What to see in Bilbao 🇪🇸

There is no shortage of magnificent destinations in the Basque Country, and today we turn our attention to the brilliant Bilbao.

Next, we’ll present a fairly extensive list of the places you shouldn’t miss in the city. Welcome to Bilbao!

Azkuna Zentroa Alhóndiga Bilbao

Occupying the space of a former large wine warehouse built in the early 20th century is Azkuna Zentroa, the Azkuna Center, formerly known as Alhóndiga Bilbao. The abandoned warehouse has been restored by the Bilbao City Council and converted into a cultural and leisure center.

The building, which occupies an entire city block, was emptied and three buildings supported by 43 columns were erected inside. The center opened in 2010 and has an exhibition hall, swimming pool, gymnasium, auditorium, cinema and restaurant. 

Inside, where concrete predominates, the highlights are the 43 columns chosen by French designer Philippe Starck for the place called Atrium of Cultures. Each column symbolizes the diversity of cultures, architectures, wars and religions that have marked the history of mankind. They use different materials such as marble, stone, ceramic, brick, wood or bronze.

The diversity of the columns gives the space a unique and surprising identity and also serves as a calling card for a contemporary city such as Bilbao.

Inside the center there is a beer bar, a restaurant and a café where they serve delicious coffees.

The visit to the interior of Alhóndiga is free of charge. The Alhóndiga is the Ensanche District of Bilbao, an area we’ll talk about shortly.

Casco Viejo / Siete Calles / Zazpikaleak

Our list of recommendations about the city of Bilbao takes us now to the place where the city was born: the old town, known as Casco Viejo, Las Siete Calles or Zazpikaleak in Basque.

Las Siete Calles, the Seven Streets. because the original core of the old town is formed by seven almost parallel streets. At first there were three streets, but later, in the 15th century, the city grew and four more streets were added, making a total of 7. 

Most of the streets of the Casco Viejo are exclusively pedestrian, and getting lost in them is a real delight. During the day, and also at night, many of the buildings are carefully illuminated. They are mostly narrow streets, very lively, with surprises around every corner, beautiful buildings, filled with numerous bars and restaurants that make Casco Viejo a great place to try the local gastronomy.

Casco Viejo highlights

The first highlight is the Cathedral of Santiago, consecrated to the patron saint of Bilbao. It is a Gothic cathedral built between the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, with later additions such as the tower and its facade rebuilt in the nineteenth century. The visit to the interior of the temple is paid. 

The second highlight is the Plaza Nueva. It was built in the 19th century in neoclassical style and has a rectangular shape with arches on the sides. It used to have a garden. Today it is a place frequented by tourists and locals, who relax on the terraces of the many bars in the square. Because of these bars, it becomes a very busy place in the historic center of Bilbao, rain or shine.

At the entrance to the Casco Viejo, next to the river, is one of the most important theaters in Bilbao, the Teatro Arriaga, a neo-baroque building from the late 19th century. Its name honors the 19th century Basque composer Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, who died when he was only 19 years old (for those interested in music, he was a precocious artist with a surprising biography). It currently hosts mainly theater, classical music and dance performances. It has a capacity for 1,200 spectators.

The Bidebarrieta Library is a jewel in the historic centre. It was built to house a cultural society at the end of the 19th century in eclectic style, with a combination of architectural styles. It was converted into a library in 1956. The library is open to the public and the only implicit commitment visitors make when entering is to keep quiet and not interfere with the activity of library users.

On one side of the neighborhood, next to the river and the church of San Antón, is the Mercado de la Ribera. If you are like us and like to visit the markets of the cities you visit, you will really enjoy a visit to the Mercado de la Ribera.

The Mercado de la Ribera is located where the Plaza Mayor of Bilbao used to be, an open space that was the center of the city’s life. When the Plaza Nueva, which we have just seen, was built, the Plaza Mayor lost its importance, and the space was transformed into a market, first improvised, later with fixed structures. 

The modern market was inaugurated in 1929 and built in rationalist style. It was completely remodeled in 2010 and has several floors.

