Bilbao Travel Guide
In less than 20 years,
Bilbao has transformed itself from a nondescript industrial town into one of
Spain’s coolest destinations. Often described as “gritty” and “authentic”, this northern port is more than just a big-nosed character actor to
Madrid or
Barcelona’s glamorous film star.
Until the late 1990s,
Bilbao relied on its commercial prowess over its looks. It was where fish came in and iron went out. Gourmands and art lovers would arrive by ferry, before swiftly disappearing to glamorous San Sebastian.
That all changed in 1997 when
The Guggenheim arrived. The famous art museum, built along the once rundown riverside, didn’t just transform
Bilbao, but the world.
Now, any attempt to revitalise a city with high-end architecture or art is referred to as
The Guggenheim effect – homage to the extraordinary revolution
Frank Gehry’s building wrought on the city. Half
Sydney Opera House, half spaceship, Bilbao is worth visiting for the museum alone.
Its success inspired even more spending in the city: the metro stations were designed by
Norman Foster, while
Zubizuri Bridge was created by superstar architect,
Santiago Calatrava. Still
Bilbao isn’t slowing down, and work has already begun on ambitious plans to redevelop the grimy Zorrotzaurre district.
For visitors, the city’s heart still remains in the medieval streets of the Old Town. Known locally as Las Siete Calles (The Seven Streets), the narrow cobbled walkways hold the 14th-century Santiago Cathedral at their centre and are bordered by the covered market.
It’s here that visitors snack on delicious pintxos (tapas on sticks) that locals say are every bit as good as the ones in San Sebastian, no matter how many Michelin stars their neighbour gets.
With stunning beaches just down the road, decent surf on the Basque coastline and a burgeoning working class arts scene in the barrios (neighbourhoods) of San Francisco and La Vieja, Bilbao may not trump Barcelona, but it no longer has to look up to anyone.
It was not until the 20th century that
Bilbao picked up its paintbrush and decorated its own destiny with artistic aplomb.
Before then though, this gritty port was already a palette of colourful history that swirled with wars and was brushed with Basque pride.
It began on 15 June 1300, when Bilbao became a chartered town. Clues confirm the city had been settled before this, mainly along the Ibaizabal-Nervión estuary of the Bilbao La Vieja neighbourhood.
After becoming chartered, Bilbao grew rapidly. It became the main port of the Kingdom of Castile and, in 1372, Juan I of Castile decided to strike while the iron was hot and allow free transportation of the metal through the town.
By the 16th century, Bilbao wasn’t just the economic centre of the Biscay region, but its capital city too.
Bilbao found itself under attack during the Carlist Wars of the 1800s. It survived to tell the tale and went on to become the seat of the Basque autonomous government in the Spanish Civil War in 1936, before being besieged by the Nationalist army, who destroyed all the city’s bridges in May 1937.
Reconstruction began in 1940s and the iron industry picked back up, but the discontent continued in the name of regional pride.
In 1959, the Basque nationalist and separatist group, Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA), was formed here. ETA killed, kidnapped and injured thousands of people in their quest for independence.
Still, the industrial era of the 19th and 20th centuries continued to bring Bilbao wealth. But the city’s aesthetics paid the price.
Business was good until the last decades of the 20th century, when industrial decline set in. A deep economic crisis developed, but after investing heavily in tourism, culture and regeneration, Bilbao turned itself around and became a success story.
Cava has been called ‘Bilbao water’ here since the early 20th century.
Steel wool and sand were sprinkled into Bilbao’s first flagstones to stop people slipping in the rain.
The city commissioned a new font for its street signs in 2000 called the Bilbao Alphabet.
Undoubtedly the best time of year to visit Bilbao is in August when the weather is hot and dry and the biggest festival of the year, Aste Nagusia, dominates the month. Several other festivals happen at this time of year too and it is the best season to hit the beach. That said,
winters are rarely too cold in Bilbao, usually dropping to 5°C (41°F) at the lowest. Museums and sites of interest are open all year round and early
spring is a choice time to visit if you don’t like things too hot.
