Things to do in Bilbao: the Guggenheim, the old town and the river
Bilbao is a Basque port city on the Nervión river, once heavy industry and now known for the Guggenheim museum, a compact old town and some of the best bar food in Spain. Two days covers it, three with a day trip. The one thing to know: it is wetter and greener than most of Spain, so pack a rain jacket in any season.
The short answer
- First trip
- Walk the river to the Guggenheim, spend an evening in the Casco Viejo bars, and ride the Artxanda funicular for the view.
- Where to stay
- The Casco Viejo for the bars, Abando for the center and the station, and the riverside near the Guggenheim for quiet.
- How many days
- Two days for the museum, the old town and the bars. Three if you add Gaztelugatxe, Getxo or San Sebastián.
- Best time to go
- May to June and September to October for mild weather. August is warm and quieter in the center.
- Book ahead
- Guggenheim tickets in summer, Gaztelugatxe access, and dinner at the better restaurants.
- From the airport
- Bizkaibus line A3247 runs from the airport to the center in about 25 minutes. A taxi takes about 15.
Where to stay in Bilbao, in brief
Casco Viejo
bars and first visits
The old town of the seven original streets, with the Ribera market and most of the pintxo bars. Loud on weekend nights, with small rooms and steep stairs.
Abando
the center and trains
The 19th-century grid around Plaza Moyúa, with the Abando station, shops and the metro. Quieter at night and a good base for first-timers.
Abandoibarra
the Guggenheim
The riverside district of the Guggenheim, the park and the modern towers. Calm and clean, with fewer bars at the door.
Indautxu
local bars and calm
A residential district south of Abando with neighborhood pintxo bars and a quieter feel. Fifteen to twenty minutes from the old town on foot.
Things to do in Bilbao
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Frank Gehry's titanium building is the reason many people come. Walk round the outside first, with Jeff Koons's Puppy and Louise Bourgeois's Maman, then go in for the galleries.
Buy timed tickets a few days ahead in summer
The Casco Viejo and the Siete Calles
The seven original streets of the old town, laid out in the Middle Ages, with small shops and bars. Come in the morning to see them quiet, then again in the evening.
Mercado de la Ribera
One of the largest covered food markets in Europe, in a 1929 building on the river. Stalls sell fish, meat and produce, and pintxo counters fill the upstairs.
Basílica de Begoña
A hilltop basilica above the old town, reached by a long stair or by lift. The views over the roofs and the river are the reason to go.
Artxanda funicular
A short funicular from the Funikularra station climbs the hill across the river. The top has a viewpoint over the whole city and a few grill restaurants.
Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
A good collection of Basque, Spanish and European art in a park-side building, from medieval work to the 20th century. It is a calmer alternative to the Guggenheim.
Vizcaya Bridge
The world's oldest transporter bridge, in Portugalete, about 20 minutes from the center by metro. A gondola still carries people and cars across the river, and a walkway runs along the top.
A walk along the ría
A riverside path runs from the old town past the Guggenheim and on to the Euskalduna conference center. Flat and easy, it is the best way to see how the city has changed.
Plaza Nueva and the Sunday market
The arcaded square at the heart of the old town, with bars around it. A small market runs on Sunday mornings.
A pintxo crawl
Order one pintxo and a small drink at each bar, then move on. The old town and Indautxu have the best runs.
What to book before you go
These sell out. Most of the rest of Bilbao can be decided on the day.
Every tour and ticket in Bilbao, and which to pick- Guggenheim Museum tickets3 to 7 days ahead in summer
Timed entry avoids the queue, and Saturdays and holiday weeks fill up.
- Dinner at a sit-down restaurant1 to 2 weeks ahead
Grills and tasting-menu rooms fill on weekends, and pintxo bars do not take reservations.
- Gaztelugatxe accessSeveral days ahead
The island and its steps have a booking system with limited slots, so check the official page before you plan a day trip.
What to skip in Bilbao
- Eating on the main squares at the weekend
The terraces charge for the view and the menus are the same. Walk two streets into the old town instead.
- Hiring a car for the city
Bilbao has a good metro, tram and bus network, and parking is dear. Take a car only for the coast.
- A beach day in the city
Bilbao is inland on a river. For sand, take the metro to Getxo or Sopelana.
Best time to visit Bilbao
May, June, September and October are the best months: mild, green and not too crowded. Summer is warm, often 25 to 30 degrees, with some humid days, and August is a quiet month in the center as local people leave for the coast. The Aste Nagusia festival runs in late August with fireworks, concerts and a lot of people.
Winter is mild but wet and gray, and the bars stay open and cheaper. Rain can arrive in any month, so a jacket is useful all year. The Fine Arts Museum and the Guggenheim are good in bad weather.
- From Bilbao airportThe Bizkaibus A3247 runs from the airport to the center, stopping near Plaza Moyúa and ending at the Intermodal station, roughly every 15 to 20 minutes from early morning to midnight. A taxi to the center takes about 15 minutes and costs around €27 to €30.
- MetroThe metro runs along both banks of the river and out to Getxo and the beaches. Stations in the center are Moyúa, Casco Viejo and Abando. Buy a Barik card or pay with contactless.
- Tram and busA single tram line runs through Abando, the Guggenheim and Atxuri. Bizkaibus and Bilbobus cover the rest of the area.
- On footThe old town, Abando and the Guggenheim are all within about twenty-five minutes of each other on flat ground. The river path connects them.
Bilbao in three days
- Day 1
Walk the river to the Guggenheim and spend the morning inside, then cross to the Fine Arts Museum. In the evening, go to the Casco Viejo for the first pintxo crawl.
- Day 2
Ribera market in the morning and the Casco Viejo streets, then Basílica de Begoña or the Artxanda funicular for the views. Dinner at a grill in Abando.
- Day 3
Take the metro to Portugalete for the Vizcaya Bridge and on to Getxo for a walk and a late lunch by the sea.
Day trips from Bilbao
- San Juan de GaztelugatxeA rocky islet with a small chapel at the top of 241 steps, about an hour east by car or bus. Entry is limited, so book ahead.
- Getxo and PortugaleteSeaside towns at the mouth of the river, reached in 20 to 35 minutes by metro. Getxo has beaches and the Vizcaya Bridge sits in Portugalete.
- San SebastiánAbout an hour and a quarter away by coach. It is a long day trip for a city worth a stay, but works for one pintxo-filled afternoon.
- GernikaA small town about 40 minutes by train, known for the bombing of 1937 and the Peace Museum. A quiet, sober half day.
Bilbao: questions people ask
How many days do you need in Bilbao?
Two days covers the Guggenheim, the old town and a pintxo crawl. A third day lets you add the Vizcaya Bridge, Getxo or Gaztelugatxe.
Is Bilbao worth visiting?
Yes. It is a small, walkable city with a great museum, good bars and green hills around it. It is not a beach city, and it rains often.
What is the best time to visit Bilbao?
May to June and September to October for mild weather and fewer crowds. Summer is warm, and winter is gray and wet but cheap.
Is Bilbao expensive?
Less than San Sebastián. Eating at the bar is good value, and rooms are cheaper than in the big Spanish cities outside summer.
Is there a tourist tax in Bilbao?
Not yet. The city council approved one in July 2026 to start in 2027, so check your booking for the current rule.
Can you do Bilbao as a day trip from San Sebastián?
You can, by coach in about an hour and a quarter. Two nights lets you see the museum without rushing and eat in the old town bars.
What is there to do in Bilbao when it rains?
The Guggenheim, the Fine Arts Museum, the Ribera market and the bars of the Casco Viejo.