Bilbao City Breaks

A guide to Bilbao

Bilbao is a city which boasts an appealing, varied collection of easily accessible attractions. Known for its tremendously friendly and down-to-earth atmosphere, Bilbao also exudes an innovative sense of contemporary style, and an engaging pride in its industrial and cultural heritage and Basque identity. On the north coast of Spain, only San Sebastian can rival Bilbao city breaks in terms of character and atmosphere, and the irrepressibly spirited enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures.

Vibrant and cultural city centre

Bilbao derives a great deal of its appeal from an innovative sense of urban renewal, reminiscent of cities like Barcelona and Manchester. Aside from the Old Town, there are parks, bridges and waterfront promenades of the river and estuary, whose transformation was sparked by the arrival of the Guggenheim Museum in 1997. No visit here is complete without visiting this simply extraordinary building and its equally iconic giant floral puppy. The sights are pleasantly reached on foot, and the city’s superb trams and metro means its also possible to head to waterfront neighbourhoods like Getxo and Portugalete, and the best of Bilbao’s suburb beaches. Bilbao’s beautiful north coast location and weather makes this vibrant city a more comfortable mid-summer break than Seville and Madrid, and the vibrant nature and cultural attractions make Bilbao an enjoyable destination, at any time of year.

Atmospheric Spanish flavour in its bars and restaurants

Basque food is at the forefront of new Spanish cuisine, and Bilbao is famed for its thriving cafes, bars and restaurants. The city offers an array of culinary treats, ranging from the simplest of tapas bars to the most stylish of quality restaurants. Bilbao also has a high reputation for fashion and design, and the buzzing pedestrian streets of the Casco Viejo old town rival anything in Madrid, Barcelona and Palma; traditional art nouveau cafes, arcaded squares, terrific tapas bars, idiosyncratic music bars, and an especially friendly atmosphere brimming over with easygoing Basque character.