Getting around Bilbao
Part of the charm of Bilbao is that it’s easy to get around the centre of the city on foot. It also has an excellent public transport system with a good bus network in addition to the metro and tram.
Bilbobús
Routes cover all the districts in Bilbao with more than 30 lines. There are also night buses.
Telephone: +34 94 479 0981
Website: www.bilbao.net
Metro Bilbao
With its stylish fosterito stations designed by Sir Norman Foster, has two lines:
Line 1 (Etxebarri-Plentzia) links Bilbao stations to the right-bank districts.
Line 2 (Basauri-Kabiezes) connects Bilbao stations to the left-bank districts.
Website: www.metrobilbao.net
Euskotren
Have been gradually extended to cover an area linking Atxuri to Basurto. There is a central stretch across the district of Abandoibarra, with stops by some of Bilbao’s architectural landmarks, such as the Arriaga Theatre, the Guggenheim Museum and the Euskalduna Palace. Day passes are available for the tram and metro. You can also buy a reusable Barik smartcards.
Telephone: +34 902 543 210
Website: www.euskotren.eus
Taxi drivers in Bilbao, as in the rest of the peninsula, don’t expect a tip but they will certainly appreciate one. Reliable companies include
TeleTaxi Bilbao
Telephone: +34 94 410 2121
Radio Taxi Bilbao
Telephone: +34 94 444 8888
Radio Taxi Nervion
Telephone: +34 94 426 9026
Driving around Bilbao is as easy as any city in Spain. Expect pushy driving, but decent roads. The layout of the city is quite complicated but well signposted, and the Old Town is a pedestrian zone. There are underground car parks throughout the city, and pay-and-display street parking, but watch out for residents-only zones.
You can hire bicycles and scooters from
Alquimoto
Address: C. Jon Arrospide KaleaوDeusto, 48014 Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 94 401 2563
Website: www.empresite.eleconomista.es
Tourne
Telephone: +34 944 249 405
Website: www.tournebilbao.com also hire bicycles and offer tours.
Benefit from Travoley’s great deals available all year round for a seamless car hire experience in Bilbao. Travel your way by choosing from our collection of brand new cars. Whether you are looking for car rental in Bilbao as part of a vacation, or renting a car for a special event, you will be sure to find a car to suit your needs from our wide range of economy and luxury models.
In order to hire a car, drivers must be at least 21 years old, depending on company policy. All drivers without an EU licence must carry an International Driving Permit.
Our simple booking system makes it easy to reserve online before you go, offering flexible short- and long-term rental, all at great prices with no hidden charges, so when you arrive all that’s left is to discover the best of this exciting city.
In partnership with Get Your Guide
Book popular activities in Bilbao
Things to see in Bilbao
Attractions
Bilbao’s greatest tourist attraction is without doubt the Guggenheim Museum. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, it is a vast titanium-clad structure in the centre of Bilbao and has 11,000 sq m (118,403 sq ft) of exhibition space distributed amongst 19 galleries. It features the works of some of the most influential artists of the later half of the 20th century including Picasso, Motherwell, Rauschenberg, Still, Tàpies, Warhol, Klein and de Koonig.
Address: 2 Avenida Abandoibarra, 48009, Bilbao.
Telephone: +34 94 435 9080
Opening times: Tues-Sun 10:00-20:00.
Website: www.guggenheim-bilbao.es
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Bilbao’s Old Town is known as Las Siete Calles (the Seven Streets) because that’s how many cobbled walkways it was originally centred on within the ancient city walls. Since the 19th Century, though, it’s expanded northwards towards Plaza Nueva. This is the part of town where visitors usually spend most of their time, either checking out the historic churches, the cathedral and the atmospheric little squares, or joining the tavern-crawling choral societies indulging in Bilbao’s great passions: eating pintxos (tapas on sticks) drinking wine and singing.
Address: Old Town, Bilbao.
