San Mamés stadium
San Mames – Athletic Bilbao stadium San Mamés stadium is located in Bilbao, the capital city of the Basque Country. The stadium opened its
City-guide
Bilbao
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Make bilbao the right way!
Bilbao is Spain´s 4 largest city. It is the capital of the province of Vizcaya, has more than 400,000 inhabitants. It is on the bank of the river Nervión (‘Ibaizábal’ is Basque for ‘wider river’), is an episcopal seat and one of Spain’s biggest harbours and industrial centres. In recent years the “botxo” (the hole as locals refer to it) Bilbao has transformed itself and its industrial history is being “shadowed” by architectural inspiration, art galleries and a plethora of cultural activity.
Bilbao city guide - Contents
Practical information to plan your visit to Bilbao
5 top reasons to visit Bilbao
The Guggenheim museum building. This building is without a doubt one of the world´s most impressive pieces of modern achitecture. You may not feel like visiting the museum and yet decide to visit Bilbao to just enjoy the building from outside.
Art Galleries. The Guggenheim is not the only art gallery worth visiting in Bilbao. The Museo de Bellas Artes is located at 5 minutes walk from the Guggenheim and for many its collection is not just a perfect match to the one at the Guggenheim´s, but more complete and appealing.
Casco Viejo or pintxos dreamland. Bilbao´s old quarter is a noisy district full of small bars and shops. At its heart you will find the 7 calles. The Casco Viejo is home for Bilbao´s Gothic Cathedral (not one of the top cathedrals in Spain but yet worth a visit). La Plaza Nueva boast many modern tapas and wine bars and is the location for a flea market on Sunday mornings.
Great excursions at less than 1 hour: San Juan de Gaztelugatxe has become famous in recent years thanks to Game of Thrones, and is knowntoday by more people than the famous Puente Colgante, one of Bilbao´s highlight at less than 15 minutes drive from Bilbao and which connects Portugalete with Las Arenas (Getxo). The fishing village of Bermeo or Getaria (very close already to San Sebastian) are also great options for a day tour. Small wineries that specialise in txcaoli wine and Caserios that produce local cheeses can also be excellent ideas for a short tour from Bilbao.
Beaches & surf . There is no beach in Bilbao itself and the Ria cannot be used as a beach! But there are as many as 23 beaches at less than one hour drive from Bilbao. Some of them (Labarrasterra, Arrigunaga, or Ereneaga)can be accessed with public trasnportation from Bilbao with metro lane 1. Mundaka and Getxo are great for surfers. Staying in Bilbao and enjoying a relaxing beach day is possible despite this may not be the main objective for your visit to Bilbao.
Best time to visit Bilbao
Our favorite months to visit Madrid are from May to mid October. Bilbao´s Semana Grande (Aste Nagusia) is end of August, a wekk full of activities and lots of fun!
Weather in Bilbao
Bilbao is known as one of the cities where it rains most in Spain. From September till May you can get rainy days often (as much as 1 out of every 4 days) By a wet day we do not mean a few rain drops…
Temperatures are moderate and the coldest months of the year are from November till february with high averages between 55 and 60 F and low averages between 40 and 48F
Recommended attractions in Bilbao
Bilbao is the most important city in the Basque Country (economically and in population terms). Its transformation from an industrial, grey town into one of Europe´s most attractive cities has been fascinating. Bilbao is today a top tourist destination with many things to do and see. You can find all our favorite Bilbao attractions here.
Guggenheim musem- Bilbao
The Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao The Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao is the city’s most emblematic monument. A visit to Bilbao wouldn’t be complete without at least
Parroquia de San Nicolas de Bari- Bilbao
Parroquia de San Nicolas de Bari The church of San Nicolás is part of the landscape of the area of El Arenal in the city
Recommended hotels in Bilbao
Many modern hotels have been built in Bilbao in recent years and the overall quality is high. The Botxo (the city center) is easy to walk and you will be able to use also the underground or taxi to move around hotel. Having said this, most hotels are located near the city center. Street parking is not allowed in teh city center for more than 2 hours – and it is almost impossible close to it- so if you drive you should consider to book a hotel with parking. We have put together a complete guide with our recommended hotels in Bilbao. Below you can find some of our favorite hotels and you will find a complete selection in our Bilbao hotels guide. If you will like to be as close as possible to the Guggenheim museum, please have a look at our recommended hotels near the Guggenheim Bilbao section.
