Bilbao used to be an industrial port with a grey river. Today it is the city that put a titanium museum on that river and turned itself around: walkable, green, proud of its food and its football, and small enough to know in two days. This is how we would show it to a friend.
The essentials
- The Guggenheim and the riverside. Frank Gehry's museum opened in 1997 and is worth seeing even from outside: walk the river from the museum to the old town. See our Guggenheim guide.
- Casco Viejo, the old town. The Siete Calles ("seven streets"), the cathedral, the covered market of La Ribera on the river, and Plaza Nueva, a square of arcades full of pintxo bars.
- Athletic Club and San Mamés. The stadium, the museum and, on match days, the city in red and white: our guide.
- Artxanda. The funicular takes you up the hill for the view over the whole city.
- The Fine Arts Museum. One of Spain's best collections, next to the Doña Casilda park.
Eating and drinking
Bilbao eats standing up: a pintxo and a small drink (a *zurito* of beer or a *txikito* of wine) in one bar, then the next. Plaza Nueva and the streets around it in the old town, and Licenciado Poza near San Mamés, are where most locals go. Sit down for lunch at least once: Basque cooking is built around grilled fish, steak and simple sauces like pil-pil.
Getting around
Bilbao's metro, designed by Norman Foster, links the centre with the coast; the tram runs along the river past the Guggenheim and San Mamés; most of the centre is walkable. From the airport it takes about 20 minutes by bus: see Bilbao airport.
Day trips
- San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, the hermitage on a rock in the sea: guide.
- The Bizkaia Bridge in Portugalete, the world's oldest transporter bridge and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at the mouth of the river (by metro).
- San Sebastián, about 1 h 15 by bus: how to get there.
- Mundaka, Bermeo and Urdaibai, the fishing villages and the biosphere reserve on the coast.
When to go
Bilbao is green because it rains: pack a light raincoat in any season. Late spring and September are mild and quieter than August, when the city's big festival, Aste Nagusia, takes over the streets for nine days.
Staying connected
Maps, the metro app, bookings and tickets all live on your phone. A data eSIM for Spain gives you local data from the moment you land, without removing your own SIM.