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Founded in 1908, the Fine Arts Museum Bilbao features an extraordinary variety of artworks from the 12th century to the present. The collection includes more than 6,000 works of art, from paintings, sculptures and drawings to engravings and decorative objects. It is divided into three parts: one for classic European art, with works by artists like El Greco, Murillo, Goya and van Dyck; the second for contemporary art, including works by Gauguin, Bacon, Chillida and Barceló; and the third for Basque art, showing works by Regoyos, Zuloaga, Echevarría, Iturrino and Arteta among others.
Address: 2 Museo Plaza, 48009, Bilbao.
Telephone: +34 944 396 060
Opening times: Daily 10:00-20:00.
Website: www.bilbaomuseoa.eus
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
- Catedral de Bilbao (St James Cathedral)
Bilbao’s oldest church was originally just a stop on the pilgrimage trail to Santiago de Compostela in the west. It was started in 1379 and finally finished in an impressively ornate, Gothic style in 1643. As well as the eponymous St James (or Santiago in Spanish) the church also honours the local devotion to commerce, with the effigies of respected merchants carved into the main vault. It became a cathedral in 1950.
Address: Done Jakue Plazatxoa, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 94 415 3627
Opening times: Mon-Sat 10:00-13:00 and 17:00-18:30, Sun 11:00-12:00.
Website: www.catedraldebilbao.blogspot.com
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Bilbao sits at the bottom of a valley, which is good news if you want to get some exercise walking up the steep hills in every direction. However, for anybody less keen on stretching their legs, this light railway provides a charming way to climb the steep slope to the top of Mount Arxanda. Built in 1915 by a Swiss company it travels at a rumbling 5 metres per second and carries 70 passengers at a time.
Address: PCarretera Artxanda-Santo Domingo Errepidea, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 94 445 4966
Opening times: Daily 07:15-22:00.
Website: www.bilbao.eus
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Until 2010, the Alhóndiga was an elegant but crumbling, 19th century wine warehouse. This was before it was handed over to French designer Phillipe Starck who did a magnificent job in turning it into the spectacular arts centre it is today. There are curvaceous, extravagantly decorated pillars, illuminated benches and, most impressively, a glass-bottomed swimming pool three storeys above the vast lobby.
Address: Arriquíbar Plaza, Abando, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 014 014
Opening times: Daily 09:00-21:00.
Website: www.azkunazentroa.eus
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Bilbao Museum of Basque Archaeology, Ethnography and History
This Bilbao museum is well worth a visit. It features exhibits from the Basque region’s prehistory, archaeology, ethnography and history. The permanent collection allows visitors to explore topics such as the prehistoric Biscay area and the maritime world in the region as well as fishing and trade, pastoral life, handicraft textiles, pottery, weapons and furniture.
Address: Unamuno Miguel Plaza, Ibaiondo, 48006 Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 155 423
Opening times: Daily 11:00-17:00.
Website: www.euskalmuseoa.eus
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Considered to be among the most significant contemporary architectural works made by Spanish architects, Euskalduna Palace was designed by Federico Soriano and Dolores Palacios and represents the last ship built in the old Euskalduna shipyard. A symbolic representation of Bilbao’s industrial heritage, this huge multifunctional complex, built in 1999 and located in the city centre, holds a renowned conference centre and a magnificent auditorium. There are guided tours every Saturday at noon.
Address: Abandoibarra Etorb., Abando, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 035 000
Opening times: Daily 10:00-20:00.
Website: www.euskalduna.eus
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Ría de Bilbao Maritime Museum
Situated in the docks of the old Euskalduna shipyard in Abandoibarra, Bilbao Maritime Museum is dedicated to all things relating to the sea and navigation. The indoor section includes exhibitions, a media archive, an auditorium, a shop and a café. Outside, guests can visit the Euskalduna Shipyards, where they’ll find the pump house once used to drain the docks and the bright red, 60m (197ft) high Carola crane, which has become a symbol of the reconstruction of the city.