On the first floor there is a gourmet market that is so popular in Spain, La Ribera Gastro Plaza. There you will find everything from beers, wines, cheeses, preserves, sausages and, of course, the famous pintxos that we will talk about later.

Ensanche

As happened in Barcelona, the city of Bilbao grew beyond its historic center, and to do so in an orderly fashion, several projects were approved that ended up creating the Ensanche, literally the enlargement of the city. The city crossed the river that runs through Bilbao and began to grow on the other side, in an urban design with many straight lines, symmetrical and with the presence of the triangular-shaped corners of the blocks typical of Barcelona and which were also adapted by Bilbao.

Highlights of the Ensanche

Casa Montero (Alameda Recalde 34), popularly known as Casa Gaudí, is a large residential building reminiscent of the work of Gaudí and other Catalan modernist architects. It was built in 1904 and is currently declared a historic-artistic monument.

The local headquarters of the Health Department of the Basque Government (Alameda Recalde, 39) is a spectacular glass and steel building designed by the architect Juan Coll-Barreu. With its glass facade and multiple surfaces, it has become a symbol of modern Bilbao. It cannot be visited inside, but the show is on  the outside.

The Edificio Guridi (Licenciado Poza, 2), Guridi building, is a beautiful modernist construction from the early 20th century, with housing for the middle classes that were moving to the Ensanche neighborhood at the time. The building underwent many transformations in later decades.

The Estación de Abando, Abando Station, also known as Estación del Norte, is the main railroad station in Bilbao, from where trains depart to other parts of Spain. If you travel by train from Madrid or Barcelona to Bilbao, you will arrive at Abando Station. Inside, there is a gigantic stained glass window that represents the traditions and history of the city of Bilbao. 

djacent to Abando station, next to the river, is Bilbao’s Estación de la Concordia, La Concordia station, where some regional train services operate.  Don’t miss its splendid modernist façade from the early 20th century.

The Jardines de Albia, Albia Gardens, are a green space within the Ensanche. It is surrounded by important buildings of the city and the famous Café Iruña, a meeting place that we will talk about in the gastronomic section.

The Palacio Chávarri, Chávarri Palace, is a three-story building from the end of the 19 century in eclectic style, with neo-Flemish elements. Its façade occupies a corner in the most important square of the Ensanche, Plaza Moyúa.

The Palacio Euskalduna is a huge auditorium built on the site of the former Euskalduna shipyards. It was inaugurated in 1999 and has an intense cultural program.

The Palacio de la Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Palace of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, is a small palace built in 1900 and is currently the seat of the government of the province of Bizkaia. The facade, in which different styles are mixed, is dominated by a large balcony. At the rear there is a second very modern building that houses the Foral Library of Bizkaia, especially beautiful illuminated at night.

The Parque Doña Casilda Iturrizar, Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park, is the lung of Bilbao’s Ensanche. It is also known locally as Parque de los Patos, the duck park. It is an English-style garden from the early 20th century that was enlarged in the 21st century, considerably increasing its extension. The Museum of Fine Arts, which we will talk about later, was built inside the park in the 1940s. It is an excellent place to take a leisurely stroll or rest during your visit to Bilbao.

In the geographical center of the Ensanche, Plaza Moyúa, Moyúa Square, also known as Plaza Elíptica, was built in the mid-20th century and renovated in 1997. In addition to being a very pleasant space with English and French style gardens, it is a very popular meeting point for locals. 

The Teatro Campos Elíseos Antzokia is, together with the Arriaga Theater, one of the most important in Bilbao. It was inaugurated at the beginning of the 20th century, at a time when the city’s Ensanche was booming. Come to it to contemplate its extraordinary main facade, richly decorated with a horseshoe arch of oriental flavor decorated with numerous motifs inspired in nature. It is a listed building.

Funicular de Artxanda

The Funicular de Artxanda, the Artxanda funicular, is a transport system that is part of Bilbao’s public transport network and connects the city from the level of the river to the top of Mount Artxanda. The lower station of the funicular is less than a five-minute walk from the Zubizuri bridge over the river.

