
Bilbao, Spain
Although strictly not within the Rioja wine region, because of its great transport links it is likely that you will arrive in the area by plane or boat in Bilbao and then travel on to the wine region, so it seems remiss not to cover it here.
The vibrant, cosmopolitan town of Bilbao may be smaller than Madrid or Barcelona but it is a great contender for a long weekend city break. It provides a good climate, excellent transport network, plenty of opportunities for sport and leisure, and all the usual tourist opportunities of walking tours, boat rides and museums and art galleries. And not to forget the fantastic food and drink! This city provides a great opportunity for a value-for-money mini-break with something for every member of the family. It is also a great start or end point for a longer holiday covering other areas in the Rioja wine region – maybe a wine holiday taking in Haro or Elciego or even a spa break.
The city is internationally renowned for its avant-garde Guggenheim Museum, which not only offers an impressive collection of modern art but also stands as an architectural masterpiece itself. Beyond the museum, Bilbao’s streets unfold with surprises: from quaint old taverns offering traditional Basque pintxos to bustling markets and contemporary galleries.
Unlike many Spanish holiday resorts, Bilbao has year-round flights from the UK, making it an ideal destination even outside the long summer holidays.
Alternatively, if you want to bring your car, or your dog, or simply prefer a relaxed trip on a ferry boat to the rush of an airport, you can easily travel to Bilbao by Ferry from the UK or Ireland. Brittany Ferries offers transport for foot passengers and cars to Bilbao from Rosslare (2 hours’ drive from Dublin) and Portsmouth (2 hours’ drive from London). The crossings from Rosslare operate year round, twice per week in each direction, whilst the crossing from Portsmouth is available twice per week in each direction from April through to November.
The Town
Bilbao is split into two distinct parts, the Old Town, or Casco Viejo, and the new, physically divided by the river. The Old Town started to be built in around 1300 and was laid out with a series of narrow streets (the “Siete Calles”) running in parallel down to the river. Each street tended to be inhabited by people of the same profession or trade, so there would be a street of butchers for example, another of carpenters. The old town today is buzzing with life and a visit shouldn’t be missed. It hosts the Ribera Market, Europe’s largest indoor food market, offering local and international delicacies in a building that combines Art Deco with modernist styles. It is also a fantastic place to spend an evening in some of the many tapas bars, drinking local wine with accompanying pintxos in the network of narrow streets.
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Over the centuries the old town spread, but space was restricted by the winding river, the River Nervion, which surrounds the area on one side, and the mountains on the other. Eventually it became necessary to expand the town, and in 1871 the decision was taken to start to build on the other side of the river, on a large flat area which had some industry and commerce along the riverside, but which otherwise comprised fields and areas for growing vegetables, particularly tomatoes for which the town was well known. Nothing was done in haste however, and the inhabitants spent the next five years in planning the layout of the new part of the city. Construction works started in 1876. The first road to be built was the long, wide boulevard of the Gran Via Don Diego Lopez de Haro, culminating with the Plaza Moyua. On this beautiful, tree-lined Boulevard you could imagine you have landed in Paris. Here are some fantastic architectural treasures, such as the BBVA building with its Corinthian columns and statue of Hermes, the Greek God of Commerce over the doorway, standing proudly on the bow of a ship. Originally this building housed the Bank of Commerce in this prosperous town.
Further down the street another building of note is the building of the Council of Bizkaraia, built around 1900. This building has a covered portico with a sloping road on either side designed to allow carriages to come right up to the front door and their occupants to discretely enter the building without being observed from the street.
At the Plaza Moyua there are a number of iconic buildings. These include the Aurora insurance building, classic art deco style, typical of the era in which it was constructed, around 1930. Also the Hotel Carlton, built in the 1930s, which was the first luxury hotel in the city. It was designed to resemble a Parisien hotel and included a feature that was at the time unknown in Spain – every bedroom had its own en suite bathroom.
The Iberola Tower can also be seen from the Plaza Moyua square. It is the tallest building in the city and is known locally as the Lighthouse of Bilbao.

