Bilbao travel guide

Bilbao, Spain

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Bilbao

Introduction

Bilbao is the largest city in the province of Biscay and in the Basque Country, and the main urban area of the wider Greater Basque region. It sits in northern Spain, where it anchors the most populous metropolitan area in the north of the country.

Greater Bilbao forms one of Spain's largest urban areas, so expect a city that feels substantial rather than provincial, with the Basque Country's civic and cultural life concentrated around it.

Before you go

Bilbao's climate is milder and rainier than most of Spain, and temperatures rarely drop below freezing in winter or climb far above mild warmth at the height of summer. That greenery along the Nervión is both a blessing and a curse: the weather offers welcome relief from the heat of the dry southern plains, but it can also thwart any hopes of a day at the beach. Pack for rain and layers rather than guaranteed sunshine.

The Basque Country has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe, and violent crime is extremely rare, though you should still take the usual precautions. Crime varies between rural and urban areas, and it is best to avoid the San Francisco area. Politics runs deep here: locals are divided between those who consider themselves primarily or entirely Basque and those who consider themselves primarily or entirely Spanish, with opinions spanning a wide spectrum. As a precaution, avoid referring to the Basque Country as Spain, and bear these divisions in mind when speaking to strangers so as not to cause offence. Some bars have a distinctly Basque nationalist clientele, marked by posters and slogans, where pro-Spanish opinions will be unwelcome; they are otherwise perfectly safe and interesting places to learn about Basque identity.

Getting there

Bilbao is served by a few European airlines and low-cost carriers, with Vueling and Volotea the primary tenants; British Airways, easyJet, Air France, Lufthansa and KLM also fly here, and Iberia provides further domestic connections. An alternative is a flight to Santander, which Ryanair serves. From the airport arrivals hall, Bizkaibus A3247 runs to the centre, stopping at Alameda Recalde near the Guggenheim, Plaza Elíptica and Gran Vía before terminating at Bilbao Intermodal; it is frequent, with roughly four departures an hour, and is the only bus on which you can pay by tapping a credit or debit card, with no need to tap out. Taxis to the centre are also available.

Most long-distance buses leave from TermiBus, also known as Bilbao Intermodal, with regular connections from Santander, San Sebastián, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Madrid among others; buses generally link Bilbao to Spanish cities more cheaply and frequently than the trains. You need a ticket or Barik card to reach the departure floor, and there are ticket machines in a line behind the escalators if the window queue is long. ALSA links Bilbao to Santander, La Unión Alavesa serves Vitoria-Gasteiz, RB runs to Castro Urdiales and Pesa to Donostia. By rail, note that there are three main stations in the centre: Abando, close to Plaza Biribila, for Renfe mainline Alvia and Intercity trains plus local Cercanías services; Concordia on Bailén street, the terminus for Renfe narrow-gauge lines; and Zazpikaleak Casco Viejo on San Nicolás Square, served by Euskotren and the metro. Renfe runs Alvia trains to Madrid and Barcelona from Abando on sparse schedules, so check ahead, and regional trains are slow but cheap ways to reach nearby cities while taking in the mountains and views of the Spanish north. Brittany Ferries runs a direct car ferry between Bilbao and Portsmouth, landing at Zierbena about 15 km from the centre, with a shuttle bus for foot passengers; book early, as it is often full in summer.

Getting around

Bilbao's public transport is good and reliable as long as you stay with one operator, but combining modes takes planning: there is no single citywide map, you pay two fares, and schedules are not coordinated. Apps like Moovit or Google Maps help. For most trips, get a Barik card — it is valid on the metro, Bilbobus, the tram, Bizkaibus, Euskotren and local Renfe trains in Bizkaia, can be shared by several people (each person touches it once), and saves considerably compared with single tickets. Buy and top it up at machines in train and metro stations, or use the Barik phone app, which can also serve as the card itself. The metro is clean, efficient and well regarded, with security guards often present; within the city it works as a single line that splits after San Inazio, and it suits longer trips rather than short hops. The single green tram line runs along the river from La Casilla to Bolurta, passing the Guggenheim and serving the bus station at San Mamés and Abando. Bilbobus covers the city with red buses on a flat fare, and the Artxanda funicular gives spectacular views. For surrounding towns, use Bizkaibus, Euskotren or Cercanías.

