Bilbao: top attractions & road trip guide
Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country, built along the Nervión River and transformed since the 1990s from an industrial port into a hub for design and contemporary art, most famously through the Guggenheim Museum's titanium-clad building. Its historic old town, the Casco Viejo, retains narrow lanes and arcaded squares from its origins as a medieval trading town.
On a road trip, Bilbao is a natural gateway to the Basque coast, with the cliffs and beaches of the Bay of Biscay a short drive away and the green hills of the Basque interior rising just inland. The city sits in a steep river valley, giving arriving drivers dramatic views before descending into the urban center.
Top attractions
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Frank Gehry's titanium-clad landmark on the riverfront, showing contemporary and modern art and credited with reviving the city's fortunes.
Casco Viejo
The medieval old town of narrow streets known as the Siete Calles, filled with pintxo bars and centered on the Plaza Nueva.
Puente de Zubizuri
A curved white footbridge designed by Santiago Calatrava, its glass-block deck a distinctive crossing point over the Nervión.
Mercado de la Ribera
A large Art Deco riverside market hall selling fresh produce, seafood, and pintxos across several floors.
Funicular de Artxanda
A century-old funicular railway climbing to Mount Artxanda, offering panoramic views over Bilbao and the surrounding hills.
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