The funicular was inaugurated in 1915 and has been renovated and modernized several times. Today it operates with modern cabins. There are departures at regular intervals and the ride up takes 3 minutes. It is beautiful to see the city appear before the eyes as the funicular ascends the hill.  

From the top station of the funicular, at the top of Mount Artxanda, you can stroll through a beautiful park with paved paths and splendid views of Bilbao, especially from its viewpoint. 

Contemplating the city from the top will help you understand the traditional nickname of Bilbao, el botxo, the hole, for being a small city located at the bottom of the valley, surrounded by hills. It is not difficult to make out the most important landmarks of the city, such as the Casco Viejo, the Guggenheim Museum and the San Mamés stadium.

In the park you will also see an interesting sculpture, Huella, fingerprint, by Basque artist Juan José Novella, a tribute to those who fought to defend democracy during the Spanish Civil War.

You can buy a return ticket for the funicular, there are vending machines at the stations. But we recommend you to pay with credits loaded on a Barik card, Bilbao’s transport card. The funicular ride will be much, much cheaper.

Itsasmuseum

The Itsasmuseum is the maritime museum of Bilbao, and we wanted to include it in our list of recommendations because the sea is a subject closely related to the history and life of Bilbao, and because it is a modern and very interesting museum.

The Itsasmuseum opened its doors in 2003 and is located on the site of the former site of the important Euskalduna shipyards -the Euskalduna Palace we mentioned earlier also occupies part of the former location of the shipyards.

The aim of the museum is to preserve the maritime history of Bilbao and its region. Itsas means sea in Basque.

The museum has an interior and an exterior part. The outdoor part is dominated by a magnificent crane known as the Carola. In the docks of the old shipyard you can see several boats of different types, among them the “barge of Athletic”, the boat used by the local soccer club to celebrate its achievements. Right now there is a very nice photo exhibition showing how the city proudly celebrates Athletic’s victories.

The visit to the exterior of the Itsasmuseum is free, so if you are strolling along the river, take the opportunity to see it. To visit the inside of the museum, you will have to buy a ticket.

The museum is very interesting and uses all kinds of resources to present the history of the relationship between the river and the sea, and the city of Bilbao. There are numerous models of ships from all eras, as well as some life-size vessels.

There is talk of economy and industry, but also of sport and leisure. The most modern content is related to the port of Bilbao and its importance for the local economy. An ideal visit for a rainy day, for a sunny day or if you are with children.

Metro

It may seem strange to highlight a transport system as an essential experience in a city, but in the case of Bilbao, the choice of the metro is more than justified. It is a modern system that connects the city of Bilbao and the towns in the metropolitan area. The system is not very large, with only three lines. 

Work on the metro began very late, in 1988, and the initial phase was inaugurated in 1995. The system was designed and built by the studio of the famous British architect Sir Norman Foster, who used steel, glass and concrete for the project.

In some sections, the metro runs on the surface. The Bilbao Metro has won numerous national and international awards. 

The entrances to many of the network’s stations have an unmistakable shape, made of steel and glass. They have become a kind of icon of Bilbao and have been nicknamed fosteritos (in honor of Norman Foster) by the inhabitants of the city. Later we will talk about an attraction that we will reach using the Bilbao Metro.

Important notice. There are stations, many in the center are like this, where different metro lines circulate on the same platform. You have to check on the screen that the next metro that enters the station is the one you want to take.

Museo de Bellas Artes

The Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, was inaugurated in 1914 and later moved in 1945 to the building it occupies today, inspired by classical museums. 

The museum is currently in the final phase of a major expansion project commissioned to British architect Norman Foster – Foster appears in Bilbao again. For this reason, only a small part of the permanent collection can be visited and, also for this reason, admission is free until work is completed, with no known date for completion. Everyone we asked at the museum gave us the same answer: we have no idea when it will be.

The museum’s permanent collection is extensive, with a special focus on Spanish, Flemish and Dutch painting. It also has many works by Basque artists and collections of ancient and oriental art.

If when you visit Bilbao the renovation is not over yet and you are curious to see part of the museum, it won’t cost you any money, so take advantage of it! When the renovation is finished, make time in your schedule for a proper visit to the art gallery.

