Bilbao

A Travel Guide to Bilbao in the Basque Country

In the shadow of Barcelona and Madrid hides a city that has reinvented itself in a way few other places in Europe have been able to. Bilbao is no longer the grey industrial city it once was. Today, it is a vibrant, bustling and genuinely fascinating destination with world-class art, a Basque soul and a culinary scene that maintains a high level.

And the best part? It is still a little under the radar. You don't have to fight for space with crowds of tourists on every street corner.

Bilbao – from industrial city to cultural capital

In the 1980s, Bilbao was a city on the wane. Factories were closing down, unemployment was approaching 25 percent, and the port city in the north had lost both direction and confidence. It took an ambitious cultural project to turn it all around.

Da Frank Gehry's titanium-clad Guggenheim museum opened along the river Nervión in 1997, the authorities had hoped for 500,000 visitors a year. During the first year alone, 1.3 million arrived. In the first three years, there were four million. Since then, dozens of cities around the world have tried to replicate the same thing – none have succeeded as well. The "Bilbao effect" has become its own term in urban and cultural planning. And it all started here by the river Nervión.

But Bilbao is far more than a museum.

Sights in Bilbao

Bilbao is a city that rewards the curious. The Guggenheim Museum is of course a must, but the old town, the riverside promenade and the local markets deserve just as much attention. The nice thing is that Bilbao is small enough to be experienced in 24 hours yet big enough that you will want to come back.

Casco Viejo – Bilbao's old town

The original medieval centre is located in the Casco Viejo district, on the east bank of the Nervión River. Bilbao was founded here in the year 1300, and the street network from that time remains the same. The seven streets, Las Siete Calles, started as three parallel shopping streets along the river and grew into the labyrinthine quarter you find today.

The characteristic facades of red, yellow and green tower over narrow cobblestone streets, balconies hang close together, and coloured pennants stretch between the walls of the houses. Cafés and pintxos bars have remained on the same corner for years.

Get lost here one morning. Stop at a café. Feel the pace. And when hunger strikes, you are already exactly where you should be, because it is in Casco Viejo that you get your first taste of Basque cuisine. Not in a restaurant with white tablecloths and a sommelier, but standing at the bar counter with a glass of txakoli and a pintxos in hand.

Pintxos – almost a religion on its own

Eating pintxos in Bilbao is not just a meal. It is a social institution. Small slices of bread topped with everything from bacalao and jamón to seafood and creative modern combinations. Served in bars that open their doors in the early afternoon and keep them open well into the nights.

The ritual is simple: go from bar to bar, grab a pintxo and a glass of txakoli or local red wine, and move on. It's cheap, it's delicious, and it's the best way to understand Basque culture.

Bilbao travel information: transport, climate and budget

Bilbao is easy to reach. The airport is only 15-20 minutes from the city centre, and most major European airlines have direct flights here. The city itself is small enough to explore on foot, but also has an excellent metro and tram system for longer distances.

The best travel time is April to June and September to October, when the temperature is pleasant and the tourist pressure is low. The Basque Country is known for its unpredictable rainfall, so bring a light jacket no matter the season.

Your budget goes a long way here. Bilbao is cheaper compared to Barcelona eller San Sebastián, without that affecting quality.