Located in northern Spain, Bilbao sits in the heart of the Basque Country and is a city that seamlessly blends the old and the new. From Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum building, showing off the best of contemporary architecture, to the old world charm of the Casco Viejo, Bilbao is a beautiful city to look at, make no mistake.
It’s also a beautiful city to taste. The Basque Country is unquestionably one of the most gastronomically blessed regions in the whole of Spain – scratch that, the world – with Bilbao its beating heart. Surrounded by mountains and sitting on an estuary that leads to the Atlantic Ocean, its food is influenced by both land and sea, as well the region’s unique trade links with Portugal and Jews expelled from Spain proper.
Whilst Anthony Bourdain once said of its famously ‘foodie’ sibling an hour up the coast, ‘‘You could make the argument that there is no better place to eat in Europe than the city of San Sebastian’’, we think Bilbao is more than a match in terms of gastronomic delights.
With all that splendid architecture and great food, as well as its relatively small size and eminently walkable centre, Bilbao is the ideal place for a weekend city break with a difference. If you’re wondering what to do while you’re here, let’s explore further…
How To Get To Bilbao
If you’re visiting Bilbao from the UK, you can travel directly from Portsmouth to Bilbao by ferry, with two sailings every week. The route takes just over a day to complete, but it’s a relaxing way to travel and a rather awe-inspiring way to arrive in northern Spain.
To speed things up a little (a lot), you can of course fly to Bilbao, directly from London Gatwick and Bristol, for just £35 one way and taking two hours. Bilbao is also well connected by train and there are daily trains from most major cities in Spain which run to Bilbao, if you’re visiting as part of a larger tour of the country.
If you’re travelling to Bilbao from the UK, you’ll just need a valid passport to enter. Despite Brexit’s huge ramifications for continental travel and the UK not being part of the Schengen Area, Spain still permits visa-free travel from the UK, for a total of 90 days in any 180 day period.
However, if you’re traveling from further afield, you’re going to need travel authorization in the form of a visa for Spain or an ETIAS, depending on which country you are a passport holder in.
An ETIAS is a new form of travel authorization set to be introduced in Schengen countries in Europe by 2025. It stands for Electronic Travel Information and Authorization System and allows eligible citizens from non EU countries (and the UK) to travel in the Schengen Zone for up to 90 days in a 180 day period.
When To Go
With its hilly location on Spain’s north coast, looking out over the Atlantic Ocean’s Bay of Biscay, Bilbao has a relatively cool climate that stays mild throughout the year. The summer season, between June and September, is the best time to head to Bilbao if you’d like warm and balanced weather on your visit.
While it is cooler and slightly rainier, the mild weather of the autumn months may suit some people’s preferences.
What To Do In Bilbao
Eat Breakfast Like A Bilbaínos
Let’s begin with breakfast, Bilbao style; a bollo de mantequilla. This is a rather basic looking brioche-like bun, but the experience of eating it is anything but basic.
Filled with a rich and light butter cream and washed down with a cup of coffee, this is the taste of Bilbao and the best way to kick things off here. If starting the day with something so creamy isn’t your thing, these butter-cream filled sweet buns are also eagerly enjoyed in the afternoon.
Alternatively, it’s not uncommon for the Bilbaínos to enjoy a little fresh chorizo and eggs for breakfast, which sounds rather delicious to us!
Take A Boat Ride Down The River Nervión
One of the best ways to get to grips with the layout of Bilbao is to walk its main river, the Nervión, or to take a boat down it.
The Nervión cuts a swathe through – and defines – the city, with most of Bilbao’s main attractions located on its riverbanks. Seeing Bilbao by water is a wonderful way of approaching its history, architecture and cityscape from a different vantage point, with the Ría de Bilbao (as the Nervión is sometimes known) running all the way to the Bay of Biscay, and giving you a real sense of place.
Consider a hop on, hop off boat tour aboard one of the cleverly named Bilboats; you’ll find them moored up at Pío Baroja square in the centre of Bilbao.
Eat And Explore La Ribera Market
La Ribera Market is a must visit while you’re in Bilbao. It’s the largest indoor market in Europe, spanning more than 10,000 square metres, and is the place to find the gastronomic goods of the Basque country.