Guggenheim Museum

Few museums in the world can have had as much impact on the city in which they were built as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, a contemporary art museum by Canadian architect Frank Gehry that opened in 1997.

Gehry designed a ship-shaped structure, a tribute to a city closely linked to shipbuilding. When choosing the external cover for the building, he drew inspiration from the feathers and scales of the animal world. More than 30,000 sheets of titanium were used to cover the façade, where the curved shape rules. The plates reflect the light differently depending on the time of day and the weather, creating a hypnotic effect. Do not be satisfied with just one visit to the museum, come back at different times of the day because you will discover a different building.

Two large animals are in charge of protecting the museum from the outside. The first is Puppy, a 12-meter-high steel dog covered with natural plants and flowers. It is the work of artist Jeff Koons. At first Puppy was to remain in the space he occupies on a temporary basis, but he was so well received by the public that it was decided to leave him there permanently. The flowers are changed twice a year.

The other animal is Mama, a terrifying spider almost 9 meters tall (terrifying for those who are terrified of spiders, of course) by the late artist Louise Bourgeois. The work symbolizes the dual nature of motherhood: the mother is both protector and predator. The large size of the animal is surprising and draws visitors to the part of the museum closest to the river.

Strolling through the Guggenheim is a great way to enjoy Bilbao, discovering angles of the work and enjoying life by the river.

But anyone who thinks that the Guggenheim is nothing more than a magnificent wrapping is mistaken. The museum’s interior architecture is just as extraordinary, with a fantastic use of space and a unique feeling of walking through a kind of modern temple. 

Inside the Guggenheim you will find a permanent collection of contemporary art displayed in large spaces, as well as temporary exhibitions. 

The monumental works of the recently deceased American sculptor Richard Serra inhabit room 104 of the museum and hold a special fascination. 

A visit to the Guggenheim is a must, first and foremost for the building, which is absolutely breathtaking. Not only that, the Guggenheim in Bilbao has become a case study. Today we talk about a Bilbao before the Guggenheim and after the Guggenheim, and the term “Bilbao effect” was coined to talk about the economic and cultural renewal of a city through an innovative architectural project.

Not only did the museum bring more tourists to the city (many more, in my youth I traveled a lot to Bilbao at a time when there were simply no tourists in Bilbao), the Guggenheim was the trigger for the revitalization of a degraded city that ended up turning Bilbao’s image around: from a city that no one wanted to visit to one of the most interesting cities in Spain.

We have seen mention of this transformation in many travel videos, and in many cases these mentions are limited to saying that where there used to be a shipyard there is now a beautiful museum and a park. But no, the transformation was much more profound, it was a transformation in terms of the vision of the city.

The museum was the trigger, but the change went far beyond Gehry’s work. For us, the main consequence of this transformation was the recovery of the pride that the people of Bilbao felt for their city. Today Bilbao is a pleasant city, planned with its inhabitants in mind and full of interesting places of which its citizens are proud. An immense achievement.

Puente Colgante / Puente de Vizcaya

We leave the city of Bilbao, which we believe is justified because we are going to discover a unique place. The next point of interest is located outside the city of Bilbao, continuing along the estuary towards the sea, and joins two towns that are part of Greater Bilbao, the metropolitan area of the city: Getxo and Portugalete. 

The Puente Bizkaia, Bizkaia Bridge, which is the name that appears on the official website of the bridge, is better known as the Puente Colgante, the Hanging Bridge, and also as the Vizcaya Bridge or Portugalete Bridge. It is an engineering prodigy recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with similar bridges in other parts of the world.

The bridge was built between 1887 and 1893, and was the first of its kind in the world. It was built to connect the towns on both sides of the estuary, very popular in the late 19th century, and at the same time free the passage of the large ships built in the shipyards and going out to sea.

You’ve probably never seen (let alone traveled) across a bridge like this one. It is a suspension bridge with a gondola on which vehicles and pedestrians travel from one side of the Bilbao estuary to the other.

