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Bilbao, Spain

Bilbao

In the heart of Basque Country, 11km from the Bay of Biscay, you will find Bilbao, one of northern Spain’s greatest treasures. This part of Basque Country is known for the famous Guggenheim Museum. Any tour of Bilbao with a local guide takes in the city’s architectural wonders, set in a ring of rolling green hills along the estuary of the Nervion River. Once an industrial city, Bilbao has been transformed into a design city, where sleek new buildings sit alongside Gothic churches and art nouveau railway stations. At the end of 2017, Bilbao was named European City of the Year at the Academy of Urbanism’s Urbanism Awards 2018, and it is not hard to see why, with its metro, a tram line and the Azkuna Zentroa, a wine storage warehouse turned cultural centre. This Spanish city has it all: vibrant history and culture, modern architecture, beautiful scenery and spectacular regional cuisine. On our Small Group Tour of Spain & Portugal, we arrive in Bilbao on Day 5 and spend the next morning exploring the city and the Guggenheim.

Small Group Tour

Small Group Tour of Spain & Portugal

24-Day Tour · Barcelona to Granada · Small group, up to 16 travellers, solo travellers welcome

Bilbao on Days 5 and 6: a guided morning in Pamplona on the way in, then a city tour, two to three hours in the Guggenheim and a stop at the Mercado de la Ribera before Burgos.

View the Tour

History of Bilbao

Bilbao originated as a settlement of seafaring people on the banks of the Nervion River. It was granted its town charter in 1300 by Diego Lopez V de Haro, head of the powerful Haro family. Haro was the Lord of Biscay and transformed Bilbao from a sleeping fishing village to a commercial hub of northern Spain. This was due to the export of iron ore, found in large quantities along the river’s banks, and the export of wool from Burgos. In 1602, Bilbao, which was becoming an increasingly wealthy city, was made the capital of Biscay.

The Nervion River in Bilbao, with the Guggenheim Museum and the city along its banks

The Nervion River, on whose banks Bilbao grew, with the Guggenheim Museum on the left.

Bilbao prospered further in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Bank of Bilbao (now the BBVA) and the Bilbao Stock Exchange were founded, steelmaking industries flourished, trade with the Americas increased and the city was modernised with new buildings and infrastructure. The population grew dramatically during this time. During the Spanish Civil War, Bilbao was heavily bombed and the Nationalist army besieged the town. When the war finally ended, the city was rebuilt and the iron industry was revitalised. From the mid-1990s, Bilbao began a process of deindustrialisation, transitioning to a service economy.

What to See in Bilbao

The Guggenheim Museum

Today, there is no shortage of attractions to see and places to visit. However, no visit to Bilbao would be complete without seeing the amazing Guggenheim Museum. Designed by architect Frank Gehry, an icon of contemporary architecture and completed in 1997, it has been described as ‘the greatest building of our time’. A gargantuan, titanium-clad museum on the left bank of the Nervion River, the building itself is as much a piece of art as what is housed inside.

For food lovers, the Mercado de la Ribera is also a must-see. An impressive food market overlooking the river on the edge of Bilbao’s old town, Mercado de la Ribera is where many of the city’s top chefs come to buy their produce. There are plenty of food stalls, pintxo counters and tapas bars to explore and it’s a great introduction to the gastronomy of the city. In the old town (also known as Casco Viejo) you will also find the Santiago Cathedral, the Archaeological Museum, the beautiful Plaza Nueva and the churches of San Nicolás and San Antón.

Santiago Cathedral, Bilbao

With Michelin-star restaurants, countless museums, contemporary art and quiet corners of the old town to explore, Bilbao is a city that rewards a closer look. Rather than collapse after the end of its industrialisation, Bilbao has reinvented itself in a magical way.

Seeing Bilbao on our Spain and Portugal tour

On our Small Group Tour of Spain & Portugal, Bilbao is the overnight stop between Days 5 and 6. On Day 5 we travel from Calahorra to Pamplona, where a local guide shows us the city, and after lunch at own arrangements we continue to Bilbao for dinner at our hotel. On Day 6 the group tours the city, including two to three hours in the Guggenheim Museum, then stops at the Mercado de la Ribera for lunch at own arrangements before travelling on to Burgos. For the whole route, see our Spain and Portugal itinerary from Barcelona to Granada.