Choose a holiday in Spain where you can admire the art and beauty of the Basque Country! Bilbao City is the most important in this region and attracts visitors from all over the world for its museums and landscapes worth admiring. Close to the sea as well as the mountains, with impressive histories and traditions while embracing modern architecture, Bilbao means culture and relaxation. Read to the end of this travel guide to discover transport links, accommodation and prices, top sights, unmissable restaurants & traditional food and resources where you can book your tickets.

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Transport
What you drive around Bilbao with
Accommodation
Bilbao Tourist Attractions
What do you eat in Bilbao?
Where do you eat in Bilbao?

Transport

Bilbao airport is 13 km from the city centre and you have several options to get to the centre. The most affordable option is the busThe ticket price is 3 euros per person. It can be purchased from the bus driver or from the airport ticket office. In addition, there are runs every 15 minutes between 6-23 and the journey takes about 25 minutes. There are 2 Bizkaibus A3247 bus stops at Bilbao Airport. The first stop is on level 1 outside the arrivals terminal and the second stop is outside the departures terminal on level 3.

Are you travelling with luggage? A taxi costs around 20-25 euros during the day and around 30 euros at night or on weekends. You will reach the centre in about 15-20 minutes. The taxi rank is at the passenger terminal on level 1, on the arrivals side.

What you drive around Bilbao with

To move around Bilbao, we we recommend public transport well put together. Depending on the attractions you want to visit and the length of your holiday, a convenient option is Bilbao Bizkaia Card. It costs 10 euro/24 hours, 15 euro/48 hours and 20 euro/72 hours. By purchasing the card online (link at the end), you can use it for free:

tram - the ticket is validated on the platform and at the beginning of the journey
metro - the ticket is valid at the beginning and end of the journey
Bizkaibus buses - the ticket is validated on the bus at the beginning and end of the journey
Bilbobus buses - the ticket is validated on the bus at the beginning of the journey

If you have a shorter trip or want to travel more on foot, the card option may not be the most convenient. Public transport ticket prices are also quite affordable:

Bilbobus bus - 1.35 euro/trip
tram - 1,50 euro/ride
Bizkaibus - 1-3 euro/trip
metro - 1-2 euro/trip

Accommodation

We recommend you to stay in Bilbao city centre. Thus, you will be able to admire, besides the main attractions, buildings with special architectures, narrow alleys and a wide view on the lifestyle of the locals. Prices for a double room with private bathroom, located about 1 km from the city centre, vary between 50-70 euro/night. Prices for 3-star or higher hotels less than 1 km from the city centre start at 90 euro per night.

We recommend Hotel Ibis Bilbao Centre about 500 m from the city centre. Double rooms with private bathroom, Wifi, TV and air conditioning start from 75 euro/night. It is a modern hotel that also has family rooms for those on holiday with loved ones. The hotel also accepts pets. Breakfast is optional for around 8 euros and there are many bars and restaurants around the hotel.

Bilbao Tourist Attractions

Santiago Cathedral in Bilbao

The oldest church in Bilbao is Santiago Cathedral, a real emblematic building of the city. It was built in the 1300s in the Basque style and is admired by thousands of visitors every year. But it is not only the exterior that is worth seeing, but also the interior, which houses famous sculptures and valuable church objects.

It is located in Plaza de Santiago, 300 m south of the Old Town. The cathedral is open from 10-18:30 Monday to Sunday, and prices start at 6 euros/person, 5 euros/person over 65 and 4.50 euros/students. Tickets can be purchased directly at the entrance of the Cathedral.

Guggenheim Museum

If you are in Bilbao, you can't miss Guggenheim Museum in the city centre and its emblem itself. The building will catch your eye immediately as it has a distinctive exterior style. Here you can admire sculptures, paintings and other contemporary objects, being the museum that is often said to have put Bilbao back on the tourist map.

