Top Reasons Why You Should Visit Bilbao At Least Once in Your Lifetime
This once-gritty industrial powerhouse is now among northern Spain’s most stylish cities. Admire world-class art at the Guggenheim, learn about Basque culture in the Casco Viejo and top it off with pintxos at an old-school bar.
Bilbao is the biggest city – although not the capital – of Spain’s northerly Basque Country, a land with its own distinctive culture, traditions and even language. Here’s why we think everyone should visit Bilbao at least once, from contemporary and historic buildings to classic Basque snacks known as pintxos.
1. The Guggenheim Museum
Building, Museum
2. The unique Basque culture
Market, Historical Landmark
As the biggest city in the Basque Country, Bilbao is the perfect place to learn about the region’s culture. You’ll notice the language is different from the rest of Spain – here, they speak Euskera, a non-Latin language, also spoken in the Basque region of southern France. Additionally, they serve tapas-like snacks called pintxos in the bars. Visit in late August, when rural games, folk music and dancing occur as part of the Bilbao’s Aste Nagusia (Big Week) festival.
4. The contemporary architecture
Bridge, Architectural Landmark
Daring architectural innovation led Bilbao’s 20th-century transformation from industrial centre to design-conscious, modern city. Key contemporary structures to include on a self-guided tour include the glass-bottomed, sail-shaped Zubizuri Bridge (1997), by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava; Frank Gehry’s titanium-clad Guggenheim Museum (also 1997); the Gaudí-esque Casa Montero (1904) and the boxy glass-and-steel facade of the Basque Health Department, found on the Alameda de Recalde.
5. Europe’s largest indoor food market
Market, Restaurant, Spanish
6. The region’s seafood
Restaurant, Bar, Seafood
Apart from San Sebastián, Bilbao is the best city in the Basque Country in which to eat fish and seafood. Several of the region’s most typical dishes focus on cod, with bacalao al pil pil (crispy cod in a garlic sauce) and bacalao a la Vizcaina (cod in tomato sauce) being two of the most common. For an appetiser, go for a plate of goose barnacles (percebes) and a glass of Txakoli, a slightly sparkling, dry Basque white wine. There are plenty of excellent local restaurants to try here.
7. The Casco Viejo
Architectural Landmark, Historical Landmark
Also known as Las Siete Calles after its seven main streets, Bilbao’s Casco Viejo, or Old Town, was bounded by defensive walls until the 19th century. Almost entirely consisting of pedestrianised, cobbled streets connected by alleyways called cantons, this medieval quarter is home to some of the city’s most important buildings: don’t miss the 15th-century Santiago Cathedral (named after pilgrims taking the northern version of the Camino de Santiago), the Baroque Santos Juanes church or the elegant main square, Plaza Nueva.
8. The nearby natural parks
Forest, Natural Feature, Park
Bilbao is an ideal destination if you fancy hiking as well as sightseeing – it’s within easy driving distance of two trail-crossed natural parks. A short 40km (25mi) to the east of the city is the Unesco-protected Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, where trekking and cycling tracks snake through the Basque Country’s biggest expanse of wetlands. Alternatively, drive 30 minutes south of Bilbao to the Gorbeia Natural Park and hike to the top of the 1,481m (4,859ft) Mount Gorbeia (the trail starts at the Pagomakurre recreational area).
This is an updated version of an article originally by Esme Fox.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
- Post ID: 1438821
- Sponsored? No
- View Payload