Biscay · Hegoalde

Bilbao

Once a great industrial city, Bilbao reinvented itself when Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim opened in 1997 and became a symbol of urban regeneration. A medieval Casco Viejo, a 19th-century ensanche (planned new town), converted industrial sites and first-class food.

Bilbao in 30 seconds

About 348,000 inhabitants (348,089 in 2024, INE), more than a million in the metropolitan area. Capital of the province of Biscay (Bizkaia), the most populous of the seven Basque provinces. Lying about 14 km from the sea (the Bay of Biscay), the city stretches along the Nervión estuary (ría), once an industrial port and now the backbone of the modern city.

It is served by an international airport (BIO) 12 km away, by rail and by the AP-8 motorway.

A little history to set the scene

Bilbao was founded on 15 June 1300 by Diego López V de Haro, Lord of Biscay. The town then grew into a trading port.

Late 19th century: the industrial revolution. Steel, shipyards and banking (Banco de Bilbao, the forerunner of BBVA, was founded as early as 1857). Bilbao becomes a major industrial city.

1936–1937: having stayed on the Republican side at the start of the Civil War, Bilbao falls to Franco’s troops on 19 June 1937, less than two months after the bombing of Guernica.

1980–1990: industrial crisis and mass unemployment.

1997: the Guggenheim opens on 18 October, in the presence of King Juan Carlos I. Architect: Frank Gehry. More than a million visitors a year ever since, and a change of image felt around the world: the ‘Guggenheim effect’ (or ‘Bilbao effect’) enters the vocabulary of urban planning.

Around the Guggenheim: the city is transformed by Norman Foster’s metro (11 November 1995), Santiago Calatrava’s airport terminal (19 November 2000), nicknamed ‘La Paloma’ (the Dove), the Alhóndiga redesigned by Philippe Starck (opened on 18 May 2010) and the reclaiming of the riverbanks along the ría.

Top sights

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

The icon. Frank Gehry, 1997: 24,000 m² of built space, including 10,540 m² of exhibition space spread over 19 galleries. Titanium, glass, limestone. An organic vessel moored on the ría. A collection (including Richard Serra’s The Matter of Time and works by Cristina Iglesias, Sol LeWitt and Mark Rothko) plus temporary exhibitions. Jeff Koons’s Puppy stands in front of the entrance, a giant dog covered in flowers.

Tip: book online to skip the queues. Admiring the outside is free — come at sunset, when the titanium glows like fire.

The Casco Viejo (Zazpi Kaleak)

The medieval old town, literally ‘the 7 streets’ in Basque. Founded in 1300 with three original streets (Somera, Artekale, Tendería), joined by four more in the 15th century. A maze of pedestrianised lanes. Santiago Cathedral (Gothic). La Ribera market (opened on 22 August 1929, designed by the architect Pedro de Ispizua in reinforced concrete, in the Rationalist style with Art Deco touches; 10,000 m² of retail space; in 1990 Guinness World Records recognised it as the most complete covered municipal market in Europe by number of stalls). Pintxo bars everywhere.

Key streets: Somera, Artekale, Tendería, Barrenkale, Barrenkale Barrena, Belostikale, Carnicería Vieja.

Bilbao Fine Arts Museum

One of the most important and varied collections in Spain (the museum was founded in 1908 and opened in 1914): more than 10,000 objects from the 13th century to the present day, including some 1,500 paintings. Less famous than the Guggenheim, but richer in old masters: Goya, El Greco, Zurbarán, Ribera, as well as Flemish and Dutch painting. It is the great museum of Basque art: Zuloaga, Regoyos, Arteta. Allow two hours.

Vizcaya Bridge (Puente Bizkaia)

UNESCO (2006). It links Portugalete with Las Arenas (Getxo) and is reachable by metro from the centre. The first transporter bridge ever built (opened on 28 July 1893). A gondola crosses the ría day and night, all year round. The structure is 61 m high and 160 m long, with an upper walkway for those with a head for heights.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

In the municipality of Bermeo (by car or bus). A hermitage on an islet linked to the coast by a stone bridge, with 241 steps up to the top. Made world-famous by Game of Thrones season 7 (Dragonstone). Note: access is limited by free tickets that you must get online.

The Maritime Museum

The Itsasmuseum, on the banks of the ría, on the site of the former Euskalduna shipyards (opened on 20 November 2003, 27,000 m²), with its dry docks and the Carola crane (1954–1957), in its day the most powerful in Spain (60 tonnes), in service until the shipyards closed in 1984. The maritime heritage of the ría. A fascinating way to understand the city.

