Search results
1. The Old Town. What is it? A picturesque, cobbled-street kind of town, and Bilbao’s oldest neighbourhood. Why go? As the oldest part of Bilbao (founded 700 years ago), this is where it all...
City Tours (46) Nature and Wildlife Tours (16) Art Museums (3) Culinary Tours (16) Wine Tastings (27) Points of Interest & Landmarks (19) Half-day Tours (44) Bus Tours (110) Historic Sites (3) Ports of Call Tours (39) Private and Luxury (43) Monuments & Statues (20) Cultural Tours (93) Art Tours (15) Lookouts (4) Private Sightseeing Tours (104)
- Guggenheim Museum
- Fine Arts Museum
- Casco Viejo
- Plaza Nueva
- The Two Theatres
- El Ensanche
- Azkuna Zentroa
- Bilbao Cathedral
- Athletic Bilbao
- Zubizuri Bridge
Where better to start than this iconic building on the Nervión. Half of your visit will be spent outside in awe of the flowing lines and titanium and glass cladding. In case you didn’t know, it was designed by Frank Gehry and completed in 1997, as part of an ambitious regeneration scheme to put Bilbao on the world map. Inside are nineteen galleries...
This attraction has a more traditional museum setting and is also a heavyweight, seen as one of the finest art galleries in Spain. Particularly notable is the large time-span covered by the collection, with the oldest work dating to the 1100s and the newest from the present day. Renaissance and baroque masters like van Dyck, El Greco and Murillo ar...
The old core of Bilbao on the right bank of the Nervión was originally defended by city walls. These were removed in the late-1800s and now the district is made up of seven pedestrianised streets and two plazas with boutiques, bars and restaurants. If you’re heading out for meal or pintxos in the evening then this will be your destination. The rest...
The nerve centre of the Caso Viejo, Bilbao’s main plaza is a typically Spanish monumental square and a grand place to meet up with friends in the evening. The square as we see it now was completed in 1851 and has an arcade running along all four sides, beneath imposing four storey buildings. Euskaltzaindia is on the north side: It’s the institution...
The Arriaga theatre on the western edge of the Casco Viejo is named after Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga, a prodigious turn-of-the-century composer who died from tubrculosis at just 20. The building is a regal neo-baroque palace from the late-19th century, and is one of the places to go for a spot of high culture during your visit to Bilbao. Just cross th...
The other side of the Puente Arenal from the Arriaga Theatre is this upscale neighbourhood that was a completely different town to Bilbao until it was assimilated in 1870. Bilbao’s flagship branch of El Corte Inglés is located here among broad streets with refined early 20th-century townhouses. Gran Vía here is where to come for high-street brands ...
Another of Bilbao’s wonderful modern projects, this multi-use cultural centre opened in 2010. Up to the 70s it had been the city’s huge wine warehouse that covered more than 40,000 square metres. At the start of this century it was revamped according to the design of Philippe Starck, who oversaw every detail of the project that changed everything e...
The Cathedral of St. James was built in the 14th and 15th centuries, and is both Bilbao’s oldest monument and the most important gothic building in the Biscay Province. The best way to enter is via the portal on the north side, the Puerta del Angel. Above this doorway is a magnificent relief carved in the 1500s with a design that integrates the Bas...
Students of the beautiful game have a lot of affection for Athletic Bilbao. They were one of the first football clubs in the country, formed at the turn of the 20th century when a team of English expat workers combined with a team created by Basque students who had returned from England. Athletic plays in La Liga at the brand new 53,289-seater San ...
Zubizuri means “white bridge” in Basque, and this futuristic structure was erected in 1997 to accompany Gehry’s Guggenheim as part of Bilbao’s transformation. It was designed by Santiago Calatrava, who has produced landmarks across the world, including the City of the Arts and Sciences in Valencia. The bridge hasn’t been without its controversies t...
People also ask
What to do in Bilbao?
What are the best museums in Bilbao?
Is Bilbao a good place to visit?
What is Bilbao famous for?
Things to Do in Bilbao. Explore popular experiences. See what other travellers like to do, based on ratings and number of bookings. See All. Walking Tours (70) Day Trips (88) Flea & Street Markets (4) City Tours (46) Culinary Tours (16) Art Museums (3) Nature and Wildlife Tours (17) Wine Tastings (28) Points of Interest & Landmarks (19)
- Stroll through the Casco Viejo (Seven Streets) Casco Viejo is the oldest part of Bilbao and is made up of seven original streets. It’s what gives the vibrant Old Town area its nickname, Siete Calles.
- Take a Guided Tour of Bilbao. There’s no better way to see a city than through a local’s eyes, which is why taking a guided tour of Bilbao is one of the best things you can do!
- Visit the Cathedral de Bilbao. As mentioned, the Cathedral de Bilbao can be found deep in Casco Viejo, Bilbao’s Old Town. It’s a cathedral that has many different names, so don’t be surprised if you hear it referred to as Santiago Cathedral, St. James Cathedral, and of course, the Bilbao Cathedral.
- People-watch at Plaza Nueva. Right in the heart of Old Town, you’ll find the exquisite Plaza Nueva, a stunning architectural square built in Neoclassical style in 1851.
Dec 28, 2023 · Guggenheim Museum. 2. Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao. 3. Explore Casco Viejo (Old Town) 4. Bridges of Bilbao. 5. Sample Pintxos in the Plaza Nueva. 6. Euskal Museoa Bilbao (Museo Vasco) 7. Catedral de Santiago. 8. Bizkaia Archaeological Museum. 9. Parque Doña Casilda de Iturrizar. 10. Basilica de Begoña. 11. Museo Marítimo Itsasmuseum Bilbao. 12.
What to see and what to do in Bilbao, a #TopBasqueCountry destination: the best ideas, restaurants, pintxo bars in Bilbao, the Guggenheim, the Old Town and more.
