The 26 best things to do in Bilbao
Spain is stuffed full of incredible places to visit, but don’t overlook Bilbao. This Basque Country gem is a buzzing, gleaming city, as suited to a casual wonder and explore as it is to a strictly packed three-day itinerary. From its glorious Guggenheim to its tasty pintxos (Bilbao’s tapas), Bilbao strikes a balance between a number of contrasts; cosmopolitan and traditional, wild and super chilled, sophisticated and daring. From culture to food and markets to viewpoints, here are the best things to do in brilliant Bilbao.
Should I go for Bilbao or San Sebastián?
People often have to choose between here and San Sebastián, but if you want a cheaper, more classic city break (without the sunbathing), go for Bilbao. The best part is that you don’t really have to choose: you can get a coach from one to the other for about a fiver, and it takes less than an hour.
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This guide was recently updated by Esme Fox, a writer based in Barcelona, Spain. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.