The Alhóndiga (Azkuna Zentroa)

A former wine warehouse (1905–1909) by the architect Ricardo Bastida, one of the first public buildings in reinforced concrete, transformed by Philippe Starck into a 43,000 m² cultural centre (2010). Inside: three brick cubes resting on 43 columns, eight cinema screens, a media library, exhibition spaces, a gym and swimming pools. Renamed in 2015 in honour of the former mayor Iñaki Azkuna.

Where to eat — Bilbao’s pintxos

The Casco Viejo and the Ensanche are where most of the pintxo bars are: the easiest approach is to hop from one counter to the next.

Fine dining

  • Nerua Guggenheim (1 Michelin star, 2026 guide) — inside the museum, cooking by chef Josean Alija
  • Mina — a tasting menu built around Basque produce, Calle Ercilla (closed Mondays and Tuesdays)

Getting around Bilbao

  • Metro (designed by Norman Foster, opened in 1995): three lines, 49 stations; its glass entrances are nicknamed fosteritos
  • Tram: runs through the city centre and passes near the Guggenheim
  • Bilbobus: the city bus network
  • On foot: the historic centre and the Guggenheim are easily walkable

Bilbao Bizkaia Card: a tourist card that gives access to museums, among other things. Worth comparing prices if you plan to see several museums.

Getting there

  • Plane: Bilbao airport (BIO), 12 km away
  • Car: AP-8 from San Sebastián or France
  • Train and bus: connections from the rest of Spain

Ready-made itineraries

1 day in Bilbao

  • Morning: Casco Viejo, La Ribera market + cathedral
  • Midday: pintxos in the Casco Viejo
  • Afternoon: the Guggenheim, then a walk along the ría to the Zubizuri
  • Evening: Azkuna Zentroa (Alhóndiga), then pintxos in the Ensanche

2 days

Day 2: Fine Arts Museum (morning) + Vizcaya Bridge and Getxo (afternoon) + an evening of pintxos.

3 days

Day 3: a day trip to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe + Bermeo (harbour) + Guernica (the Tree of Gernika + the Peace Museum).

Frequently asked questions

Bilbao or San Sebastián — which one should you visit?

Bilbao = urban, cultural, foodie, modern architecture. San Sebastián = seaside, chic, very high-end pintxos. They are linked by the AP-8 motorway — do both if you are spending 4+ days in the Basque Country.

How long do you need for the Guggenheim?

Allow half a day for the museum, plus a little time to photograph the outside. Ideally, get there as soon as it opens.

Can you visit San Juan de Gaztelugatxe without booking?

Not always: access is limited by the provincial council of Biscay (Diputación Foral de Bizkaia) through free tickets obtained online. Check the conditions before you set off and book early in summer.

Can you get by in French in Bilbao?

Not really. A little basic Spanish comes in handy.

Famous people linked to Bilbao

  • Miguel de Unamuno (1864–1936) — philosopher and writer, born in Bilbao, regarded as the leading figure of the Generation of ’98, rector of the University of Salamanca.
  • Sabino Arana (1865–1903) — born in Abando (Bilbao), founder of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) in 1895 and creator of the ikurriña flag.
  • José Antonio Aguirre (1904–1960) — born in Bilbao, elected first lehendakari (president) of the Basque Government on 7 October 1936, he took his oath beneath the Tree of Gernika.
  • Álex de la Iglesia (born 1965) — film-maker born in Bilbao (El día de la bestia, Balada triste de trompeta).
  • Bilbao and Athletic Club — the club (founded in 1898) is part of the city’s identity: since 1911 it has fielded only players born or trained in Euskal Herria, a tradition born of circumstance and upheld ever since.
  • Athletic Club women’s team — founded on 1 January 2002, it applies the same rule (players born or trained in Euskal Herria) and has been Spanish champion five times (2002–2003, 2003–2004, 2004–2005, 2006–2007 and 2015–2016 seasons), the first club to win three titles in a row; runner-up in the Copa de la Reina (Queen’s Cup) in 2012 and 2014.
  • Iñaki Azkuna (1943–2014) — born in Durango, mayor of Bilbao from 1999 to 2014 (PNV), he presided over the city’s transformation and won the World Mayor 2012 award. The Azkuna Zentroa cultural centre bears his name.
  • Ramón Barea (born 1949 in Bilbao) — actor and stage director with nearly 200 films to his name (La muerte de Mikel, Vacas, Airbag, Todos lo saben), winner of Spain’s National Theatre Prize (Premio Nacional de Teatro) in 2013.
  • Mocedades — vocal group formed in Bilbao in 1967, 2nd at Eurovision 1973 with Eres tú, an international hit that made the US top 10.

What’s on

My favourite photo

The Guggenheim at sunset from La Salve bridge, when the titanium glows like fire. Or the atmosphere of the Casco Viejo at txikiteo time, when the Bilbaínos meet up in the bars.

Sources

Ongi etorri Bilbora — Welcome to Bilbao.

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