basque artists. €10 entry (free Wed). Often overshadowed by Guggenheim but well worth visiting.
• Puppy (Jeff Koons) — Giant floral puppy sculpture outside Guggenheim. Free photo op, Instagram-famous.

Old Town (Casco Viejo)

• Las Siete Calles — "The Seven Streets" — medieval heart of Bilbao. Narrow alleys packed with pintxos bars, shops, and historic buildings.
• Plaza Nueva — Elegant arcaded square filled with pintxos bars and Sunday antique/book market.
• Santiago Cathedral — Gothic cathedral, centerpiece of old town. €5 entry, often free to visit without tour.
• Mercado de la Ribera — Riverside market, one of Europe's largest covered markets. Great for fresh produce, Basque products, and cheap snacks.

Modern Bilbao

• Zubizuri Bridge — Santiago Calatrava's white footbridge. Modern architectural landmark, free to walk across.
• Azkuna Zentroa — Cultural center in converted wine warehouse. Philippe Starck design, free to explore, rooftop terrace with views.
• Bilbao Estuary Walk — Riverside promenade from old town to Guggenheim and beyond. Perfect for strolling, public art installations.

Viewpoints

• Mount Artxanda — Hilltop with panoramic city views. Funicular railway (€0.95) takes you up. Excellent at sunset.
• Etxebarria Park — Park on former industrial site with good city views. Free, less touristy.

🍽️ Basque Cuisine & Pintxos

Bilbao is a food paradise. Basque cuisine is considered Spain's finest:

Pintxos (Basque Tapas)

• What are pintxos? Small bites on bread, held together with toothpick (pintxo means "spike"). More elaborate than typical Spanish tapas.
• How to order: Point at what you want on the bar counter. Keep your toothpicks — you pay per toothpick at the end.
• Price: €2-4 per pintxo. €15-25 for a full pintxos crawl (5-7 bars, 2 pintxos each).
• Best areas:
  • Casco Viejo (old town) — Plaza Nueva, Calle Jardines
  • Ensanche (new town) — around Gran Vía
• Classic pintxos: Gilda (olive, anchovy, pepper skewer), bacalao (cod), tortilla, croquetas, txangurro (spider crab).

Dining Tips

• Menú del día: €12-18 for 3-course lunch. Best value outside tourist zones.
• Txakoli: Local white wine, slightly sparkling. Poured from height for aeration. €2-3/glass.
• Basque cider (sagardoa): Traditional drink, often in cider houses (sagardotegi). Season: January-April.
• Breakfast: Coffee with pintxo de tortilla (potato omelet slice) €3-5.
• Pintxos crawl timing: Evening from 7-10pm. Locals bar-hop, having 1-2 pintxos per place.

🚇 Getting Around

• Walking: City center is compact. Old town to Guggenheim is 20-25min walk along river.
• Metro: Modern, clean system. Single €1.70, Barik card €3 (reloadable, cheaper fares).
• Tram: Connects Guggenheim area with other districts. Same Barik card as metro.
• Funicular: To Mount Artxanda. €0.95 with Barik card.
• From Airport: Bizkaibus A3247 to city center (€1.45, 20-30min). Runs every 20min.
• Bilboats: Small boats crossing the river. Fun local transport, €0.35 per trip.

📝 Travel Tips

• ✔ Guggenheim is closed Mondays. Plan accordingly!
• ✔ Visit Guggenheim early morning or late afternoon to avoid tour groups.
• ✔ Learn a few Basque words: "Kaixo" (hello), "Eskerrik asko" (thank you). Locals appreciate the effort.
• ✔ Pintxos crawl best done 7-10pm when bars are lively but not packed.
• ✔ Weather: Bilbao is rainy! Bring umbrella year-round. Best weather: May-September.
• ✔ Sunday morning: antique/book market in Plaza Nueva, then pintxos for lunch.
• ✔ Combined Guggenheim + Fine Arts Museum ticket sometimes available for discount.
• ✔ Tap water is excellent quality — safe to drink, no need to buy bottled.
• ✔ Basque Country is very safe. Low crime rate, clean streets.

🏨 Where to Stay

Best areas for tourists:

• Casco Viejo (Old Town): Atmospheric, walkable, great pintxos bars. Can be noisy at night. Best for foodies and culture seekers.
• Ensanche (New Town): Elegant boulevards, shopping, near Gran Vía. Quieter, more business-oriented. Good transport connections.
• Near Guggenheim (Abandoibarra): Modern area, close to museum and river. Quiet at night, bit sterile. Good for museum-focused trips.
• Indautxu: Residential area between old and new town. Local feel, good value, less touristy.

🎉 Events & Festivals

• Aste Nagusia (Semana Grande, mid-August): Bilbao's biggest festival. 9 days of concerts, fireworks, traditional sports, parties. City goes wild!
• BBK Live (early July): Major music festival with international acts. Held on hillside outside city.
• Santo Tomás (December 21): Traditional market in old town. Txistorra sausage, txakoli wine, Basque music.
• Bilbao Night Marathon (October): Unique nighttime race through city.

🚗 Day Trips from Bilbao

• San Sebastián (1.5h): Stunning beach city, even better pintxos. Easy bus or train.
• Gaztelugatxe (1h): Dramatic island hermitage connected by bridge. Game of Thrones filming location.
• Gernika (Guernica, 45min): Historic town, Picasso's famous painting inspired by its bombing. Peace Museum.
• Getaria (1h): Coastal fishing village, birthplace of txakoli wine. Great seafood.
• Vitoria-Gasteiz (1h): Basque capital, beautiful old town, street art, parks.

⏰ Suggested Itinerary (2 Days)

Day 1:

• Morning: Guggenheim Museum (2-3 hours)
• Midday: Walk along estuary to old town
• Lunch: Menú del día in Casco Viejo
• Afternoon: Explore old town, Santiago Cathedral, Mercado de la Ribera
• Evening: Pintxos crawl in Plaza Nueva area

Day 2:

• Morning: Fine Arts Museum OR Mount Artxanda funicular for views
• Midday: Azkuna Zentroa, modern architecture walk
• Lunch: Pintxos in Ensanche area
• Afternoon: Shopping Gran Vía, or day trip to nearby coast
• Evening: Final pintxos round, txakoli wine at riverside bar

🗣️ Basic Basque Phrases

• Kaixo — Hello
• Eskerrik asko — Thank you
• Bai / Ez — Yes / No
• Mesedez — Please
• Agur — Goodbye
• Txakoli — Local white wine
• Pintxo — Small snack (plural: pintxos)

Note: Most people speak Spanish fluently. Basque is appreciated but not required!