Bilbao ~ A city in constant evolution, pride of the basque country, staggering architecture, heaven for foodies.

April 2019 & May - June 2023

Well hello there …

As I wrote in my blog about Stockholm, I have a friendship goal with 4 fun girls I met during college time, an annual tradition; going on a city trip together, once a year. And this year we decided to go for Bilbao. First I was a little bit skeptical, as I visited San Sebastian a few years ago; and for me personally, that visit was a little bit disappointing.

But on the 1st day, it already became clear to me, I do love Bilbao, very much indeed! I adore the architecture of the Guggenheim museum, and of the beautiful, colorful well-maintained buildings in the city. I love all the greenery. I admire the pride and helpfulness of the residents. The food was truly amazing, and the atmosphere almost as good. I love people living on the street, having a drink together, having fun. I felt very safe there, the vibe was super friendly. The city was remarkably clean, and not overloaded by tourists. I don’t often say this, but I'll definitely come back here. Unfortunately, I was limited in time in 2019 and didn’t have the opportunity to rent a car to visit the inner land (Rioja region) and the coast.

This being said, I returned in 2023 with my fiancee to show him a bit around and to discover together a bit more of the interland. I still enjoyed the city, but a 2nd time it’s normal that your less impressed. We did try some different restaurants though, and drove up to the coast for 1 day, and discovered the beauty of the Rioja landscapes and the quality of the wines.

Practical Wisdom

How to get from the airport to the city center? With my friends in 2019, we took the bus, A3274 from the airport to Moyua Plaza, we paid € 3 per person one-way. There are 2 other stops, Alameda Rekalde and Gran Via. It took us only 15 to 20 minutes. With my fiancee we took a taxi and paid € 85 in 2023.

Renting a bike in Bilbao was in 2019 not as common as in most other European cities. Some locals were really staring at us because they don’t have the habit of riding a bike, except from a few sporty types. There are cycle paths, but these are regularly interrupted, so you have to drive on the road. For € 15 we rented a bike in 2019 at Urban Bike, located in the La Concordia railway station. The owner was super friendly; the quality of the bikes was ok, but not excellent. He recommended us to ride to Portugalete, to see “El Puente Colgante / Vizcaya Bridge”, and further on to Getxo to have lunch by the sea. It’s almost 20 km one-way, and we returned by metro. The road was very disappointing; very busy, in an industrial area, so no clean air nor solid cycle paths. But I did love the exercise. Tourné Bilbao is another supplier, apparently with a bigger offer, a good choice if you are looking for a guided tour.

When returning in 2023, I still didn’t saw a lot of bicycles. But the electric steps had also made their appearance in the meantime, like in many other European cities.

Even though Bilbao is located in the north of Spain, and temperatures are not extremely high, they do follow the Spanish tradition of having a siesta. Most shops close between 14h00 and 16h00/17h00 and most restaurants between 16h00 and 20h00/21h00.

If your packing clothes for the Basque country, make sure you are equipped for all weather conditions. When the region has its own word for “a light drizzle which doesn’t stop”, you know it rains a lot! But it does ensure that the surounding countryside and mountainous landscapes stay beautifully lush and green.

Useful links:

https://www.bijzonderbilbao.nl
https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/

The tourist hotspots

The Guggenheim Museum
Without any doubt, the most striking curiosity of Bilbao. The city was put on the radar in 1997 by the opening of the museum. The architecture of this building is simply dazzling! Its location, overlooking the estuary, bracing. Congrats to Mr. Frank O. Gehry, the architect of this masterpiece! The building’s surface is covered by beautiful, shining, titanium sheets. In front of the entrance you find a 12 meters high puppy covered with seasonal flowers. At the riverside, a giant bronze spider is waiting for you. Overwhelmed by the beauty outside; the inside was also fascinating enough to draw my attention. I loved “the matter of time” collection from Richard Serra, 8 steel sculptures. And the painting of Kiefer Anselm “The renowned orders of the night”, and “Seascape” from Richter Gerhard. Every 3rd Friday of the month there is the "art after dark" session, with DJ. We paid € 17pp entrance fee in 2019, including an audio guide. And in 2023, only €8 when visiting after 16h00. For your visit you must count at least 2 hours.