Ercilla López de Haro – Luxurious 5 star hotel in the heart of Bilbao
Why we recommend hotel Ercilla López de Haro? This boutique hotel features a traditional Basque restaurant, an exclusive VIP area, and elegant rooms with flat-screen
Hotel Meliá Bilbao -Modern 5 star hotel in the heart of Bilbao with pool
Hotel Meliá Bilbao – Review The Meliá Bilbao hotel is a modern 5-star hotel located 300 meters from the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and with
Hesperia Bilbao – Spectacular 4 star hotel in the center of Bilbao
Why we recommend hotel Hesperia Bilbao? The hotel is situated near the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao, right across the Nervión river ten minutes from Bilbao’s
Recommended restaurants in Bilbao
The basque gastronomy is considered to be the best in Spain. Restaurants and bars (and families) take great care in the selection of ingredients at local markets, or finding the best fresh products. From pintxos bars, traditional asadores (griled houses) or fine-dining restaurants, we are sure you will find your prefect match in Bilbao. With the arrival of many tourists prices are not as affordable as they once were, but Bilbao is not yet as pricey as San Sebastian and quality is not too far away from what you will be able to enjoy in San Senastian. We have put together a complete guide with our selection of recommended restaurants in Bilbao.
NEBAK Jatetxea- Bilbao
Why we recommend hotel NEBAK Jatetxea? NEBAK Jatetxea is a small, traditinal basque restaurant that offers slightly modernized and delicious versions of all the classics.
Zarate de Sergio Ortiz de Zarate – tradition in the heart of Bilbao
Zarate de Sergio Ortiz de Zarate restaurant in Bilbao Chef Sergio Zárate is at the helm of this sophisticated restaurant, that serves up elegant and
Restaurante La Escuela · Escuela Superior de Hostelería Bilbao – One of the top dining experiences you can have in Bilbao
Why we recommend Restaurante La Escuela · Escuela Superior de Hostelería Bilbao? Easily one of the best dining experiences you can have in Bilbao. Period.
Top things to do in Bilbao
Our team of local experts thought that it makes all sense in this Bilbao city guide to ensure you find the most interesting things to enjoy in Bilbao. A gastronomical heaven and paradise for foodies who love both bar hopping and fine dining, Bilbao is also a great place to enjoy art. Not far from Bilbao you will also be able to discover fantastic beaches full of surfers, and excellent trecking opportunities.
You can find our full list with top things to do in Bilbao here.
In depth
Discover secret places, stories and more in Bilbao
History of Bilbao
The
city was founded in 1300 by Don Diego López de Haro, Lord of Vizcaya, and by the
15C it had become a major harbour, which later to be much fought over. Local ore
made Bilbao one of the first centres of the iron industry swords from Bilbao. In 1475 Ferdinand the Catholic conferred the status of Villa Noble’ on the city. In the 15C it began commercial trading with France, England and Guinea, and later with the West Indies; it also provided part of Philip II’ Armada fleet. In the first half of the 17C the city
fought off attacks from the Dutch, English and French and between 1808-13 it was
taken by the French. During the Carlist Wars it was besieged several times.
Bilbao in a few minutes
Why Bilbao ? - Discover fantastic ideas top enjoy near Bilbao
Bridge of Vizcaya (Portugalete)
Bridge of Vizcaya The Bridge of Vizcaya also known as Portugalete Bridge is the amazing feat of engineering that spans the width of the Ibaizabal estuary, just west of Bilbao. Designed by the Basque architect Alberto de Palacio and completed
Caves of Altamira in Cantabria
The Altamira caves are located in Santillana del Mar, a small town in Cantabria. These caves are one of Spain´s most important tourist attractions and receive every year over 250,000 visitors. They are a Unesco heritage site. Santillana del Mar
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe: Dragonstone of Game of thrones
Table of Contents What is San Juan de Gaztelugatxe? San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a tiny island off the northern coast of Spain, in the Basque Country. The island is connected to the mainland by a thin, winding, manmade pathway.
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