On foot, the centre is manageable — allow about 30 minutes to walk along the river between the Guggenheim and the Casco Viejo — though hilly terrain and one-way streets make some areas harder. Bilbaobizi provides bike sharing via an app, and a single taxi number reaches all operators in the city. Driving is difficult: hilly one-way streets and frequent construction make an automobile map essential, and a low emissions zone means some vehicles may not be allowed in at all, so check the current rules before you set out.

Where to stay

For budget stays, the Casco Viejo has many inexpensive pensions. Ganbara Hostel sits in the Seven Streets area, at the heart of the Old Town, close to the museums, monuments, cultural venues and night-life. Bilbao Akelarre Hostel is a private youth hostel a few minutes' walk from the Guggenheim Museum, in the historic district of Deusto University. Bilbao Hostel is a youth hostel a little further from the centre but connected by bus, with free parking. Resa San Mamés Residence Hall, behind the Bilbao Intermodal bus station, offers university accommodation to IYHA members and members of the educational community, with single and double rooms and good transport connections.

Mid-range options include the NH Palacio de Oriol, which overlooks the Abra Bay from a palace built in 1902, and the Holiday Inn Express Bilbao, a contemporary hotel close to the airport and a short distance from the city centre. At the top end, the Carlton stands on Plaza Elíptica, while the Melia Bilbao, Miró Bilbao, Barceló Nervión and Conde Duque are among the city's splurge hotels; the Conde Duque and Barceló Nervión are both on Campo Volantin. Hotel Ilunion, on Calle Rodriguez Arias, is near the bus terminal, very near the metro and quite near the Guggenheim Museum.

Food & drink

Bilbao's signature snack is the pintxo, the Basque take on tapas and generally a more elaborate affair. Friday and Saturday nights are the most popular times both for eating pintxos and for going to bars. In the Casco Viejo, Malatesta occupies a spot in the heart of the Siete Calles, where you can have a drink, snack on pinchos or eat a full meal, with vegetarian and vegan options and a regular programme of exhibitions and cultural events. Restaurante Kasko, on c/Santa María, presents its pintxos as a miniaturisation of Basque cooking culture, laid out appetisingly on the bar counter, with staff who speak English and occasional live piano music. Aritz, once among the best pintxo bars in the city, sits almost hidden in a small one-way street away from the main thoroughfares, but the surrounding street holds dozens of other pintxo bars and is worth the walk. Plaza Nueva is another cluster of central bars, and you will also find them near the Diputación.

For a sit-down meal, the old quarter has cosy options such as à table, an authentic Basque-French restaurant with a good cellar where reservations are required and service is in English. Harrobia, in the casco viejo, serves modern Basque cooking, while Matxinbenta specialises in dishes like fresh tuna in piquant tomato sauce and piperada. Zortziko offers traditional Basque dishes in a formal setting with late Victorian furnishings, frequently booked days in advance, and you can ask about dining in its wine cellar. Vegetarian and vegan diners can head to La Camelia, a vegan bar and restaurant, or Copper Deli near the Museo de Bellas Artes, which serves meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes alongside bottled craft beers. Tap water is safe to drink, including from outdoor taps unless marked No Potable. On weekend nights crowds gather in the bar area of the eastern Casco Viejo, getting drinks from the bars and lingering in the streets before moving on to nightclubs. Kafe Antzokia, a former theatre, promotes Basque culture with concerts, a restaurant and a weekend nightclub, while Café Iruña is known for its Arabesque motifs and antique mouldings and for serving shikabobs at night. For craft beer, Singular keeps at least one local brew on draught with more in cans and raciones for snacking, and Basquery is a brewpub with eight of its own beers on tap and a bistro serving pizzas, burgers and salads, including vegan and vegetarian dishes.