Address: Ramón de la Sota Kaia, Abando, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 94 608 5500
Opening times: Daily 11:00-19:00.
Website: www.itsasmuseum.eus
Admission Fees: Yes, except for Tuesdays during the school year.
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Few things symbolise modern Bilbao better than the Parque Etxebarria. Once the site of a steel mill, its redevelopment in mid-1980s proved a peek of what was to come for the port when it was turned into the city’s most popular green space. Its views look out over the Old Town, while the original tall chimney stack has been left as a monument and a reminder of how Bilbao used to be.
Address: Etxebarria Parkea, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbo.
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Website: www.bilbao.net
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
- Turismo Bulegoa Bilbo Bizkaia
Address: Plaza Biribila, 1, Abando, 48001 Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 94 479 5760
Opening times: Daily 09:00–19:30.
Website: www.bilbaoturismo.net
Bilbao Turismo also has an office at the Guggenheim Museum.
Tourist passes
The Bilbao Bizkaiacard (available from tourist offices) offers unlimited travel on public transport as well as free entry to over 25 attractions.
Things to do in Bilbao
- Check out Bilbao’s street sculptures
You don’t have to dish out your dosh at the Guggenheim Museum to get a fill of art in Bilbao, because the streets are awash with around 150 sculptures, statues and installations. Among the best are Puppy by Jeff Koons, a 12m (40ft) West Highland terrier made of flowers near the Guggenheim, and the spindly Maman spider by Louise Bourgeois in bronze, marble and stainless steel.
- Go underground in one of Bilbao caves
Forget Surrealism: the stalactites, stalagmites, shawls, draperies and rimstones of
Pozalagua Caves
Are worthy of any art gallery in the world. Located within the Armañon Natural Park (around 60km (37 miles) from Bilbao), guides take visitors down into the depths of the caves. Tours take around an hour, but pack warm clothes as things can get cold underground.
Telephone: +34 64 981 1673
Website: www.cuevadepozalagua.eus
- Surf Mundaka’s infamous Left Wave
For serious surfers, Bilbao is something of a mecca. The infamous Left Wave at Mundaka froths up to 4m (13ft) in height and 400m (1312ft) in length, challenging even the gnarliest boarder.
Mundaka Surf Shop
Can sort out equipment and lessons.
Telephone: +34 94 617 7229
Website: www.mundakasurfshop.com
- Top up your tan on a Bay of Biscay beach
The Bay of Biscay beaches are stunning, and sun-worshippers will relish the sandy coastal strips near Bilbao. With lovely cliffs and golden sands, Palay de Bakio is the most impressive, though Playa de la Arena Muskiz offers a vast expanse of sand with a children’s play area.
- Wander Bilbao’s Grand Route
Passing through the forest parks of Artxanda, Monte Avril, Arnotegi, Pagasarri and Arraiz, Bilbao’s Grand Route is a 99km (61.5 miles) loop of footpaths and streets that takes in some of the city’s best natural scenery.
Bilbao Council
Has 11 mapped routes of varying difficulty to download (in Spanish only).
Website: www.bilbao.netBilbao tours and excursions
Bilbao tours
Bilbao Turismo organises two guided walking tours throughout the year. One of the tours covers the Old Town, offering a snapshot of medieval Bilbao with its cobbled streets, charming corners and squares. The second tour covers the Ensanche-Abandoibarra area and explores Bilbao’s architectural and urban development from the 19th century to the present, taking a look at the heart of a city where tradition and modernity converge. The tours start at the tourism office on Plaza Circular 1 and last for about 90 minutes; reservations are not necessary.
Telephone: +34 94 479 5760
Website: www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo
The Bus Turistikoa offers hop-on, hop-off deals that depart from the Guggenheim Museum at 17 Lersundi, outside the Tourist Information office. There are 13 stops en route, including the Plaza Arriquibar, the Fine Arts museum, the City Hall and more bridge views than you can imagine. Tickets are valid for 24 hours.
