If you’ve not yet visited Bilbao in Spain, you’re in for a treat. Forget what you know about the Spain of searing heat and arid landscapes. Bilbao, the biggest city in the province of Biscay and the Basque Country, is the polar opposite: lush and green and blessed with an abundance of dreamy mountains and hills.
What this northern city has in common with the rest of Spain is a strong gastronomic culture celebrating out-of-this-world food and drink. So, loosen your belt, pack your hiking shoes and prepare to be wowed. Just remember to take your raincoat and umbrella—the rainy weather in Bilbao is what keeps everything so verdant.
Image credit: Getty Images. Image Location: Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao
What is Bilbao best known for?
Bilbao is a unique city with a charm that combines the traditional feel of its food-focused old town with the groundbreaking museum that forever changed it—the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Then there’s also the stunning landscapes providing ever-present flashes of scenic nature.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
One of the best things to do in Bilbao is to spend as long as you like at the incredible Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
Sparking the ‘Bilbao effect’—where a fancy building causes an upturn in a city’s economy—the shimmering hunk of curved metal plates designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry was a prime mover in Bilbao leaving behind its post-industrial depression, cementing the city’s place on the international art and tourism stage.
The museum itself is a work of art, including the two famous outdoor statues, Puppy the dog, and Maman the spider. It’s no exaggeration to say that this masterpiece of a museum is one of the most influential buildings of modern times.
Image Credit: Getty Images. Image Location: Casco Viejo, Bilbao
Casco Viejo
The compact neighborhood of Casco Viejo, Bilbao’s oldest, is also called the siete calles, which means ‘seven streets’ in English. The atmospheric old town is alive with bars and restaurants peddling delicious pintxos (similar to tapas), where you can get acquainted with squid in batter, breaded mussels, mushrooms, cod, peppers, and Spanish tortilla. If you’re getting full, duck into the 14th-century Catedral de Santiago de Bilbao and admire the Renaissance architecture from the comfort of a sturdy pew.
Michelin-Star City
Bilbao has one of the highest numbers of Michelin-starred restaurants per person in the world. Currently the city has 14 Michelin Stars, shared among 12 restaurants. That’s pretty good going for such a small town (it’s a city, we know, but it has a small-town feel, in the best way).
Martín Berasategui, one of the chefs awarded the most stars by the Michelin Guide (he has 12), has a star for his Ola Martín Berasategui restaurant, with a great location next to the river, in the heart of the old town.
Image Credit: Getty Images. Image Location: Zubizuri bridge, Bilbao
The Zubizuri
Bilbao’s bridges are quite the things-in-themselves, connecting both sides of the Nirvión estuary that divides the city. Among them, the Zubizuri pedestrian bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava—one of Spain’s most famous architects—is a distinctive white structure resembling a sailboat. It’s not been plain sailing (pardon the pun) as the city council found the materials used made it slippery when wet (remember the rain here) and some alterations were made in the name of safety.
Azkuna Zentroa
Who’d have thought an old warehouse would make such a stellar arts and cultural center? French designer Philippe Starck worked his magic to create the Azkuna Zentroa (Basque for Azkuna Center), which houses a cinema, art gallery, rooftop swimming pool with a glass bottom, a public media center, cafés, and restaurants. The 43 chunky columns made from industrial materials such as cement and steel represent the relationships between art, culture, and everyday life.
Looking for train tickets?
Feeling inspired to enjoy some of the best food and culture that Spain has to offer? Download the Trainline app to find the quickest and cheapest tickets to Bilbao and thousands of destinations across Europe. And if you want to explore more destinations in Spain, check out our Spain Travel Guide.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images. Image Location: Bilbao Train Station