How to Spend a Day in Bilbao, Spain

Bilbao was a city that flew way under my radar up until fall of 2023, when my friends and I decided to take a road trip to northern Spain. I had zero expectations, but Bilbao somehow exceeded them fully! We visited the city just for one full day, but I honestly fell in love with the bustling (but not overcrowded) streets, the quirky cocktail and tapas bars, the charming old town, and the local trinket shops lining street corners. I’ve put together some must-do’s if you only have a short time in this awesome city–the heart of Basque Country is absolutely a place to be explored, and Bilbao has some incredible scenery, history, and food to indulge in, even if just for one day!

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VISIT THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

If you’re a museum/art lover, your first stop should be the Guggenheim! You can spend the morning surrounded by modern and contemporary art in one of the four Guggenheim museums around the world. General tickets are 12€, but you can find discounted tickets on certain days and times as well, plus group tickets. You’ll also get to see Puppy: the world’s largest flower sculpture of a West Highland terrier that guards the museum. Even if you don’t go inside the museum, the area is wonderful to walk around if you’d prefer to do more outdoors exploring.

TAKE A WALK BY THE RIVER

I love a long walk, especially if it’s by a river. It’s a great way to see the city, and it’s the perfect route to get from the Guggenheim area down to Casco Viejo (which you absolutely need to see). Whether you want to walk directly down the river, or take a bit of time to relax on a bench and people watch, your trip to Bilbao will definitely be made better by this little stroll. I do recommend even just a few minutes on the lounge benches on the grass, though–they’re comfy enough to make you want to fully nap in public!

RIDE THE FUNICULAR

While you’re taking a walk along the river, be sure to stop by the funicular and ride it to the top! Sadly it wasn’t working when we visited Bilbao, but I always love getting to ride them in any new city I visit. Yes it’s touristy, but it’s worth the small fee to get to see a unique view of the city from above–and it’s just fun. If it’s open when you visit Bilbao, definitely take the opportunity to ride it and relax above the city!

EXPLORE THE OLD TOWN

As you make your way back down the river, you’ll come to Casco Viejo, the old quarter in Bilbao. This is such a lovely area filled with shops, bars, restaurants, and probably some crowds–but it’s such a cool place to explore! There’s a good mix of modern restaurants and smaller, local cafes and bars, tons of shopping, and just great vibes all around. Toward the south end of Casco Viejo you’ll find the Seven Streets, or Siete Calles, which are a line of seven historic streets that date back to the 1400s and are now a popular destination in Bilbao’s old town. Our visit took place right before Christmas, so the old town (and the whole city) was so beautifully decorated with lights, trees, and decorations, which made it even more special!

GO OUT FOR TAPAS/PINTXOS

This is obviously a given, but I had to mention it! You’ll obviously need some food during your day in Bilbao, and if you want to forego the sit-down restaurants and enjoy some local food as the Spanish do, you need to bar hop and get tapas and drinks! One thing to know beforehand is that in Bilbao (and all of Basque Country), they typically serve pintxos instead of tapas. While tapas can be any small plate of food served with a drink, pintxos are specifically small bites like croquettes, cured meats, or spreads served on top of sliced bread and held together with a toothpick. They’re much easier to pick and choose, only cost about 1-2€ each, and you can easily keep track of cost by just counting your toothpicks when you’re ready to pay! I definitely suggest El Globo for a must-visit tapas bar, but there are countless awesome options in Bilbao–all it takes is a quick wander and a peek inside a few doors to find something that makes your mouth water!

TRY BASQUE CHEESECAKE

You can’t visit Basque Country and not try Basque cheesecake–and honestly, why wouldn’t you want to anyway?! Cheesecake is one of my top desserts ever, and having Basque cheesecake in its birthplace was just so satisfying (in taste and in theory). I’ve only tried Bascake’s cheesecake, so I can’t personally recommend or vouch for any other shop or restaurant, but I have to think it’s pretty hard to find a bad Basque cheesecake in Bilbao. If you want to go with my recommendation, definitely try out Bascake! Each slice was served warm out of the oven, so they were a bit runny and so incredibly flavorful, especially with the burnt tops! No matter where you get your Basque cheesecake, it’ll be the perfect end to your trip to Bilbao.