Telephone:
+34 94 344 1828
Website: www.bilbaocityview.es
Bilbao excursions
Gernika is the small Basque town that was razed to the ground by German aircrafts sent by Hitler to support Franco’s troops in the Spanish Civil War. It was an experiment for the blitzkrieg tactics and the bombing of civilians seen in later wars, and it prompted Pablo Picasso to paint his most famous work named after the town itself. Gernika is the traditional heart of Basque nationalism and the famous Tree of Gernika, under which democratic assemblies were held from medieval times up until the 19th century, has been adopted as the symbol of the Basque Country as a whole, and the Biscay Parliament sits in the house next to it. Historical significance aside, excursions should feature a poke around its bustling Monday market and a txakoli (a local dry white wine) tour.
Telephone:
+34 94 625 5892
Website: www.gernikainfo.eus
Just 35 km (22 miles) out of Bilbao sits the beautiful fishing town of Bermeo. This remarkably picturesque spot may be small, but it has a real Basque twang. Ideal for a
day trip, the streets are alive with historic masterpieces such as the San Fransico Church, built in 1357, and the golden Gothic glow of the tower of Ercilla. The bobbing boats in the tiny harbour can hypnotise, while the nearby cove at Aritzatxu Beach offers ample opportunity for sunbathing and swimming.
Shopping in Bilbao
Bilbao has all the typical high street shops you’d expect, mainly dotted along Gran Via and in the modern Zubiarte shopping centre. But it also has many high-end stores around Plaza Moyúa with interesting little boutiques and arty shops found in the old town. As you’d expect from a city that has the world’s biggest covered market, food is an obsession. Meanwhile, souvenir stores in the old town are determined to proclaim every aspect of Basque culture. You’ll find football shirts proclaiming another local passion, the famous Athletic Bilbao, along with Basque wine glasses (heavy chunks of glass with just a small hollow for the actual drink) and the ubiquitous local flag.
The Ensanche and Old Town is where you’ll find shops selling the best wares from national and international fashion designers. The Old Town also offers a combination of pedestrianised streets, historical monuments, cultural institutions and over 800 shops pushing everything from handicrafts to designer clothes. Basque craft items, from pottery and crystal to leather products and traditional furniture, are available from many shops in the city.
The Old Town’s Mercado de la Ribera (Riverside Market) is possibly the biggest indoor market in Europe. Originally designed in 1930 to be clean and functional, this handsome building of stone and glass has become a secular temple to the Basque worship of food. The ground floor is mainly devoted to fish, the first level to meat and the second storey to fruit, vegetables, flowers and other products.
Central Bilbao offers high street shopping and big department stores such as the ubiquitous Spanish favourite Corte Ingles. Zubiarte (2 Calle Lehendakari Leizaola) is a shopping centre in which exclusive design and avant-garde architecture blend to great effect. It has 70 shops on four different levels and is great for clothes and footwear.
Shops in Bilbao are open from 10:00 to 1330 and from 17:00 to 20:00. Many shops are open on Saturdays. Shopping centres are open from 10:00 to 21:00.
Although any Basque look is incomplete without the traditional Txapela (flat-topped cap) that many of the older locals will carry off with great style, most visitors will just want to take home the refreshing local wine, Txakoli, or the spicy cheese, Ideazabal.
Visitors from outside the EU are entitled to tax refunds on purchases of over €90. Look for the signs that say ‘Global Refund TAX FREE SHOPPING’ and ask for your ‘GLOBAL REFUND CHEQUE’ after you have paid. Validate your cheque at customs when you leave the EU and exchange your validated cheque at any International Cash Refund Office in the world.
Restaurants in Bilbao
People take food seriously here and pintxos, the small tapas served on bread with a wooden skewer, are a local obsession. If you fancy something more substantial, many restaurants offer a set price three-course meal at lunchtime. Local specialities include cod or hake cheeks and pulpo a la plancha (grilled octopus). The Bilbao restaurants below have been hand-picked by our guide author and are grouped into three pricing categories:
Expensive (over €60)
Moderate (€20 to €60)
Cheap (up to €20)
These Bilbao restaurant prices are for a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of house wine or equivalent, tax and service included.