In the 1980s and 1990s following a number of disasters which damaged the local commerce and industry the city decided to develop itself into a place for tourism and realised that this would only be successful if suitable infrastructure was built. This included the development of a metro system which was achieved in the mid-1990s. The famous British designer and architect, Norman Foster, was commissioned to design it. He included certain unusual features such as high ceilings on the platform to give a feeling of space, and the very innovative metro entrances. These are designed as curved tunnels with glass panels so that the commuter can see their surroundings as they exit the station.
Whatever part of the town you find yourself in, take the time to look around and you will find yourself discovering the magic of this city’s great architectural heritage.
WHERE TO STAY IN BILBAO
Bilbao offers a wide range of accommodation, from the luxurious The Artist Grand Hotel of Art, where each room offers views of the Guggenheim, of the classic Hotel Carlton, to the boutique Hotel Miro, which offers a more intimate experience with art-inspired décor. For those looking for a unique stay, the countryside around Bilbao is dotted with agriturismos – rural farmhouses that have been converted into guest lodgings, providing a peaceful and authentic Basque experience.
Activities and Art Galleries
If you are hitting Bilboa for just a weekend you might find that the best way to get an initiation to the city is through an organised walking tour or boat trip. A boat trip is a great option and you can learn much about the city in a 2 or even 1 hour trip. For walking tours, there is no shortage of excellent private walking tours on offer, for example this 2 hour walking tour which takes in all the key sites of the city. For an even more memorable experience, a walking tour with a local guide who will take you to the best places for pintxos and wine is hard to beat! However, if you are on a budget and looking for a helpful guide with great knowledge at a very reasonable price you would do well to visit the Tourist Information office and book a scheduled walking tour, which offers a very cost-effective way to get to know the city, with a maximum of 25 people on each tour.
If the weather is getting a little too warm and you fancy a swim to cool off, head for the iconic Alhondiga building in the city centre. Originally built as a warehouse for storing wines and spirits, the building was completely gutted and the interior rebuilt, leaving the exterior intact. The French architect and designer Philippe Starck was commissioned to design the space and the result is an iconic building with fantastic public utility. The building houses a number of public areas including libraries, a cinema, car parks and exhibition centres, as well as a gym and 3 swimming pools, including one on the top floor which is in an enclosed area but includes an open terrace for sunbathing.

For the art lovers amongst us there is no shortage of opportunity in Bilbao. Most people head straight for the Guggenheim Museum, opened in 1997, and a shining symbol of the city’s modern renaissance. As well as its unmistakable architecture the museum is famous for its collection of modern and contemporary art from the mid-20th century to today, largely from America, Europe and the Basque Country in particular. If you don’t have much time and can afford the luxury of a private tour this can easily be booked with skip the line tickets. The much older Mueso de Bellas Artes (Fine arts Museum), founded in 1908, offers an eclectic collection spanning from Gothic to contemporary art, and should not be missed.

If you have plenty of time to spend in the area and want a break from the city the nearby Urkiola Natural Park provides access to clean green space great for casual walking or hiking. Further afield, Getxo is well worth a visit if you are interested in architecture, at about 10km from Bilboa centre and accessible by train (line 1, red, get off out stop Areeta). This part of the town was built to cater for demand from wealthy merchants working in Bilboa who sought an area where they could buy a large enough plot to build a large villa big enough to house three generations of the family. Alternatively, if you prefer the coast, there is some superb coastal scenery surrounding the city, including the picturesque Gaztelugatxe, a stunning islet connected to the mainland by a man-made bridge. Not only a beautiful location, with its hermitage on top of a huge sweeping stairway, fans of Game of Thrones will recognise it as Dragonstone, the ancestral home of the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen. Access to the island is limited so it is necessary to book entrance tickets in advance. Or from the city centre, if you don’t want to drive yourself, day trips can be arranged – this location can be combined with a visit to the historically significant nearby town of Guernica to make a full day’s experience and offers a great opportunity for a change of scenery after you’ve spent a few day’s exploring the delights of the city.