Casco Viejo
First-timersThe old town and Plaza Nueva.
Bilbao city guide
Things To Do In Bilbao
The Guggenheim turned an industrial port into a design city. An old town of pintxos bars, cheaper than San Sebastián, and green hills all around.
13
Hostels in the city
7.8
Average, from 10,048 reviews
1997
The Guggenheim opens
1893
The Vizcaya Bridge
7
Streets in the old town
The Guggenheim effect
Bilbao was a grimy industrial port of shipyards and steelworks until the 1990s, when the city bet on culture. Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum, a curving titanium building on the river, opened in 1997 and transformed its image so completely that planners now talk of the Bilbao effect.
The riverbanks were rebuilt, a metro by Norman Foster opened, and the Casco Viejo, the old town of seven streets, filled with pintxos bars.
Bilbao is the biggest city in the Basque Country, less polished and cheaper than San Sebastián. Two days is right.
Where to stay
Stay in the Casco Viejo or near the Guggenheim in Abando.
Abando
Being centralNear the Guggenheim.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 9 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
How long have you got?
The routes we would take, in the order we would take them.
Things to do
Things to do in Bilbao
The Guggenheim is worth seeing inside and out; outside, Jeff Koons's Puppy, a giant dog covered in flowers, guards the entrance and Louise Bourgeois's spider stands by the river. The Museum of Fine Arts nearby is excellent.
Walk through the Casco Viejo's seven streets and eat pintxos in Plaza Nueva. La Ribera market, on the river, is one of the largest covered markets in Europe.
Take the funicular up Artxanda for the view. The Vizcaya Bridge at Portugalete, the world's oldest transporter bridge, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a hermitage on a rocky islet reached by a stone causeway, is an hour away; access requires a free booking in summer.
Free things
Free things to do in Bilbao
The Guggenheim's exterior, the riverside and the Casco Viejo are free.
The Museum of Fine Arts has free hours; check ahead.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Bilbao
Bilbao's pintxos are cheaper than San Sebastián's: €2.50 to €4 in Plaza Nueva and the Casco Viejo. Bacalao al pil-pil, salt cod in an emulsified sauce, is the classic dish.
A menú del día is €13 to €17.
Nightlife
Going out in Bilbao
The Casco Viejo and Plaza Nueva are busy for pintxos and drinks. Aste Nagusia, the August festival, turns the city into a nine-day party.
A drink is €2 to €3.50.
Getting around
Getting around Bilbao
The centre is walkable, and the metro and tram cover the rest. The airport bus reaches the centre in about twenty minutes.
Buses reach San Sebastián in about an hour and a quarter. Trains and buses reach Madrid.
Costs
What Bilbao costs
Bilbao is cheaper than San Sebastián. Dorms start around €22. A careful day is €45 to €60.
The euro is the currency. Cards work almost everywhere, though small bars still like cash.
More on costs in Bilbao
Safety
Staying safe in Bilbao
Bilbao is safe.
The path down to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is steep; allow time for the climb back.
Emergency number is 112, with English-speaking operators usually available.
Day trips from Bilbao
The Basque coast.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
A hermitage on an islet. Free booking needed in summer.
San Sebastián
The best food town in Spain.
Vizcaya Bridge
The oldest transporter bridge in the world.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Aste Nagusia fills the city for nine days in August.
7 Mar – 23 Jan
Candlelight: Coldplay vs. Imagine Dragons
Candlelight: Coldplay vs. Imagine Dragons is a live musical experience held in Bilbao at the Iglesia de La Encarnación. The event features a string…
25 Apr – 16 Jan
Candlelight: Ed Sheeran vs. Coldplay
Candlelight: Ed Sheeran vs. Coldplay is a live musical experience held at the Church of the Incarnation in Bilbao. The event features a string…
17 October
Bilbao Night Running Fest
The Bilbao Night Running Fest is a unique nighttime half marathon that combines sport, music, and celebration. The 21-kilometer route starts at San Mamés…
13 November
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams will perform a concert as part of his Roll with the Punches tour. The event includes various VIP ticket packages offering exclusive…
1–3 October
The Extraordinary Life
Two lifelong friends, Aurora and Blanca, lead ordinary lives in a small town, connected by their shared love of poetry. The play explores the…
2 October
Blood Red Shoes
Hailing from England, Blood Red Shoes is an alternative rock duo consisting of Steven Ansell and Laura-Mary Carter. Since its formation in 2004, the…
2 October
Valira
Valira will be performing live at Sala Stage Live in Bilbao. The event is scheduled for October 2, 2026, offering a chance to enjoy…
2 October
Transvision Vamp
Transvision Vamp returns to the stage to mark the start of a new era. The iconic British band from the 1980s will perform their…
Hostels
Where to stay in Bilbao
The top-rated places to stay in Bilbao right now, live from Hostelworld.
Latroupe la Granja
Dorms from €21 a night
See dates and book
Bilbao Hostel
Dorms from €28 a night
See dates and book
Poshtel Bilbao - Premium Hostel
Dorms from €25 a night
See dates and book
Quartier Bilbao Hostel
Dorms from €18 a night
See dates and book
Optimi Rooms
See dates and book
All Iron Hostel
Dorms from €21 a night
See dates and book
Ekoos Hostel, Bilbao Eko Ostala
Dorms from €21 a night
See dates and book
Bilbao Metropolitan Hostel by Bossh Hotels
Dorms from €20 a night
See dates and book
Residencia Universitaria Resa Blas De Otero
See dates and bookWhen to go
May to September. August brings Aste Nagusia.
Jan
Rainy
Feb
Quiet
Mar
Rainy
Apr
Spring
May
Good
Jun
Long days
Jul
BBK Live
Aug
Aste Nagusia
Sep
Good
Oct
Rainy
Nov
Quiet
Dec
Santo Tomás
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. It rains often.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Aste Nagusia week runs higher.
—
- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Bilbao travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is the Guggenheim worth it?
Yes, inside and out.
Bilbao or San Sebastián?
Both, an hour and a quarter apart. Bilbao is cheaper and more urban.
How do I get to Gaztelugatxe?
By bus or car, about an hour; book the free access slot in summer.
How do I get from the airport?
By bus, about twenty minutes.
Is Bilbao expensive?
Cheaper than San Sebastián.
How many days do you need?
Two.
When is the best time to visit?
May to September.
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