Bilbao: Guide, Hotels, Map & Photos
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EUR 31 - 169 NH Deusto
 NH Deusto offers modern accommodation just 500 metres from Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum. There is free Wi-Fi in public areas and rooms have satellite … MoreEUR 41 - 234 NH Villa de Bilbao
 This modern hotel is in the heart of the Basque capital, by the San Mamés Football Stadium and the Euskalduna Palace. Guests can make use of a nearby… MoreEUR 43 - 68 Pension Roquefer
 Located in the centre of Bilbao, in the Basque Country, the smart and modern Hostal Roquefer provides bedrooms with balconies and gives easy access to… MoreEUR 53 - 378 Petit Palace Arana Bilbao
 This modern hotel is set in an 18th-century building on the edge of Bilbao’s old town. It has free Wi-Fi and all rooms have hydromassage showers.
T… MoreEUR 97 - 211 Miró Hotel
 This boutique hotel was created by the famous fashion designer Antonio Miró. It faces the iconic Guggenheim Museum in the heart of Bilbao and offers … MoreEUR 83 - 320 Melia Bilbao
 The Sol Meliá Bilbao is set 300 metres from the Guggenheim Museum and features design inspired by sculptor Eduardo Chillida. It offers an indoor swim… MoreEUR 35 - 120 Hotel Vista Alegre
 The Vista Alegre Hotel is named after the bullring situated beside it. Enjoy warm and inviting bedrooms as well as free wireless. Savour a drink in th… MoreEUR 59 - 75 Ibis Bilbao Centro
 The Ibis Bilbao Centro is situated in the centre of the city, just 15 minutes’ walk from the famous Guggenheim Museum. It features air-conditioned r… MoreEUR 35 - 66 Iturrienea Ostatua
 Located in the very centre of Bilbao near the Casco Viejo metro, this hotel has plenty of character and rural charm with a pretty interior garden and … MoreEUR 38 - 58 Residencia Blas De Otero
 Residencia Blas de Otero offers value accommodation in the historic centre of Bilbao, 400 metres from the Cathedral. Rooms include a private bathroom,… MoreEUR 43 - 75 San Mames
 San Mamés is located right next to Athletic Bilbao’s San Mamés Football Stadium and the Termibus Bus Station. Free Wi-Fi is available in its funct… MoreEUR 51 - 270 Spa Husa Jardines de Albia
 Located in Bilbao’s main business district, this contemporary hotel and spa is just a 5-minute walk from the instantly recognisable Guggenheim Museu… MoreEUR 89 - 265 Suitebilbao
 Suitebilbao apartments are situated in the centre of Bilbao’s old town, 100 metres from the city’s cathedral. These stylish apartments have balcon… MoreEUR 49 - 120 Tryp Arenal
 Tryp Arenal is set in the heart of Bilbao, next to the Arriaga Theatre and a short walk from the Guggenheim Museum. The hotel offers bright, elegant r… MoreEUR 54 - 270 Zenit Bilbao
 Zenit Bilbao is in central Bilbao’s Indautxu district, 10 minutes from Atlétic Bilbao FC’s San Mamés Stadium. It offers a fitness centre and sty… MoreEUR 50 - 110 Sirimiri
 Free internet, flat-screen TVs and limited free parking are available at Sirimiri Hotel. The hotel is a 5-minute tram journey from the Guggenheim, in … MoreEUR 56 - 175 Silken Indautxu
 The hotel, recently renovated, takes its name from the traditional district of Indautxu in the heart of the city´s commercial and financial area. On… MoreEUR 67 - 178 Sercotel Coliseo
 Sercotel Coliseo occupies a historic building, formerly Bilbao’s Opera House. Centrally located, 5 minutes’ walk from Abando Metro Station and Bil… MoreEUR 54 - 298 Sercotel Hotel Gran Bilbao
 In an up-and-coming area of Bilbao, Miraflores, this modern and stylish new hotel boasts the ideal location for visiting this lively, cultural city, o… MoreEUR 93 - 240 Silken Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao
 This trendy, design hotel is full of fun features, in the same spirit as its world-famous neighbour – the Guggenheim Museum. It was designed by the … MoreEUR 35 - 60 Hotel Ripa
