Go sight-seeing in Bilbao

Guggenheim-museum in Bilbao

Many museums can be found in Bilbao, as is the case in every big city. One out of the four Guggenheim museums in the world is settled in Bilbao. If you really don’t like art, then you should take the time to admire the architecture of the building from outside, because the titan building is very impressive. Modern art collections divided over 20 galleries are exhibited in the museum, including famous artworks of Picasso and Salvador Dalí.

Another large museum in Bilbao is the Museo de Bellas Artes. The Museo de Bellas Artes is the second biggest museum of Bilbao. You'll find different kinds of art here, from the 12th century to modern art. This building is also worth seeing from the outside.

Casco Viejo

Bilbao is a very modern city, but the historical centre of Bilbao has, fortunately, been preserved. The historical centre is called Casco Viejo and contain Las Sietes Calles. These seven streets used to form the original centre of the city. The historical centre is very modern at the same time, because the seven streets contain many restaurants and bars. You could, for example, drink a beverage after Athletic Bilbao’s football match at Las Sietes Calles.

The Santiago Cathedral can also be found in the historical centre and is one of the most beautiful sights of Bilbao. This cathedral used to be on the pilgrimage route headed to Santiago de Compostela, the most famous pilgrimage city in Spain. The cathedral has beautiful Gothic architecture which you should definitely check out. The Basilica de Begoña is also in the old centre, which is just as beautiful as the Santiago Cathedral.

Plaza Nueva

Are you looking for a fun spot to have lunch at? Visit the lively heart of Bilbao's historical centre: The Plaza Nueva. This neoclassical square is surrounded with beautiful buildings where shops and restaurants can be found underneath. If you decide to sit down at one of the restaurants, you’ll undoubtedly taste the scrumptious Basque cuisine.

There’s one more sight you have to see in the historical centre of the city and that’s the Teatro Arriaga. This is Bilbao’s opera house, and this theatre is very impressive and has beautiful architecture.

Funicular & Mount Artxanda

The entire city can be admired from above at the Funicular & Mount Artxanda. The funicular will bring you to the top of mountain Artxanda where a breath-taking view is waiting to be seen. You will see outstanding buildings from above, like the church Basilica de Begoña, and the Zubizuri Bridge (composed by the same designer of la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in Valencia). The Puente Colgante bridge is hovering above the water and connects two fishermen’s villages. However, it’s 10 kilometres from Bilbao, so the chances are small of you seeing this bridge from the mountain. If you want to see this bridge up close, you could visit the nice little fishermen’s villages. Both bridges are definitely worth checking out up close, by foot or by bike.

Bilbao's surroundings

You can visit all Bilbao’s sights within a day or two. You’ll certainly have seen all the sights if you’re planning on doing a bike tour. Bilbao is, fortunately, surrounded by beautiful scenes you can discover. It would be a waste to not explore the incredibly beautiful surroundings. Examples of villages you can visit are Gaztelugatxe, Gernika, Zarautz and Lekeitio. You can book many different tours in Bilbao which will bring you to these beautiful art sites. There’s even a Game of Thrones themed tour, because some scenes of the famous series were filmed in this region.

Discover the Basque cuisine

Bilbao is located in the Basque country and is luckily known for its delicious traditional Pintxos. These tapas are served with a pricker, and you just have to eat several when you’re there. The city is full of Michelin restaurants because of the delicious Basque cuisine. You’ll find three restaurants listed below where you can taste the traditional cuisine.

Café Iruña

This restaurant still has the same interior as when it was built in 1903 and you can order delicious food here. As the day progresses, more food will be put on the tables. So, this is the ideal place to taste the traditional cuisine!

El Globo

You’ll have an amazing time in this restaurant and the food is truly delicious. You can keep on eating and drinking here until well past midnight; it might be a good idea to visit this place after a football match of Athletic Bilbao!

Mercado de La Ribera

You can find basically everything at the indoor market. If you don’t like the food in one stall, then you can just move on to another! There’s something for everyone.

Going out in Bilbao

There are several areas in Bilbao known for its convivial nightlife. The Casco Viejo is one of those and especially in Calle Ledesma. This street is full of bars where Radical Basque Rock is played. So, if you’d like to find out what partying like the locals is like, then you should absolutely visit this street!

You’ll find more elegant and more expensive night clubs at Indautxu. It’s a bit quieter here compared to the historical centre of Bilbao. A relaxing atmosphere is roaming through this neighbourhood, so it's the perfect place to go to for a fancy and peaceful night out, but don't forget to bring your wallet.

Are you planning on partying all night long? Then you should visit the convivial Mazarredo. Young adults go to this area to party after all restaurants and cafes are already closed. Did Athletic Bilbao win the game, and would you like to celebrate? This is the place to be!