Museo de Bellas Artes
One of the girls was very interested to visit this one. The museum houses a large collection of art (especially Spanish) from the 12th century, to present. We asked for a combination ticket at the Guggenheim, but the men at the desk advised us to visit Museo de Bellas Artes between 18h00 – 20h00, as the entrance is then free of charge. (From Wednesday till Monday ) But due to a lack of time, we skipped it. The normal entrance fee is currently (2019): € 9

Las Siete Calles – Casco Viejo
On the right bank of the Nervión River you find “Casco Viejo”, the old and historic city center of Bilbao. The heart of the city was founded here around 1300. This historic center is a maze of narrow streets and the center of this old quarter forms the 'Siete Calles' or the seven streets that formed the original city. Namely Artecalle, Somera, Tendería, Barrencalle, Belosticalle, Carnicería Vieja, and Barrencalle Barrena. Wander around and discover hidden squares, various styles and lots of small boutiques. In 2023 the 7 streets had each a different color of flag, to brighten up the street scene. The old city center is connected to the new city through five bridges.

Zubizuri Bridge
Also known as the “Calatrava Bridge” after the architect who built it. It’s an arched white structure, resembling a sailboat. Its original glass floor has generated much controversy and accidents by the rainy weather. So nowadays it’s covered by a black non skid mat.

Monte Artxanda
For nice city views, take the cable car to Mount Artxanda. The Artxanda Funicular cable car is located just north of the Zubizuri bridge where it leaves from Plaza Funikularreko. The cable car ride on Mount Artxanda takes approximately five minutes, we paid € 3,60 pp R/T in 2019. From behind a low wall you can enjoy a wide view, all the highlights of the city can be clearly recognized.

Plaza Nueva
This Square reminds me of Plaça Reial in Barcelona. Many of the oldest traditional taverns and restaurants of the city can be found at or nearby, like “Victor Montes”. Among the popular tapas bars you have: Café Bar Bilbao, Gure Toki, La Olla de la Plaza, Itturiza, Zaharra, etc .. The square in Romanesque-Neoclassical style, is also used for flea markets, concerts or all kinds of festivals. Especially on Sundays it is very busy there. You find this square north of the Cathedral of Santiago.

Santiago Cathedral
In 1950 this former Catholic church was declared as cathedral. It’s is dedicated to the Apostle St James, the patron saint of Bilbao since 1643. Built in the fifteenth century, in a Gothic style, it has been renovated several times, the last time in 2000. To visit the interior of the church you need to pay € 5 in 2019 & € 6 in 2023.

The Arriaga Theatre
The Arriaga Theatre is a very beautiful building. Inspired by the Paris Opera, and named after the famous Bilbao composer Juan Crisostomo de Arriaga. Today, the Arriaga continuously hosts the city’s music and theatre programs. Like other buildings in the Old Quarter of Bilbao, it was badly damaged in the floods of 1983. In a book I bought at the Guggenheim museum, I found pictures of the inside, richly decorated with red as the main color. During our visit in 2023, I hoped to visit the inside, but the opening hours didn’t match our shedule.

The Town Hall
A monumental building topped with a bell tower. Build by Joaquin Rucoba, also responsible for the Arriaga Theatre. The luxurious interiors combine the Neo-Renaissance with the exquisite Neo-Arab style, all work of José Soler, a local craftsman. During our visit in 2023, I hoped to visit the inside, but the opening hours didn’t match our shedule.

La Alhondiga ( Centre for leisure and culture )
This old wine warehouse reopened its door in 2010 as a Centre for leisure and culture, after undergoing profound remodeling directed by the famous French architect and designer Philippe Starck. He made a design in which large blocks rest on 43 columns created by Italian Lorenzo Baraldi. Nowadays, the multifunctional building contains a media library, a cinema and a fitness room. At the top is a swimming pool with a bottom in glass, which is partially visible from the main hall. Alhóndiga also hosts a popular rooftop bar.