The museum is located in the Bilbao Estuary area, and ticket prices range from 8 euros (people aged 18-26 and over 65) to 16 euros/adult. Buy tickets online directly from the museum website (link at the end), as tickets bought on the spot will be 1-2 euros more expensive. People under 18 have free admission. For most of the year, the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday between 11am and 7pm. But in summer (20 June-18 September), the museum is open from 10-20.

At the entrance of the museum you will find a splendid statue made of flowers, perfect for an instagrammable photo 🙂

Bilbao Estuary

A walk on one of the Bilbao Estuary alleys reveals to you the city's grand buildings, a landscape worthy of admiration and, of course, the beauty of the river that runs through the heart of the city. Bilbao Estuary runs through the centre, and part of it is right next to the Guggenheim Museum.

Boat trips are available right on the estuary where you have the chance to see Bilbao's most iconic buildings from the water. The 40-minute trips start at 8 euros and children under 3 pay just 1 euro. Trips of around 2 hours cost around 20 euros. We have attached a link at the end to help you find your schedule and book your tickets online.

Dona Casilda Park

For an even more relaxing holiday in Spain, we recommend Dona Casilda de Iturrizar Park landscaped in the old English style with fountains. It is located in the Indautxu area of the city centre. It is an extensive park and represents the green area of the city. We recommend at least 1-2 hours in this place.

Museum of Fine Arts

Right in Dona Casilda Park there is another museum you must visit, Bilbao Fine Arts Museum. It contains famous pieces of the Basque Country, Spain and other European countries from the Middle Ages until today. The museum is one of the main museums of painting and sculpture in Spain.

The ticket price is approximately 7 euros/adult, and people under 25 years are free. You can buy tickets on the official website, and at the end of the article you will find the link. The museum is open between 11-20 (Monday-Saturday) and 11-15 (Sunday).

Etxebarria Park

Etxebarria Park offers a panoramic view of Bilbao and is located at a higher elevation than the Dona Casilda Park. It is located in the Old Town area and has narrow alleys surrounded by nature, fully relaxing on this holiday after your walks in the museums.

Old Town

You can't leave Bilbao without admiring one of the most beautiful and culturally rich areas - Old Town. With a mix of cultures and some medieval streets, you'll find antique and souvenir shops as well as small cafes. When you hear someone talking about the Old Centre, expect to hear it called Casco Viejo, Las Siete Calles or Zazpikaleak.

What do you eat in Bilbao?

You can't say you've come on holiday to Bilbao if you haven't tasted the Basque Country's famous dishes. Pil-Pil Cod and Cod Vizcaina style are the authentic traditional dishes of Bilbao, the main ingredient being fried or smoked cod. There's no shortage of seafood in the dishes either, such as Txangurro - a very popular Japanese crab dish often stuffed with tomatoes and onions. Basque Country desserts include Basque cake, a tart with vanilla cream and cherries - absolutely delicious or the famous Carolina marshmallows.

Where do you eat in Bilbao?

Have a typical Basque Country breakfast in the area of Dona Casilda Park and the Guggenheim Museum at Sua San at prices between 5-15 euro. Or you can try Cafe Bar Bilbao near Etxebarria Park with a period architectural style and breakfast prices between 6-8 euros including coffee. For lunch and dinner, try the restaurant Gure Toki in the Etxebarria Park area with dishes priced between 3-25 euros and specific dishes. And in the central area, dine at Nerua Gunggenheim located right next to the museum with a similar name and a view to match. Prices here range from 11-35 euros.

Whether you go on holiday in Bilbao for a weekend or a week, we recommend you to try all the pearls the city has to offer. From architecture to oases of nature, simple walks around the city will introduce you to the distinguished lifestyle of the locals. Just like all over Spain, people give themselves the relaxation they deserve and know how to live well! To better discover the history of this city, you can try cultural, boat or gastronomic tours with prices from 28 euros/person. For a 3-day stay, we recommend a budget of at least 450 euro for 2 people including transport and accommodation.

In case you are thinking about a possible holiday in Bilbao, we will leave you a list of links to help you with the organization of your trip.

Transport

Accommodation

Other

Vacation in Bilbao, Spain - Top sights to visit in 2-3 days!