The system is so different and entertaining that the temptation to watch the “gondola” come and go again and again is very great.

Crossing the bridge is a lot of fun, but the ride goes by too fast. You can buy tickets at the vending machines located at both ends of the bridge, or pay with a Barik card.

When boarding the bridge, pedestrians stay in the side booths, while vehicles occupy the central platform. The bridge is not a tourist attraction, but a means of transportation used daily by local residents, so the traffic of pedestrians and vehicles entering and exiting the bridge is continuous.

If you do not suffer from vertigo, you can also cross the bridge from above. You have to pay to go up and the ticket is much more expensive than to cross inside the gondola. You take the elevator up to the top level, cross the structure many meters above the river and take the elevator down to the other end of the bridge. The views are spectacular, but are somewhat obstructed by the bridge structure itself. You can stay at the top as long as you wish. 

You go up one side and down the other. You can go up whichever way you prefer. 

In addition to the views, the upper area of the bridge is designed as a museum space, with panels explaining topics related to the construction and operation of the bridge.

The ticket to cross the bridge at the top also includes another ticket to cross the bridge at the bottom, thus completing the two experiences, at the top and at the bottom. In our opinion, the top crossing, at the current price of the experience, is not essential.

It is very easy to get to and from the center of Bilbao to the bridge by metro. To get there, take line 2 and get off at Portugalete. You will cross the bridge on foot and to return you will take metro line 1 at Getxo, at Areeta station, which will take you back to the center of Bilbao. 

At the Portugalete metro exit, you will walk less than ten minutes, all downhill, to the Basilica of Santa Maria de Portugalete. If it is open, take the opportunity to visit the interior of the church, a Gothic-Renaissance temple that began to be built in the 15th century, with a tower added later. 

But the reason we recommend this route is that, next to the church, there is a viewpoint with fantastic views of the bridge. There is no better place to get an overview of the engineering work. 

And on the way down to the level of the estuary, all on foot, you will enjoy a short walk through the center of Portugalete, a municipality of 45,000 inhabitants with very nice buildings. Soon you will see the bridge. 

Leaving the bridge, walk 10 minutes to the Areeta subway, it is all flat.

Ría de Bilbao

The Nervión is one of the rivers that cross Bilbao, carrying also the waters of the Ibaizábal river, and the Ría de Bilbao (also known as Ría del Nervión) is the path that the river travels between the city and the sea, where it empties shortly after the Suspension Bridge. 

The estuary is very important for Bilbao, as it acts as its main artery, connecting the Old Town with the Ensanche and the Guggenheim Museum.

In fact, following the estuary between the Ribera Market (in the Old Town) and the Guggenheim Museum is a very pleasant walk. An activity in which you will see both locals and visitors. On both sides of the estuary there are many places of interest and beautiful buildings, and the estuary itself is used by some brave people for sports.

On the way you will pass the Arriaga Theater, which we talked about in the Old Town section.

You will also pass the Casa Consistorial, the city’s imposing town hall, a 19th century work of eclectic style with a richly decorated exterior. In front of it is the sculpture Variante Ovoide, by the Basque sculptor Jorge Oteiza.

The next point of interest is the Zubizuri Bridge, or White Bridge in Basque, an arched bridge that is another symbol of modern Bilbao. It was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava and, like almost all of his works, has not been without controversy. In a city where rain is a regular presence, the architect designed a bridge with a very slippery surface. After numerous falls of citizens on the bridge, it was decided to place a kind of carpet over the original floor to stop the massacre.

Next to the bridge stands Isozaki Atea, Isozaki Gate, a set of very modern buildings designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki in collaboration with local architect Iñaki Aurrekoetxea, who tried to solve a chronic problem of Bilbao, the lack of connection between the estuary and the Ensanche.

The Puente de la Salve is the last bridge before reaching the Guggenheim Museum. The salve was the prayer sung by the sailors when, going up the estuary, they saw for the first time the Basilica of Begoña, patron saint of the city. That moment took place at this point of the river, hence the current name of the bridge.