The Basque Interland

1. The Rioja Region

For many years, Rioja was a symbol of traditional Spanish wine: thin, stale and outworn before it hit the market. In the 80’s Rioja aimed for quantity, at the expense of the quality. The new batch of wineries recognized in the 90’s that the world market was asking for more modern, pure and fruit-driven wines. The new Rioja wines are also traditionally made, but in a much more careful way, with a lower grape yield in the vineyard, temperature control during fermentation and a stay in barrels of healthy oak. The new generation was not immediately successful, but professional tasters, sommeliers and journalists did respond enthusiastically to the new developments in this legendary wine region. And that did disturb the large traditional wineries. They feared, this would certainly affect their business. Suddenly they started making "top cuvées" from old vines, which were sold at very high prices. They also started to build bodegas with a spectacular contemporary architecture. All to give the impression that they were indeed able to compete with these new batch of wineries. The pioneers of the "new generation" are Bodegas Roda, Fernando Remirez de Ganuza, Abel Mendoza and Artadi. All maniacally driven winemakers who make their tempranillo wine without any compromise. Which is reflected in the price, but fortunately also in the glass.

Logroño is the capital of the Rioja, it’s a cozy village with lots of restaurants and wine bars, its 1h30 drive from Bilbao. On your way to Logroño, you can visit a lot of bodega’s. Are you choosing for the big ones with their dazzling architecture like Bodegas Ysios and Marqués de Riscal, for the rich history of Lopez de Heredia or rather for the new generation bodegas I mentioned above? The choice is very personal and yours!

During our visit in 2023 we visited:

Bodegas Izadi https://www.izadi.com
I drank one of their red wines in a restaurant in Belgium and was positively suprised.
Bodegas Izadi is located in Villabuena de Álava, a village where the most wineries per inhabitant in the world are located. On their website I saw they were offering an electric bike tour of 9km through the nearby countryside follwed by a gourmet picnic combined with a wine tasting. We paid € 40pp for a 2 hours excursion and enjoyed it at the fullest! The views, the passionate guidance, and the stylisch picnic. Check availability at forehand as they don’t offer the entire year, depending on the season and workload. This bodega has a professional yet casual character and is not too large scale compared to some others.
Bodegas Ysios https://bodegasysios.com
The Pernod Ricard group has a number of wine estates in Spain. They wanted to add extra splendour to their domain in Rioja, municipality of Laguardia and commissioned the famous Spanish Architect Santiago Calatrava to build a large bodega integrated with nature here in the Sierra Cantabria. The undulating roof makes this, one of the most impressive wineries in the world. The reception is rather formal, but with the necessary knowledge. We tasted 3 glasses, in a large dark room where the wine is maturing in hundreds of oak barrels. The wines are very qualitative but rather expensive. Their focus is not on export, but on making exclusive boutique wines.
Herederos del Marques de Riscal https://www.marquesderiscal.com
Another architectural masterpiece that could not be missed on the program. Also one of the oldest wineries of the Rioja, their red wines are counted among the best in the world. In 2023, they were praised as the 2nd best vineyard in the world for the 3rd year in a row. At the bodegas a luxurious hotel was built by Frank Gehry (Marriot Hotels), this unique building contrasts elegantly with the headquarters of the wineries. We did not book a guided tour, but visited their big store with accompanying wine bar. For me, this establishment lacked a bit of class compared to the qualitative flavors of their wines. The large scale, made me compare it with an amusement park. But perhaps when visiting the rest of the domain or staying at the hotel it’s largely compensated?
Bodegas David Moreno https://www.davidmoreno.es
This bodega was recommended by a friend. The winery is located 8 kilometres from the monasteries of Yuso and Suso in San Millán de la Cogolla (UNESCO) in the Alto Najerilla, at the foot of the Sierra de la Demanda. David runs this winery with his daughters Paula & Gemma, they work hand in hand to continue the history of work, effort and passion for which this family dream stands. Bodegas David Moreno develops wines with their own personality , the vineyards at high altitude and old vines give the wines a very good quality, with respect for the terroir. Afterwards, despite the rain, we enjoyed a very extensive picnic lunch and we were able to catch a glimpse of David Moreno himself with his typical French beret on his head.
Remirez de Ganuza
During one of the diners we had in Bilbao, we tasted a very nice bottle of red wine produced by Remirez de Ganuza. So my partner decided to add an extra stop to programm and to find out what other nice bottles they have in their production. We came unannounced, normally you need to make an appointment but they were flexible enough to help us out. We bought a fabulous Blanco Reserva from 2020 amongst others. Their price range is rather high though, but you pay for quality.
2 Other wineries that are aparently worth a visit, but we did had the time to add them to our programm are Bodegas Remelluri & Bodegas Beronia.
2. The Basque Coast
From Bilbao we made in 2023 a day excursion to explore the beatifull coastline.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
Step into your car and drive up to the coast for 35 km, after 45 minutes you reach San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. A conical peninsula consisting of rock formations, known from the Games of Thrones. A hefty 45-minute walk by an ancient stairway with 230 steps takes you to the little church on top of the rock, as the legend says, you ring three times and make a wish … If you don’t want to rent a car, you can also reach this place by bus. It’s a 1 hour drive from Plaza Moyua.