Expensive
Cuisine: European
This Michelin-starred restaurant is located on the top floor of the Euskalduna Palace, overlooking the most modern part of Bilbao. The dining area is voluptuously decorated, with the ceiling draped in billowy fabric. The dishes are rich, flavoursome and highly innovative creations that are respectful of the region’s culinary traditions. The service is excellent.
Address: Calle Juan Ajuriaguerra Kalea, Abando, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 421 071
Website: www.etxanobe.com
- Restaurant Guggenheim-Bistró
Cuisine: Modern
Eating in a famous art museum is always going to be a bit of an experience and Restaurante Guggenheim is no exception. The food is described as “culinary art” and thus is more about creativity and imagination than quantity. That said, the food is delicious and interesting, and the prices are what you’d expect from a gastronomic experience.
Address: Abandoibarra Etorb., Abando, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 239 333
Website: www.bistroguggenheimbilbao.com
Cuisine: Modern
Zortziko is a gastronomic institution in Bilbao. Located in a late 19th-century mansion not far from the Guggenheim Museum, it offers contemporary haute cuisine with local roots. There are three dining rooms, each with their own individual style. The menu is seasonal and the innovative Basque creations by acclaimed chef Daniel Garcia are sublime and among the very best in the region.
Address: Mazarredo Zumarkalea, Abando, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 239 743
Website: www.zortziko.es
Moderate
Cuisine: Basque
A grocery store/deli by day, by night a restaurant, Casa Rufo is famous for its txuleton, or rib-eye steak, ideal for those who are craving something hearty – although the menu also offers classic Basque dishes such as oxtail, baked cod or hake with red pepper. Choose a wine to accompany your meal from the excellent and extensive list. Booking in advance is recommended.
Address: Hurtado de Amezaga Kalea, Abando, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 432 172
Website: www.casarufo.com
Cuisine: Traditional
Long-running Basque pintxos restaurant in a former market space with an ornately painted facade.For all its star-quality, this is a traditional place with local favourites such as salt cod, artichokes and grilled aubergines.
Address: Pl. Nueva, 8, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao.
Telephone: +34 94 415 7067
Website: www.victormontes.com
Cuisine: Tapas
Contemporary Basque cooking & tapas, plus regional wines, in a modern, industrial-chic setup. The ambience and the décor (stonework and large windows) make it the ideal spot for any type of celebration.
Address: Pl. Nueva, 12, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao.
Telephone: +34 94 415 8037
Website: www.guretoki.com
Cheap
Cuisine: Basque
In front of the Jardines de Albia, an elegant park in the centre of town, the Café Iruña has the air of being exactly the same today as it was when it opened in 1903. The azulejo (patterned tiles) on the walls, the wooden pillars, carved wooden ceiling and even the smart, waist-coated waiters all seem like institutions. Dining can be equally formal in the white table-clothed restaurant, or more casual at the pintxos bar. Specialities include foie gras with ham and cheese.
Address: Colón de Larreátegui K, Abando, 48001 Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 237 021
Website: www.cafeirunabilbao.net
Cuisine: Hamburger
Unpretentious venue offering up burgers & beers in a simply furnished dining area. At La Brasa Canalla, we have been in the business since 2015 to provide fast food of the highest quality, detailing 0 to 1 of our ingredients. Our priority is to monitor product and process quality, as well as research for our customers; We retain our different personalities.
Address: Elcano K., 24, Abando, 48008 Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 94 405 9818
Website: www.labrasacanalla.com
- Restaurante Victor Montes
Cuisine: Basque
Downstairs at Victor Montes there’s a proper restaurant where they serve large helpings of roast meats and grilled fish, but the place is best known for the pintxos served upstairs in the bar. The chequered floors and white-jacketed waiters make the joint look like an old-fashioned barber shop, with the croissants stuffed with ham, leek and mayonnaise a cut above the rest.
