Bilbao

Getting to Bilbao

🚂 If you are coming from within Spain this is an okay option. 

🚘 To drive it would be about 4.5 hours from Madrid according to google maps. 

🚍 I took a tour bus from Madrid to here. 

✈️ There is an airport about 30 min outside Bilbao that you can fly to. There is an option to then take a bus or taxi to the city. 

2 Days in Bilbao (2024)

*My most recent trip recap. However, I studied abroad here in 2019 and so I will make recommendations based off  of that experience as well.*

Day 1: 

We flew in from Barcelona first thing in the morning to the Bilbao airport. Then we took a taxi to our hotel, NH Collection Villa de Bilbao. This is in the neighborhood Indautxu, the same neighborhood that I lived in during my study abroad. After we dropped our luggage off, we took off for the day. We were super lucky with the weather, it was clear blue skies both days were there and mild temperatures. Taking advantage we walked through the park, Parque Doña Casilda Iturrizar, to get to the Museo de Bellas Artes. I used to walk this same park through to get to the Universidad de Deusto each day. The museums is in the process of construction and redone its organization since the last time I was there. While it was still interesting, I don't think the new organization is for the better. I personally preferred the old set-up. Afterwards we had lunch at Mr Marvelous who has an award winning tortilla de patatas. I am not exaggerating when I say I have dreams about this tortilla. Then we walked over to the Universidad de Deusto to say hi to some of my old professors and program director, I was shocked that they remembered me! Then we went to the Guggenheim. The Guggenheim was the start of the reconstruction of Bilbao to a more industrial city to the destination that it is today. It is a marvel to look at from the outside and an incredible experience on the in. Outside in the front of the Guggenheim is Puppy, a giant dog sculpture that is made up of flowers year round. Afterward we finished at the Guggenheim we headed down to Casco Viejo to walk around for a bit then walk along the river over to the Funicular de Archanda, up to the Artxanda viewpoint to see the view and watch the sunset. After the sunset we headed back to the hotel, getting some pastries along the way, to rest before heading out for dinner, Pinxto hopping down the street Pozas  which has lots of bars. The average time for dinner in Spain is 9pm. Bilbao is famous for Pinxtos. Pinxto means toothpick in Euskara which holds the piece of bread and topping together. Some of my favorite pinxtos are: gilda (guindilla pepper, anchovy fillet, and an olive), Tortilla de patata (spanish omlette), Croquettas de jamon, Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic shrimp), and really anything with ham. For pinxo hopping typically you take a small beer, then choose the pinxtos that you want. Save the toothpicks since the waiter might use them to write your bill at the end. Then you just go bar to bar eating and drinking until your full. 

Day 2: 

On the second day we slept in for a bit and then had breakfast at the hotel which I think has one of the best hotel breakfasts I've experienced. This day we took a bit slower. We headed out to Casco Viejo to walk around and ate a pinxto lunch at Mercado de la Ribera. That evening, we flew back out to Barcelona. 


Food 

Lodging

Thing to See 

*Only sites here that I have personally seen. 

Puppy

Guggenheim

Pozas

Funicualar