Bermeo

We drove further to the charming village of Bermeo. They own 75% of all tuna boats in the world, so the majority of the residents are fishermen by profession. You can visit the tuna factory or have a nice fishmeal as lunch in one of the charming restaurants at the harbor.

Continue to Urdabai, an ecological reserve (UNESCO). Formed at the mouth of the river Oka. It covers an area of 220 km² and has a great ecological wealth. The landscape is dominated by the sea, mountains and twelve very different beaches, from large beaches such as Laida or Laga to small bays that end up on the cliff such as Antzoras or Lapatza. There are also several islands within the borders of Urdaibai. And they also have a shelter for wild animals.

Would you like a table?

The Basque Country is home to some innovative upscale restaurants pushing the creative limits of international fine dining, using superior local products, historic recipes, and Basque traditions. Pick a random bar and there is a good chance you will enjoy the tasteful pintxos and local wines, whose low prices belie their quality. Like a box of fine chocolates, you know that whichever one you choose it's going to be great. The good food, good cheer and great wine, is one of the reasons I fell in love with Bilbao.

Local dishes:

Bacalao, one of the most iconic Basque dishes, which you can order at almost any restaurant in Bilbao. Bacalao means cod fish and is a favorite ingredient found in many Basque dishes.

Spider crabs or txangurros are another Basque seafood delight and very popular in seafood restaurants across Bilbao.
Txipirones, are essentially baby squid and they are often eaten in the Basque Country, cooked in their own ink. You’ll find them on the menu at many Bilbao restaurants. They may not look too appetising, but they are delicious.
Pintxos, are of course one of the Basque Country’s most famous creations and you can find them in almost any bar in Bilbao. Typically pintxos are small pieces of bread, topped with ingredients such as ham, peppers, cheese or even pieces of Spanish omelette (tortilla) and croquetas (deep fried bread-crumbed bites filled with bechamel sauce and a variety of flavours). There are really no rules as to what a pintxo could be topped with – anything and everything goes. You’ll find pintxos lined up along the bar, where you can help yourself. At the end of the evening the cocktail sticks (which usually hold the pintxos together) will be counted, and your bill calculated accordingly.

One of the most traditional desserts here is pastel Vasco or Basque tart. It’s a soft pastry-like sponge, wrapped around a creamy, vanilla custard, and sometimes it also contains fruit.

The Carolina is a typical pastry of Bilbao. It consists of a miniature pastry crust filled with custard and topped with a meringue cone. Typically the cone has a coating of sweet egg yolk glaze and dark chocolate.

Txakoli is a slightly sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity and low alcohol content. It is normally served as an aperitif and drunk within one year of bottling as it cannot be stored for longer.

