Overview to Bilbao: Travel Guide and Tourist Information

  Apartments Beside the River Nervion

To the north of the Iberian Peninsular, Bilbao, capital of the fiercely independent Basque Country, is not what most people expect of a Spanish city. But this modern, chic place packed with art, culture and great food rarely disappoints.

The Casco Viejo (Old Town) spreads itself out attractively on the east of the River Nervion, a crooked maze of streets. The lovely old Plaza Nueva provides the focal point, with the Gothic Catedral de Santiago its principal sight and the ‘Siete Calles’ (or ‘Seven Streets’) its most evocative quarter.

But Bilbao is also a city of notable modern design pieces. The river is crisscrossed with striking bridges (designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava), while its metro boasts a Norman Foster facelift. And then, of course, there’s the Guggenheim, a Frank Gehry masterpiece.

The splendid Guggenheim, with its outstanding permanent collection tends to get the lion’s share of the visitors, but the slightly overlooked Museo de Bellas Artes also contains some fine works. And if Spain’s regional/national identity is becoming a bit confusing, make for the Basque Museum to catch up on the finer points of Basque culture.

Many hold the Basque Country to have some of the best food in Spain. And in this respect, the city’s famous ‘pintxos’ (essentially canapés) are really just the tip of the iceberg. Across the Old Town, there are dozens of charming old bars and smart, sophisticated restaurants where any number of different dishes (particularly seafood) can be sampled.

A short distance away from the city, the beaches of Getxo are easily accessible. The wild northern coastline boasts excellent surfing – totally unlike the calm waters of the Mediterranean. But that’s just one of the many things that make Bilbao – and the rest of the Basque Country – so different…

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