 The Ripa Hotel Bilbao is situated in the city centre, three minutes away from the train station and with perfect connections with metro and tram. Situ… MoreEUR 35 - 108 Hotel Photo Zabalburu
 Hotel Photo Zabalburu offers unique décor and free Wi-Fi in rooms and public areas. It is located in central Bilbao, 200 metres from the Vista Alegre… MoreEUR 46 - 100 Barceló Hotel Nervión
 Overlooking Bilbao’s River Nervión, Hotel Barceló Nervión is located 250 metres from Calatrava Bridge and 10 minutes’ walk from the Guggenheim … MoreEUR 55 - 500 Best Western Bilbao Conde Duque
 Set overlooking the impressive Calatrava Bridge on the River Nervión, this city-centre hotel is well located for visiting the cultural sights of the … MoreEUR 62 - 143 Bilbao Apartamentos Atxuri
 The Atxuri Apartments have an ideal location in central Bilbao, a short walk from the historic old town. This modern complex offers a gym, rooftop ter… More | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bilbao: Guide
Bilbao is the capital of Vizcaya in Basque Country in Spain. The city is situated on banks of the Nervión, a tidal river. The climate in Bilbao is milder here than in most other parts of the penninsula, rarely going below freezing in winter, or above 35ºC in summer. There is also more rain here, which is a mixed blessing. The green hills of Bilbao are a welcome relief after an extended stay in the dry plains in the south, but planning a day at the beach is less certain. The population of Bilbao proper is just over 372,000, but within the metropolitan area there are over 1,000,000 inhabitants.
Get in
By bus
All Buses to other provences leave from the TermiBus Bus Terminal. There are regular connections to Santander (90 minutes) San Sebastian (60 minutes) and Madrid (arriving at Avenida de Las Americas bus station, 4-5 hours) amoung others.
The bus companies connect Bilbao with many cities in Spain more cheaply and frequently than the rail companies.
The company linking Bilbao to Santander is (telf. 902422242, and in theory you can get info about busses from Santander to Bilbao at http://www.santandereabus.com/.
For Vitoria, take La Unión Alavesa buses.
By plane
EasyJet flies from London Stansted to Bilbao airport.
You can also fly with Ryanair to Santander, and Vitoria/Gasteiz.
Bilbao Airport is also served by British Airways, Luftansa, Spanair, Alitalia, Air France, Vueling and several other airlines.
To get to downtown from the airport, take Bizkaibus from the arrivals sidewalk. The bus leaves every half hour :15, :45 from the airport to Bilbao bus terminal; :25, :55 from the bus terminal to the airport, stopping at Plaza Moyua on the way. The ticket costs less than €2
By train
RENFE-- runs intercity trains to Madrid, Barcelona, Vigo (Galicia). All Renfe trains leave from Abando Station.
FEVE -- has Regional trains to Santander (3 daily), and Leon (1 Daily). They are very slow. From Santander you can continue on to Oviedo (Asturias), and La Coruña (Galicia). Although this journey is three legs, and it is only possible to do 2 legs in any one day. FEVE trains leave from Santander Station (next to Abando Station)
EuskoTren -- has local service to San Sebastian, with connection there for Irun (on the Spanish French border). It takes two hours to reach San Sebastian. Trains Leave from Atxuri Station
Get around
Bilbao is difficult to drive in. Hilly one way streets, and frequent construction projects make it a nightmare for drivers.
If you are going to take more than one or two journeys on public transit, a CreditTrans card will be a good investment. It can save you up to 50% over buying one ride at a time. It is valid on all the municiple transit systems in Bilbao, and most (soon to be all) of the provincial transit systems in Vizcaya. It is a pay per ride card available at all Metro and Tram stations in denominations of 5€, 10€, and 15€. It is also available at many newspaper stands.
Bilbobus City bus service.