Address: Pl. Nueva, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao.
Telephone: +34 944 157 067
Website: www.victormontes.comBilbao Nightlife
Nightlife in Bilbao is lively and fun. The city has a late night culture, for both eating and drinking, so you’ll always be able to find something happening. The Old Town and the Abando area are both packed with bars, eateries and clubs. The Bilbao Guide, published every two months by Bilbao Turismo, contains information about the main cultural events taking place in Bilbao. It is available at the city’s tourist offices as well as from the majority of Bilbao’s hotels.
Bars in Bilbao
With its chequered floor, tiled walls and traditional selection of pintxos, the Cafe Bar Bilbao is as typical of the city as its name would suggest. But, although it was founded in 1911, it’s far from staid. By about 2230 you can hear it across the Plaza Nueva as voices start to raise and discarded napkins litter the floor. The staff are exceptionally friendly.
Address: Pl. Nueva, 6, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao.
Telephone: +34 944 151 671
Website: www.bilbao-cafebar.com
El Huevo Frito (The Fried Egg) is one of Bilbao’s most famous places. It is a tiny, cheerful, informal tapas bar in the new town where everyone flocks after work and throughout the evening. The staff are friendly and efficient – your beers and wine are always en route – and you can stuff your face on the bite-sized food. The banter often spills over into the street if you want some space.
Address: García Rivero Maisuaren Kalea, Abando, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 412 249
Website: www.elhuevofrito.com
Bright, stylish lounge with banquettes offering seasonal & classic cocktails plus Spanish tapas. Bilbao’s oldest café, Its new owners may have turned it into a gastrobar but with live piano music and bookcases advertising its literary heritage, they’ve done a good job of retaining its charm.
Address: Alameda de Recalde, Abando, 48009 Bilbao.
Telephone: +34 94 607 7190
Website: www.lamulademoscu.com
Clubs in Bilbao
Cotton Club is an excellent Bilbao club for dancing, with a mixture of DJs and live pop and rock groups on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It’s a tiny place, so be prepared to be another sardine in the tin, but the atmosphere is happy and lively. Check the website calendar to find out who’s playing. Take in the red and black decor and enjoy the immense choice of rums and whiskeys.
Address: 25 Calle Gregorio de la Revilla, Bilbao.
Telephone: +34 944 104 951
Website: www.cottonclubbilbao.es
This nightclub offers four different rooms with four different music genres, depending on the nighgt – check the website for line-ups. The sound system is excellent and the crowd is young and lively. The organisers also run Art After Dark, a once-per-month event where DJs play after hours in the main atrium of the Guggenheim Museum.
Address: Telleria Kalea, 27, 48004 Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 944 598 617
Website: www.santana27.com
This nightclub has DJs playing electro, pop and rock music. Thursday nights is student night. It’s really popular and often crowded.
Address: Calle Gral. Concha, 9, Abando, 48010 Bilbao.
Telephone: +34 68 322 9366
Website: www.salamarqueebilbao.com
Live music in Bilbao
Bilborock is a handsome, deconsecrated 17th Century church that was bought by the town hall in the 1990s and turned into a centre for arts and culture. Its refurbished interior has great acoustics for all kinds of live music and also hosts experimental art projects, cinema and dance.
Address: Mesedeetako Kaia, Ibaiondo, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 94 415 1306
Website: www.bilbaogazte.bilbao.eus
Kafe Antzokia is Bilbao’s best live music venue with a wide repertoire from Basque music to international pop-rock bands, world music and reggae. The former cinema was converted into a multi-purpose venue in 1995. It is best known for promoting the Basque culture, both as an artist’s venue and for the clientele.
