All Things Art, Food & Culture: Bilbao
After a while, I am back to these series and no I am not covering Basel...
I have been meaning to travel to Bilbao for quite a long time, mainly because of Guggenheim Bilbao but also for its Pintxos! Instead of writing a cultural review, I will be sharing our itinerary for three nights which is plenty of time to also travel to San Sebastian which is only an hour and a bit away from Bilbao by bus.
A bit about Bilbao…
Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the province of Biscay and in the Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the tenth largest city in Spain, with a population of more than 347,000 as of 2023.[9] The Bilbao metropolitan area has 1,037,847 inhabitants, making it the most populous metropolitan area in northern Spain. The comarca of Greater Bilbao is the fifth-largest urban area in Spain. Bilbao is also the main urban area in what is defined as the Greater Basque region (especially compared to San Sebastián).
Day 1: Wednesday, June 11 – Arrival & Evening Exploration
Afternoon: Arrival & Check-in
My little cousin and I arrived in Bilbao around 16:00.
We settled into our Airbnb accommodation which was just by the stairs descending to the old town not far away from Plaza Nueva. Our host Ainara was so attentive and so sweet!
After settling in and walking around our local shops to get some essentials, we walked down to the old town, starting our exploration from Plaza Nueva. We stopped by a small cute bar where they offered Pintxos. For those who don’t know what Pintxos are, they are a type of Basque cuisine, essentially small snacks or tapas typically served on skewers or toothpicks, often with a piece of bread as a base, and are usually eaten at bars or taverns. Apparently the name "pintxo" comes from the Spanish word "pinchar," meaning "to skewer" or "to poke," referencing the toothpick or skewer used to hold the pintxo together. We did a few pit stops including Gure Toki, Sorginzulo and La Olla de la Plaza Nueva accompanied by delicious glasses of wine starting from €2.50!
Day 2: Thursday, June 12 – Art & Architecture Immersion
Morning: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Explore the iconic museum designed by Frank Gehry, featuring contemporary art exhibitions and striking architecture. I absolutely loved the Helen Frankenthaler solo exhibition at the museum alongside the museum collection including the immersive Richard Serra installations.
Don't miss the outdoor sculptures like Jeff Koons' "Puppy" and Louise Bo
urgeois' "Maman". We took mandatory photos.
Guggenheim Bilbao, photo by Huma Kabakci Afternoon: Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
Discover a vast collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art, including works by Goya, El Greco, and Francis Bacon.
Mercado de la Ribera
Feeling peckish after the museum visits, we went to Europe's largest covered market, offering a plethora of fresh produce, meats, and local delicacies. We had more Pinxtos.
After resting and nourishing ourselves we headed to the shopping district. The Gran Vía, Marqués del Puerto and Rodríguez Arias streets make up the so called "Golden Mile" where you can find most shops like Mango, Zara, Sandro, Nespresso and the famous Spanish shopping mall Cortes Ingles.
Dinner options: Extanobe or Amaren for delicious steak or fine dining.
Day 3: Friday, June 13 – Day Trip to San Sebastián
Morning Breakfast in Bilbao
Before setting off from Bilbao via our bus through the company Alsa (please book your buses in advance because of high demand), we had breakfast at Dupla where they had delicious tostadas and Acai bowls.
La Concha Beach Stroll
In the afternoon we wandered along the iconic crescent of La Concha, one of Europe’s most picturesque urban and walked around the beach.
We Admire the waters, promenade architecture, and distant view of Santa Clara Island across the bay
Some Cava at Bar de Londres
Head to Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra and enjoy the relaxed beachside Bar de Londres, open to public—even if you're not staying there. I personally loved sipping some Cava and eating olives.
San Sebastian Cheesecake. We had a few pit stops but try to find an authentic pastry shop for this - my favourite was the pistachio San Sebastián Cheesecake at Bassk Cheesecakers.
Midday Cultural Sights & Early dinner
Stroll into Parte Vieja (Old Town). Visit San Telmo Museum or simply meander. We ended up going to Ahaztezina as it was only 10 minutes walk to the bus station and everything they served were exceptionally delicious. Wine by the glass started from €2!
Another dinner option is Casa Urola.
Day 4: Saturday, June 14 – Departure
Morning:
Depending on your flight time, consider a leisurely breakfast at a local café or a quick visit to any spots you may have missed. We had some snacks at our airbnb and left directly for our noon flight.