Tram from Atxuri Station to Basurto. Single line running along the river passing the
Local train service leaving from Atxuri Station for Bermeo, Gernika and San Sebastian(Donostia). Some good views but the train is slower than Buses.
BizkaiBus For Buses which operate outside Bilbao city limits. There is a line of BizkaiBus running between the bus terminal and the airport, with a stop in Plaza Moyua (ask in Hotel Carlton).
Artxanda Funicular Spectacular views of Bilbao.
Opening hours:
Tickets can be bought At BBK's Teleka and La Caixa's Servicaixa, to be exchanged at the Amigos del Museo ticket box.
Reservations for groups of more than 20 people for a specific day can also be made through the Museum's Web page (www.guggenheim-bilbao.es)
Museo de Bellas Artes- Museum of Fine Art Plaza del Museo, 2
The Museum of Fine Art's remarkable collection currently boasts more than six thousand works dating from the 12 th century to the present day, and includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings and decorative objects.
General, 4.5 €
Basque Museum - Euskal Museoa Plaza Unamuno, 4
established in 1921 to focus on the prehistory, archaeology, ethnography and history of Euskadi (Basque homeland).
Opening hours:
Individual ticket, 3 €
La Ría Maritime Museum Muelle Ramón de la Sota, 1 Located in what used to be the Euskalduna shipyard, next to the current Euskalduna Performing Arts Center. The Museum covers an area of 27,000 square metres, 7,000 for indoor exhibitions and 20,000 for outdoor exhibitions, the three docks, the walkway surrounding them and the estuary.
Adults, 4 €
Museo Taurino (Bullfighting Museum) Martín Agüero, 1, Plaza de Toros de Vista Alegre, (Near Plaza Zabalburu) tel. 94-444-8698 Adjacent to a bullring, Museo Taurino highlights role bullfighting has played in Euskadi.
Museo Diocesano de Arte Sacro (Museum of Sacred Art) Plaza de la Encarnación, 9-B, Atxuri tel. 94-432-0125 A former convent founded in 1515 by Dominican nuns.
Museo de Reproducciones Artísticas (Museum of Artistic Reproductions) Conde Mirasol (no number), tel. 94-415-7673 Full-scale reproductions of the world's most famous works of art. Call ahead for a guided visit.
Iglesia de San AntónGothic style church from the first half of the 15th century (1422). Dedicated to San Anton in the 16th century, the building is a mixture of styles including a renaissance portico and baroque tower which was built in 1777. The church was constructed on the ruins of a former alcazar, and is shown on Bilbao's shield.
Overlooking Bilbao, this is perhaps the most symbolic religious building in the city. Built in the 16th Century by Sancho Martinez de Arego, who was also responsible for the Iglesia San Anton. It is a basilica of three naves. During the first Carlista War, in 1835, the façade and the tower were destroyed. The present ones were designed Jose Maria Basterra and constructed between 1902 and 1907.
Iglesia de San Nicolás Esperanza, 1 (Arenal, Casco Viejo) 94 416 1424 The Iglesia de San Nicolás, finished in the 19th century,is dedicated to the patron saint of sailors. One of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Vizcaya.
Iglesia de San Vicente Martir Plaza de San Vicente, (Near: Abando) 94-423-1296 Gothic church built in the 16th century.
Birthplace of Miguel Unamuno c\La Ronda 16 ,next to Plaza Unamuno (Metro station: Casco Viejo). Spanish author born on the 29th of September 1864. His works include the novels Niebla and San Manuel Bueno, Martir, which are both read in AP Spanish Literature classes in the United States. Unamuno died on the 31st of December 1936 in Salamanca.
Teatro Arriaga tel. 94-435-5100 Orignially inaugurated on the 31th of May 1890, on the site of several former theaters, the first Teatro Arriaga burnt down on the 22th of December 1914. The second Teatro Arriaga was inaugurated on the 5th of June 1919. Evocative of the Opera House in Paris, the theater has an ornate façade and beautiful interior. The theater, as well as the square in front of it, was named after Juan Crosótomo de Arriaga, a composer from Bilbao. There is a tourist information office in the theater building, enter this office from Plaza Arriaga.
