Your guide to Bilbao
Bilbao highlights
Architectural icons
The Guggenheim is the headline act, with its gorgeous sweeping titanium curves along the river. Step inside to see world-class contemporary art, then continue to Azkuna Zentroa, a former wine warehouse reimagined as a cultural hub supported by 43 columns, each in a different style. In Casco Viejo, the 600-year-old Santiago Cathedral offers a quieter moment in its Gothic cloister.
Pintxos bars
Food is central to any visit to Bilbao, and pintxos sit at the heart of the city’s dining culture. These Basque cousins of tapas are small savoury bites, often skewered with a toothpick and lined up along bar counters. The best way to experience them is to move from bar to bar, ordering a drink and a pintxo or two at each stop.
Hills and greenways
Mountains rise close to the city, making it easy to trade urban streets for fresh air. Walk sections of Bilbao’s Green Ring, a network of forest parks linked by scenic trails. For a bigger outing, hike from the city centre up Mount Pagasarri. The climb takes a few hours, but the summit delivers wide views across Bilbao and the surrounding hills.
Bilbao: Know before you go
| Language | Spanish, Basque |
|---|---|
| Currency | Euro (€) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) and UTC+2 (CEST) |
| High season | June - August |
| Low season | January - February |
Find the best time to go to Bilbao
Weather in Bilbao
March – May: Spring is green and gorgeous in Bilbao. Expect mild days, occasional rain showers and a countryside looking its best.
June – September: Warm, dry days and cool evenings make this a perfect time for leisurely meals on restaurant terraces and late-night strolls along the Nervión.
October – November: Watch parts of the city turn crimson and gold as the autumn foliage steals the show. Check out the colours at Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park.
December – February: Winters are chilly and rainy but bearable. Crowds thin out, hotel prices drop, and there’s no better time to duck into a cosy bar for pintxos and a drink.
Events in Bilbao
Bilbao BBK Live (July): For three days, Mount Cobetas turns into a spectacular festival setting. Some of the biggest names in music perform on stages across this hilltop park overlooking Bilbao.
Aste Nagusia (August): Bilbao’s biggest celebration, known as ‘Great Week’, fills the city with nine days of Basque culture. Concerts, street theatre and family activities take over plazas and riverfront spaces, with fireworks lighting up the sky each evening.
Bilbao Night Running Fest (October): Join thousands of runners as they race through the city streets at night, or stake out a spot on the route and cheer them on. Live music at several locations adds to the festive atmosphere.
The best neighbourhoods in Bilbao
Casco Viejo
The oldest part of the city is one of its liveliest, with medieval lanes filled with shops, bars and restaurants. Some of Bilbao’s most historic buildings are here, including the 14th-century Santiago Cathedral and the 15th-century Church of San Antón. On Sundays, the flea market on Plaza Nueva is the place to pick up souvenirs and antiques.
Good for: History, architecture, pintxos bars
Abando
Grand historic buildings and wide boulevards give Abando a stylish, elegant feel. Gran Vía, the city’s main shopping street, runs through the heart of the neighbourhood, while the Guggenheim is a short walk away. With metro and tram connections and a location just across the river from Casco Viejo, it makes a convenient base for exploring the rest of Bilbao.
Good for: Shopping, culture, sightseeing
Bilbao La Vieja
Once a working-class neighbourhood, Bilbao la Vieja, also known as Bilbi, has reinvented itself as one of the city’s most creative areas. Artists have covered many of its buildings, walls and bridges in colourful murals. Home to trendy bars, craft beer spots, music venues and restaurants, this is where to stay in Bilbao if you want active nightlife on your doorstep.
Good for: Street art, restaurants, nightlife
Things to do in Bilbao
Family friendly
One of the city’s largest green spaces, Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park features fountains, a duck pond and a children’s playground. Bilbao Maritime Museum, housed in an old shipyard, is also a family favourite with plenty of interactive exhibits. And when feet start to drag, hop on a sightseeing boat for a cruise along the Nervión.
Take in the culture
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is just as fascinating inside as out. Galleries spread across three levels, filled with contemporary art from the mid-20th century to the present day. Another must-visit museum in Bilbao is the Archaeological Museum, which houses artefacts spanning more than 100,000 years of the region’s history. Highlights include a medieval shipwreck.
Places to eat
The restaurants in Bilbao are an education in Basque cuisine. From pintxos bars to Michelin-starred dining rooms, few cities in Spain eat as well as Bilbao. Sample local favourites such as ‘bacalao al pil-pil’ (salt cod) and ‘txangurro’ (spider crab gratin). Another star of the city’s culinary scene is La Ribera Bilbao, one of the largest covered food markets in Europe.
Nightlife
A good place to kick off your evening is in a pintxos bar around Casco Viejo’s arcaded Plaza Nueva. For a dose of culture, catch a performance at the Arriaga Theatre, a Neo-Baroque opera house. If a livelier night is on the cards, Calle Licenciado Poza in Indautxu is packed with bars and restaurants, while the neighbourhood’s clubs keep the party going into the early hours.
Shopping
Start your shopping trip on the Gran Vía, a grand 19th-century boulevard lined with international brands and luxury boutiques. Wander through the Siete Calles (Seven Streets), the medieval heart of Casco Viejo, for independent stores and souvenirs. On Sundays, the flower market at Arenal Park brings a burst of colour to the riverfront.
Free things to do
One of the best free things to do in Bilbao is to go for a stroll on the riverside promenade. This scenic path stretches along both sides of the Nervión and passes popular sights, including the Guggenheim and the sail-shaped Zubizuri Bridge. The narrow streets and alleys of Casco Viejo also reward the explorer.
Get ready for Bilbao
Budget
Looking for a cheap trip to Bilbao? You can find an inexpensive restaurant meal for as little as 17 euros (€) and wash it down with a ‘zurito’ (small beer) for a little over €3. Save even more by picking up a Bilbao Bizkaia Card, which covers public transport and throws in free guided tours of Casco Viejo.
Day trips from Bilbao
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a rocky islet crowned by a centuries-old hermitage that featured in ‘Game of Thrones’. After a 45-minute drive from Bilbao, cross a stone bridge before climbing the steps to the summit. For a quick seaside escape, the coastal town of Bakio is 30 minutes away. Or head to Guernica, immortalised by Picasso’s famous anti-war painting.
Getting around Bilbao
Bilbao’s compact centre is very walkable, with many attractions close to one another. Public transport includes three reliable metro lines, along with buses and trams. Cycling lanes wind along the river and through the city. You can also pick up an e-bike from one of the Bilbaobizi bike share stations across Bilbao.