On the side of the bridge opposite the Guggenheim there is a free elevator that allows you to go up to the bridge deck where the cars drive. Take the elevator on the right, the one closest to the museum. From the top, there is a great view of the museum and you can walk down to the Guggenheim.

The last point of interest on the estuary that we want to mention is the Iberdrola Tower, which with its 41 floors is the tallest skyscraper in the Basque Country. It was designed by the Argentine architect César Pelli, who also designed the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and the Seville Tower.

During the summer months, the estuary is full of life. In addition to people strolling or playing sports along the banks, you will see boats of all kinds, jet skis or even brave people paddle surfing.  If you have time, take the opportunity to continue walking beyond the Guggenheim, at least to the Euskalduna Palace and the open part of the Itsasmuseum that we talked about before.

Boat ride

A unique way to get to know the estuary is on a boat trip. They are offered throughout the year, with more departures during the months of good weather. They depart from a boarding point located in front of the Bilbao City Hall.

The tour goes out to sea and then returns. Check the details here.

The tour is very enjoyable and allows you to know two very different cities: on the one hand, a shining city. The contemporary Bilbao. On the other hand, a less beautiful part of Bilbao and its metropolitan area, the part with industries that are still in operation and those that have already been abandoned. In a way, it allows you to build a mental tour of what Bilbao was in the past and what it is now. 

If you get seasick on the boats, don’t worry, they don’t go out to the open sea.

San Mamés stadium

San Mamés is the name of the stadium of the local soccer club, Athletic Club, popularly known as Athletic de Bilbao, one of the oldest in Spain, founded in 1898.

All the big cities in Spain, and also the not so big ones, have one or more soccer teams with passionate followers. We don’t usually talk about the teams when we publish our city guides, we only did so in the case of Madrid and Barcelona because of their relevance.

But we thought we couldn’t talk about Bilbao without mentioning Athletic, a soccer club and a passion very different from the rest.

Athletic is the club of the city and only players born in the Basque Country or trained in the lower categories of the clubs of the region play in it. Athletic does not sign players from other parts of Spain, much less from abroad. It is the club of the city and plays with local players.

This means that Athletic competes on unequal terms with the rest, not to mention the big multi-millionaires like Real Madrid or FC Barcelona. 

But for Athletic fans, it doesn’t matter. They support their club, their city. If they don’t win the Champions League or La Liga, nothing happens. And when they win a title, like the recent Spanish Cup, the city is an indescribable expression of joy and pride. In Itsasmuseum we saw several photos of the celebrations. 

As a result of this way of understanding soccer, so far from the current soccer business, there is an incredible identification between club and city, like nowhere else in Spain. The player is from the city, lives in the city, and relates to other people from Bilbao. You can sympathize with Real Madrid or FC Barcelona, but in terms of city pride, both clubs mean very little. As we have already said, they are money-driven businesses whose lifeblood is money. Athletic, by the way, is not owned by any millionaire, the owners of Athletic are its members.

We are not saying that Athletic is perfect, nothing in professional soccer is. But we wanted to highlight how different the club is.

A great place to learn more about the “lions,” as Athletic’s players are known, is the spectacular San Mamés stadium, known as the cathedral. The modern stadium was opened in 2013 to replace the old San Mamés. It was built right next to the old stadium. And what a beautiful new stadium it is. 

Inside the stadium there is a museum that tells the history of Athletic and also allows you to tour the facilities. We have visited several stadiums in Spain and we believe that the Athletic museum is by far the most interesting we have seen, because of the resources used to present the information and because it establishes a very close relationship between the history of the region and the history of the soccer club.

The first part of the visit takes place in the Athletic museum. The history of the club, its players, its city. The trophies won. A very nice recreation of the old San Mames stadium.

The visit also includes a tour of the home team’s locker room. 

And you will also have the opportunity to see the inside of the stadium, from two different heights, the grass and the VIP box. And how beautiful the inside of the stadium is. You will even have the opportunity to see how the pitch is kept in impeccable condition.

The end of the visit is, of course, the club store.

And that was our selection of must-see places in the city of Bilbao, enough material for a content-filled visit to an exciting city.

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