Estación de Santander (Santander Station, FEVE Station) also know as La Concordia was built between 1898-1902 on the banks of the Nervion. Designed by the engineer Valentín Gorbeña, with the art nouveau main façade added later with a design by the architect Severino Achúcarro.
Puente de San Antón Next to the Iglesia de San Anton sits Bilbao's most emblematic bridge.
Mercado de la Rivera Another emblem next to the Iglesia de San Anton is the Mercado de la Rivera. One of the biggest covered markets in Europe. It was built in 1929 on the site of the original Rivera Street market. Produce fish and meet are sold in the market every morning, except Sundays.
Plaza NuevaBilbao's Plaza Nueva was originally named Plaza de Fernando VII. Construction began on the plaza on December 31, 1829 and finished exactly 20 years later on December 31, 1849. This plaza was the seat of the Diputación de Vizcaya until July 1900 when the Diputacion moved to its new home on the Gran Via. The Academy of the Basque Language (Euskaltzaindia)currently occupies the old Diputation building in the Plaza Nueva. There is a market of used books, stamps, coins, and other small items in the plaza every Sunday morning.
Palacio de la Diputacion Ornately decorated palace situated on the Grand Vía. Baroque-style monument designed by Luis Aladrén in 1897 to serve as the seat of the Diputacion Foral de Bizkaia(Vizcaya) and inaugurated on July 31, 1900. The interior is just as lavish as the exterior, with beautiful stained glass windows.
Plaza Moyua and Grand Vía
Parque Etxebarria The site of a former steel factory, this park was created in the 1980s as the first step of reorienting Bilbao from the industrial sector to the service sector. Wonderful views of the Casco Viejo and the Teatro Arriaga. There is a promenient chimney in the park, leftover from the site's time as a factory.
Zubizuri The graceful white pedestrian bridge designed by Santiago Calatrava. It spans the ría Nervion connecting the riverwalks Campo Volatin and Mazarredo. Be careful, the bridge is slippery when wet!
La Leona Lion statue on top of a building in Deusto. Seen from Euskalduna Performance Center.
Bilbao Airport - Curvaceous white 'bird-like' building by Santiago Calatrava. Strangely missing an arrival hall.
Biblioteca Municipal de Bidebarrieta Bidebarrieta, 4, (Casco Viejo, near Teatro Arriaga) tel. 94-415-6930 Commissioned by El Sitio society at the end of the 19th century, this building was built by architect Severino de Achucarro as a social hall. Now home to the city's historical archives and library.
Palacio de Ibaigane Alameda Mazarredo, 23 tel. 94-424-0877 Home to the Athletic Club de Bilbao, Bilbao's football team. Built in the early 20th century. note the arched entranceway.
Palacio de Olábarri Campo Volantín, 37, Palacete del Puerto Autónomo de Bilbao, tel. 94-487-1200 An interesting mix of several architectural styles. In the late 19th century it was the residence of Bilbaino entrepreneur José María de Olábarri. Now the seat of Bilbao's port authority.
Santa y Real Casa de la Misericordia Sabino Arana, 2, tel. 94-441-1900 Next to Plaza del Sagrado Corazón. Constructed in the mid-19th century as a chairitable house for the poor.
In the summer see an open air concert at the Kiosko del Arenal El Arenal Parque (across from Plaza Arriaga). The Stage was built in 1923, and rennovated in 1985.
Beginning the first saturday after August 15th and lasting for 9 days is Aste Nagusia / Semana Grande, the city's fiesta (holiday). An interesting time to come!
Walk through the seven streets of the Casco Viejo.
Climb the stairs from Plaza Unamuno to Parque Etxebarri for the great views.
Walk along the river.
Walk through Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park, admiring the ponds and gardens, next to the Fine Arts Museum.
Take the Artxanda Funicular, again for the views.