The market is a sprawling affair, replete with stalls selling fresh local produce and serving many of the city’s top restaurants. In fact, you’re likely to bump into some of the top chefs here, as they fill their kitchen larders daily from La Ribera.
The market’s dedicated food court is one of our favourite ways to while away the day in Bilbao. If you’re after pintxos (more on this later), then a must visit is La Bodeguilla, who are ‘Gilda’ (a snack comprising a toothpick with a few delicious morsels attached) specialists. And to leave Bilbao without having your fill of Gilda would be a crime, trust us!
Go On A Cable Car Ride
If it’s a clear day, then those uninterrupted views represent the perfect opportunity to get on Artxanda’s cable car, which will take you to the top of Mount Artxanda. From the top, you’ll get a panoramic view of the city and the bay beyond.
The funicular runs quite regularly and once you’ve alighted, you should take a stroll to Txakoli Simon, a restaurant with a gorgeous terrace specialising in grilled meat, Basque style.
Read: Ingenious grilling techniques from around the world
Soak Up The Art & Architecture
The glittering Guggenheim Museum is a stand-out attraction in the city, with its incredible building and floral puppy outside, it draws a huge amount of tourists to the city. If you’re keen just to admire the impressive architecture from the outside, rest assured, you’ll see it from your cruise along the River Nervión. The Museum of Fine Arts is a fantastic stop for culture lovers, too, and is just a ten minute walk inland from the Guggenheim.
Take a twenty minute stroll out of the centre from those two museums, and you’ll reach the Catedral de Santiago en Bilbao (Bilbao Cathedral), which was built in the 15th century and is a sight to behold.
Take Advantage Of Vermouth Hour
Once reserved for Sundays, when parishioners spilled out of the churches and filled up the bars, La Hora Del Vermut (‘vermouth hour’ in English) is now a ritual throughout Spain every day of the week.
With vermouth an aperitif – in other words it’s supposed to prepare your palate and stimulate your appetite – the hour of this delicious drink usually occurs directly before dinner, and is usually savoured with a few snacks thrown in for good measure
You can find good vermouth everywhere in Spain, and you should drink it neat, chilled over ice, just as the Spaniards do. In Bilbao, some of the best places to enjoy La Hora Del Vermut include Vermuteka, Monocromo, and Bar Basque Bilbao. Or, you could simply follow your ears; anywhere celebrating vermouth hour has a reliably noisy din!
Stroll The Seven Streets
Bilbao’s Casco Viejo is the oldest part of the city, first imagined and built in the 14th century. Today, this historic quarter, its famous Seven Streets (Siete Calles) and connecting narrow alleys (cantons) are the main part of town where locals and tourists rub shoulders.
Come to browse the shops selling tinned fish from the Bay of Biscay, as well as the city’s trendy boutique fashion stores; stay for the lively cafes, where you can enjoy the region’s much celebrated pintxos culture…
Prepare For Pintxos
Since we’re in the Basque country, pintxos (not tapas) are the order of the day here. These little morsels are a wonderful way to sample a vast array of regional specialities for just a few euros.
Nearly every bar you pass will have a selection of pintxos on display, especially in Bilbao’s Old Town, where you’d find punters enjoying a little ‘pintxos crawl’ throughout its seven streets. However, since you’re only here for the weekend, it’s worth seeking out the very best.
Close to the ‘7 Streets’, you’ll find the Plaza Nueva, a sheltered plaza lined with bars all selling delicious pintxos. Our favourite place here is Restaurant Victor Montes, one of the city’s most iconic places to enjoy a few bites.
Or, just opposite the Jardines de Albia, Café Iruña has been open since 1903 and has become something of an institution. So much so, in fact, that Bilbaínos use this place as a reference point for the city and how far they are from the centre! The restaurant is open every day of the year, so even if you visit on the most holy of holidays, it will welcome you in with open arms.
Finally, La Vina Del Ensanche has been dishing out delightful plates of pintxos since 1927 and the focus here is in the much lauded Iberian Bellota products (basically, some of the world’s finest ham) all washed down with good, inexpensive wine. And what better holiday could you have than that?