An Insider's Guide to Bilbao

Guggenheim Museum

A must visit is the Guggenheim Museum, designed by architect Frank Gehry. It is a modern masterpiece set on the bank of the River Nervion. Visitors can take in art installations both inside and outside the museum, including the well known “Puppy,” whose floral decorations are changed twice yearly to reflect the seasons. After visiting the art, one can enjoy incredible views of the river, city, and surrounding mountains from the museum’s cafe and terrace. Of note, the museum was the eerie setting of Dan Brown’s book, “Origin.”

Casco Viejo

Also known as the Old Town in Bilbao. This is a very walkable, historical area with narrow streets, old churches, and the Ribera Marketplace. The Mercado is set in a beautiful two-floor building with stained glass windows. Locals come to buy fresh food, particularly seafood. One can also buy snacks or lunch at many of the vendors and small restaurants and eat while enjoying views of the river and older buildings in the city.

Museum of Fine Arts

The museum has one of the richest collections in Spain outside of Madrid. It was unfortunately under renovation when I visited, with only a few select—but very interesting—exhibits. I am looking forward to viewing the collection in October 2026 when it reopens.

Artxanda Funicular

We took this funicular to a park with the highest spot to view the city. The view is panoramic and gives a great sense of the geography of the area. On a clear day, one can see the Bay of Biscay. The funicular stays open until 10 p.m. most nights, 11 p.m. on weekends in summer and holidays, so the view can be enjoyed at all times of day.

Stadium San Mames

Attend a game if you can! Home to the football club, “Athletic Bilbao,” in the famous La Liga in Spain. The team is known as Lehoiak (The Lions) because their stadium was built near a church called San Mames, which was named after an early Christian thrown to the lions by the Romans. The team is famous for only signing players who are of Basque origin. Stadium tours are available and there is also a cafe within the stadium, overlooking the field, where we enjoyed coffee and a snack.

Bilbao has close to 500 acres of green space. We very much enjoyed watching multi-generational families play and relax in the parks, fountains, and beautiful seating areas created by city planners.

Bilbao is a gastronomic pleasure and it’s easy to find a great meal or snack. The area is famous for its pinxtos. We loved trying many different locales for tortillas with everyone choosing a different favorite.

• Bacaicoa: Known for a combination platter of pinxtos. It’s away from the noise of the Plaza Nueva with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere accompanied by local, delicious food.

• Bistro Guggenheim Bilbao: Enjoy local flavors and eat on the terrace with views of both the museum, the river, and the city.

• San Mames Jatetxea: If you’re a football fan, you can’t miss enjoying local Basque food in a restaurant inside the stadium that overlooks the field and the river.

• Kuki Cookie Bakery: An incredible GF small specialty bakery—a can’t miss for those of us who are gluten free. It’s close to the Moyua Plaza and flavors include pistachio and lemon.

• Ercilla Hotel: The breakfast buffet was fabulous, service amazing, and coffee delicious. At breakfast, my nephew crafted us a typical Bilbao breakfast with toast, Iberian ham, fresh tomato, and a slice of local cheese.