Pintxos
The bars and cafes in Plaza Nueva serve excellent pintxos especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
One of the best Pintxos bars in Bilbao is Aritz and it is quite out of the way (almost hidden really in a very small, one way street away from the main thoroughfares). Ask for it and you will be given directions. It is worth the walk since they have won the local Pintxo contests for ages. For those who are not familiar, pintxos/tapas are little finger food that are eaten with drinks.
Restaurants
Agape c/Hernani, 13 tel. 94 416 05 06
Harrobia (casco viejo) modern basque cooking c/del Perro, 2 tel. 944 134 013
Casa Vasca, traditional Basque cuisine. c/ Kehendakari Aguirre, 13/15 (Deusto) tel. 94 448 39 80
Guggenheim Museum has a fine restaurant with a decent value set lunch menu. Make sure to book in advance.
Zortziko. c/Alameda de Mazarredo 17. tel. 944 23 97 43; 944 23 63 96 open Tue - Sat 9am -11:30pm. traditional Basque dishes such as pigeon breast or marinated sea bass. Formal environment with late Victorian style furnishing, frequently booked days in advance. Ask about reservations to dine in the wine cellar.
Matxinbenta. c/Ladesma 26 tel. 94 424 8495 Basque food, specialities include fresh tuna in piquant tomato sauce and piperada. Open Mon - Sat 8:00am -11:30pm. reservations required.
Cafe Nervion wonderful views of the river c/La Naja 7.
Three spectacularly decorated bars (which are owned by the same people) are:
Bar Juantxu. c/ Licenciado Poza, 39.
Less Expensive
Albergue Bilbao. Ctra Basurto-Kastrexana, 70 tel. 94 427 0057 a youth hostel with 48 rooms (22 double rooms). A bit of a journey away from the center, but connected by bus.
There are many inexpensive Pensions in the Casco Viejo
Sheraton Bilbao. Lehendakari Leizaola, 29 five stars tel. 94 428 0000
Miró Hotel. Alameda Mazarredo, 77 four stars tel. 94 661 1880
Barceló Nervión. Campo Volantin, 11 tel. 94 445 4700
Conde Duque. Campo Volatin, 22 three stars tel. 94 445 6000
In Bilbao you can have a pleasant stay at the , that here are particularly cheap compared the offered service. Indeed this is a chain of 4 hotels, and here you can find a quite rare 3 abba hotel. It's quite near the Bus Terminal, very near to the metro and quite near to the Guggheneim musem.
Cities in other provinces
San Sebastian -- Beautiful resort with bar counters full of tasty Pintxos (Tapas)
Santander -- Resort City & transport hub
This "Travel Guide" section is drawn from the Wikitravel article "Bilbao". We hope you will edit and improve it. It is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5 license.
Convenient, Norman Foster designed Metro. Single line within Bilbao, splitting into two lines after San Inazio station. See
Museums
Abandoibarra etorbidea, 2
Frank Gehry's spectacular twisting titanium clad modern art museum is perhaps the most celebrated building of the 1990s. The graceful, sensuous curves, evocative of the ships that used to be ubiquitous along the docks of Bilbao, are covered in titanium squares, which which resemble the scales of a fish and shimmer in the sunlight. In keeping with the maritime theme, appropriate for the setting, the skylights of the largest gallery (formerly known as the Fish gallery) are designed to look like the fins of fish. The permanent collection is not particularly impressive. Fortunately the museum is always hosting at least one interesting temporary exhibit, frequently comprised of masterpieces from the other Guggenheim collections.
Adults, 10€
Students (under 26), 6 €
Groups (over 20 people), 9 €
Children (under 12), free of charge
prices subject to change.
Tue-Sun, 10:00 to 20:00
July and August: Mon-Sun, 10:00 to 20:00
1 January and 25 December: closed
Discount (groups, students, senior citizens and unemployed people), 3€
Free of charge on Wednesdays, and for children under 12.
Artean Package, 11 € (tickets for both the Guggenheim Museum and the Fine Arts Museum)
Fares might change for special exhibitions.