Address: Done Bikendi Kalea, Abando, 48001 Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 94 424 4625
Website: www.kafeantzokia.eus
For bands that want to play at Rockstar, the big hair may not be obligatory but it certainly helps. The venue specialises in rock, punk and metal of all kinds, ranging from Metallica tribute acts to local bands still wet behind the ears. With its zebra print décor and MTV-style video wall, this is the best place in town for headbangers.
Address: Estraunza Kale Partikularra, Abando, Bilbo.
Telephone: +34 94 439 5163
Website: www.mollymalone.infoBilbao Food And Drink
Food In Bilbao
The ultimate representation of this is the Pintxo. Small morsels of infinite quality, made from fresh local produce. Never before has something so small contained so much work behind it. Complete, without complexes and finger-licking good.
An emblematic culinary jewel of the
Basque coast. Although its origin is unknown, it is believed that this dish emerged as a waste cooking recipe by Basque fishermen.
The gilda is a classic Basque pintxos that comprises three ingredients: Guindilla peppers, an anchovy, and an olive skewered together. The savoury snack first appeared in the 1940s at Bar Casa Valles in San Sebastian, Spain, which is one of the earliest and most influential pintxos bars in the area.
Idiazábal cheese is the pride of BilbaoMore specifically, Idiazábal cheese, which a pressed cheese made from unpasteurized sheep milk with a characteristic rich and smokey flavor.
The Bollo de Mantequilla is an iconic Basque sweet, especially revered in Bilbao, where it has become a symbol of local confectionery. Bollo is a typical and very popular bread in Seville, in the south of Spain.
Drink In Bilbao
A vermouth-based cocktail ubiquitous to northern Spain, the Marianito combines sweet vermouth, gin, Campari and bitters, served up or over ice. The drink is extremely popular in Bilbao, where it was supposedly created at a traditional bar before conquering the cocktail lists of high-end venues across the city.
Sangría is Spain’s national drink, so of course it belongs on this list! Spain is famous for it’s wine, which is the base of this drink. Lots of fresh fruit and a bit of sugar and cinnamon give this drink a sweet taste that you’ll fall in love with at first sip.
The mariano –some friends affectionately call it the marianito– is a mix of vermouth, angostura and Campari. This drink is a real institution in Bilbao, where it’s also known as a vermú preparado. To combat its alcoholic effects, it can be enjoyed along with some of the special tapas of each different bar.
- Basque cider – aka sagardoa
Basque cider – aka sagardoa (literally means apple wine) is a popular drink in the Basque Country . Cider becomes a celebration during the txotx season (when the new cider is welcomed). It is not like other European sweet ciders. Sagardoa is rather dry and acidic.
The largest city in the Basque Country, Bilbao has long been a busy industrial port. Set on two sides of the Nervión River Estuary, it has emerged as a cultural powerhouse in recent decades — in no small part due to the opening of the magnificent Museo Guggenheim. Accommodation options are wide-ranging, with the best places to stay in Bilbao reflecting the city’s arts boom through innovative design and impressive creative collections of their own.
Perched on the river’s right bank, Bilabo’s Old Town is a maze of winding streets studded with imposing landmarks. Take a walking tour to see the Catedral de Santiago, the Txabarri Jauregia and the Museum of Fine Arts. Close to the river is the iconic Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum. A striking glass and titanium structure, it’s a must-visit — as is the surrounding arts district, with its fabulous programme of events and installations. For a sense of old Bilbao, venture to the hilltop Basilica de Begona, which also promises spectacular city views.
The Alhóndiga Bilbao Cultural and Leisure Centre, converted from a wine cellar by French architect Philippe Starck is fabulous for travellers of all ages, who will also appreciate Bilbao’s profusion of leafy parks. Pick a perch for a spot of people-watching in Plaza Nueva, or head across to coastal Getxo to discover the port, sandy beaches and seafood eateries aplenty. Come evening, Bilbao is a foodie paradise. Feast on fresh produce at the Mercado de La Ribera, join the locals at the city’s many pintxos bars, or tuck into terrific fare at one of the best places to stay in Bilbao.