What to see and do

Bilbao's most famous sight is the Guggenheim Museum on Abandoibarra etorbidea, Frank Gehry's twisting, titanium-clad modern art museum. Its graceful curves evoke the ships that once lined the docks, and the titanium squares shimmer in the sunlight like fish scales; even the skylights of the largest gallery are shaped like fish fins. The permanent collection is modest, but there is usually a worthwhile temporary exhibition. Just outside stands Puppy, Jeff Koons's towering west Highland terrier covered in flowers that are changed with the seasons, and one of the city's best-known symbols. For more art, head to the Museo de Bellas Artes on Plaza del Museo, whose collection spans the 12th century to the present and includes paintings, sculptures, drawings and decorative objects; it is undergoing a major extension, so entry is through the old building. Other museums worth your time include the Itsasmuseum, housed in the former Euskalduna shipyard beside the Euskalduna Performing Arts Centre, with indoor and outdoor exhibitions spread across the docks and estuary, and the Museo de Reproducciones Artísticas, which displays full-scale reproductions of famous works.

In the Casco Viejo you can visit the 14th-century Gothic Cathedral of St. James, named for the city's patron saint, with its three naves, small Gothic cloisters and neo-Gothic tower, and the adjoining Plaza de Santiago with its fountain inscribed Por el bien público. Nearby, the Iglesia de San Antón mixes Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements and appears on Bilbao's shield, while the Basílica de Begoña overlooks the city and is perhaps its most symbolic religious building. Cross the Puente de San Antón, the city's most emblematic bridge, to reach the Mercado de la Ribera, a vast covered market where fish and meat are sold each morning except Sundays. Elsewhere, Azkuna Zentroa is a striking modernized complex holding a library, bars, restaurants, a cinema and even a roof swimming pool with a glass floor. You can also take in the ornate Teatro Arriaga, modelled on the Paris Opera House, the art nouveau façade of La Concordia station, and the stained-glass atrium above the platforms at Estación Abando, which depicts traditional Basque jobs. Plaza Nueva, once the seat of the Diputación de Vizcaya, hosts a Sunday morning market of used books, stamps and coins, and the Palacio de la Diputación on the Gran Vía is a lavishly decorated Baroque-style monument. Further out, the Vizcaya Bridge, also called the Puente Colgante, is the only UNESCO World Heritage site in Spain listed in the Industrial category.

When to go

Bilbao has an oceanic climate, so rain falls throughout the year. The wettest stretch runs from October to April, with November the rainiest month. Winter days stay mild, though sleet is possible and snow is uncommon in the city itself, showing mainly on the surrounding mountain tops.

Summer is mild rather than hot and is the driest part of the year, with July seeing the least rain. It is still not dry enough to feel Mediterranean, so some rain remains possible. August is the warmest month. If you want the best odds of drier, warmer weather, aim for summer; if you don't mind the wet, the rest of the year is mild enough to explore comfortably.

Festivals & events

Bilbao's biggest celebration of the year is Aste Nagusia, also known as Semana Grande, which takes over the city in August. If you're planning a trip around this time, expect the streets to be given over to festivities rather than the usual rhythm of daily life.

Three days in Bilbao

Day one: Start with the Guggenheim, then walk along the Nervión. Continue to Plaza Elíptica and up the Gran Vía, and use Alameda Recalde as your spine through the city centre. Bilbao Intermodal is your arrival and departure point if you come by bus, with TermiBus and Bizkaibus serving the wider area.

Day two: Head into the neighbourhood of San Francisco for its street life and character, then return to the centre for the Guggenheim and the river. Bilbao sits within Biscay, in the Basque Country, and the city is the anchor of Greater Bilbao and the wider Greater Basque region.

Day three: Use the transport links for a wider look at the region. Bilbao is served by Vueling, Volotea, British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, Iberia and Ryanair, with Santander also within reach. From Bilbao, the Basque Country and Spain are both easy to connect onward, whether you continue across Europe or stay in the Greater Basque area.

About this place