Tue-Sat, 10:00 to 20:00
Sundays and public holidays 10:00 to 14:00
Mon: closed
1 January and 25 December: closed
Not a particulary well laid out museum. It will be of passing interest to people who study Basque culture.
Tue-Sat, 11:00 to 17:00
Sun, 11:00 to 14:00
Mondays and public holidays: closed
Students and groups, 1.5 €
Children under 10 and senior citizens, free of charge
Thursdays, free of charge
Students under 26, 2,5 €
Senior citizens, pensioners, and people over 65, 2,5 €
Disabled and unemployed people: 2,5 €
Children under 6, free of charge
Winter Hours
Tue-Fri, 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 18:00
Sat-Sun, 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 20:00
Summer: call to check.Churches
Cathedral of St. James (Santiago) Gothic Style 14th century Cathedral, named after Bilbao's official patron saint. Three naves and small Gothic cloisters. The building was designated a cathedral in 1949. Its Neogothic tower and main façade were designed by Severino de Achúcarro in the 1800s. The adjoining square (Plaza de Santiago) bosts a fountain designed by Luis Paret during the reign of Carlos III with the inscription Por el bien público (For the good of the people). Other Places of Interest
Ayuntamiento (City Hall) (also known as la Casa Consistorial or Udaletxea) Plaza Ernesto Erkoreka, 94-420-4200 the city hall opened in 1892. Designed by architect Jaquin Rucoba in neo-baroque style. Don't miss the main reception area, called Arab Salon. Do
Buy
Eat
The local custom is to call what are known in Spanish as tapas by the Basque name, Pintxos.
among others:
Bar Charley. Plaza Nueva, 8 tel. 94 415 01 27
Fernando. Plaza Nueva, 12 tel. 94 415 05 64
Cafe bar Bilbao. Plaza Nueva, 6 tel. 94 415 16 71
Víctor. Plaza Nueva, 2 tel. 94 415 1678
near the Diptacion there are also:
El Globo c/Diputacion, 8 tel. 94 415 42 21
La Viña del Ensanche. c/Diputacion, 10 tel. 94 416 53 58
ogeitamairu c/Bailen 33Drink
Lamiak, comfortable coffee house, with chocolate cake to die for. c/De la Pelota (Casco Viejo)
#Cafe Iruña. With its Arabesque motifs and antique mouldings it is a sight to behold. If you go at night, you can also get some nice shikabobs - some of the only ones you'll find in Bilbao.
#Cafe La Granja in Plaza Circular, across from the BBVA tower.
#Cafe Boulevard on the Arrenal, across from Teatro Arriaga.
Dakar. c/ Heros, 13 tel. 94-424-9756 nightly karaoke and Spanish dance music.
Galeon Alda. Mazarredo, 25, 94-423-1462 Maritime motif a mermaid statue at the entrance and decoratoion resembleing the inside of a ship.
Gran Casino Nervión c/ Navarra, 1 tel. 94-424-0007 Two bars, on-site restaurant. Formal/semi-formal dress required.
La Mutua c/Ercilla, 2 tel. 94-423-1154 Serving breakfast during the day, and reopening at 11:30pm for the night.
Otxoa c/Lersundi, 8 tel. 94-424-1848Sleep
Upper scale
Carlton. Plaza Moyua, 2 five stars tel 94 416 2200
It' in C/ Rodriguez Arias, 66 - 48013 Bilbao (Tlf. +34 944 41 31 00 - Fax. +34 944 42 21 97), notice the breakfast price, it's not so cheap.Get out
Vizcayan Towns
Balmaseda Charming town an hour from Bilbao
Guernica - Gernika -- Basque stronghold town, bombed by the Nazis during the Spanish Civil War. Inspired Guernica by Picasso in the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid.
Sopelana Town near the beach.
Portugalete Take the Transporter Bridge from Getxo to this charming town.
Plentzia Another town near the beach.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe -- Small chapel situated on a breathtaking island between Bilbao and Bermeo.