The offer on good restaurants is enormous, so it’s almost impossible to make a shortlist. The Spanish mealtimes, are very different to what we are used to in Belgium. I normally eat dinner around 18h00 – 19h00, during the weekend it can be a bit later. In Spain they are used to eat between 21h00 and 22h00. This difference in culture worked in our favor, as we didn’t make dinner reservation at forehand, which is strongly recommended in hindsight. 3 Times the waiter was so friendly to offer us a table that was reserved later on the evening; otherwise I am afraid that we would have wandered around for a long time looking for an available spot.

Please find beneath my review on the restaurants were we had diner or lunch.

La Viña del Ensanche ( Bilbao
http://www.lavinadelensanche.com/es/
Located in one of the most central and vibrant areas of Bilbao. This restaurant, founded in 1927 is a real institution. Joselito, a well-known Iberico ham brand, has been served here for the past 85 years. I can affirm it taste delicious! Up to 80% of the wine list selections comes from the Rioja region. The business now includes the historical restaurant, called “El Bar”, a 20-year-old deli shop and a more modern (opened in 2014) and intimate restaurant known as “El Taller”. We dined at “El Bar” and paid less than € 25 pp for 9 tapas to share, soft drinks, and a few glasses of wine. What I appreciated the most: the authenticity, the pleasant bustle and the delicious, uncomplicated food.

Los Fueros
https://losfueros.com/
Opened in 1878, so one of the oldest restaurants in the city. Nowadays it’s a cozy bistro-style restaurant, rather small. They cook traditional Bilbao food, with the vision of the 21st century. We decided to visit this restaurant as it is listed on the website of “Michelin”. And we did not regret it for a minute; the service was very friendly, attentive and professional. The food refined, nicely presented and outstanding. I also appreciated the white wine from Pais Vasco, suggested by the waiter. For diner we had some carpaccio, Iberico ham, croquettes with chorizo and cod, red tuna salad, gambas and scallops and a few original desserts. We paid around € 30 pp.

Las Cepas
We noticed that the street of our apartment was quite popular by the locals and that there was a nice atmosphere. So the last night we decided to stay close to home. As it was Saturday night and we did not had reservations, we had to pop-in at different restaurants to find an available spot. The waitress at Las Cepas, was so friendly to offer us a table under the conditions that we only had 1 hour to spent. Again we had a delicious and very affordable tapas diner: we had the salmon tartar, risotto, some croquettes, fried calamari, patatas bravas, etc.. But most remarkable were the desserts, finger-licking good especially the carrot cake, yummy! We paid more or less € 20 pp, and left satisfied. What I loved the most about this place was the pleasant bustle, the bright contemporary design and once again the DESSERTS!

Mercado de la Ribera
https://mercadodelaribera.biz/eu/hasiera/
The Mercado de la Ribera is the largest covered market in Spain, according to the people of Bilbao with his 10.000 square metres even "the largest covered market in Europe". The building was designed in 1929 and was very progressive at the time, it contains many art-deco elements. It is on the right bank of the Nervion River, next to Casco Viejo. The locals like to come here to buy their fresh food, and at the same time to drink a glass and eat some pintxos. The complex has 3 floors, apparently you find the fish market on the ground floor, meat on the first floor and fruit and vegetables on the top floor. At the time of our visit only the 1st floor was open for visit. We visited the various gastro bars and ordered a number of pintxos (fish and meat ) , a delicious carafe of sangria and a Carolina as dessert.

Café Iruña
https://www.cafeirunabilbao.net/
For more than 110 years now, Café Iruña is located across the Jardines de Albia Park. The cafe is best known for its remarkable “Mudejar” decor. In 2000 it was even named the best café in Spain. Pure nostalgia! We came here twice, the first time for a drink before diner and the second time for breakfast at a Sunday morning. You can buy a fresh fruit juice, cappuccino, jamon sandwich and local pastry for no money. Please pop-by!

Amaren Asador
Basuki

Other recommendations:

Mina
www.restaurantemina.es
According to food critics, this fish restaurant located at the riverside is currently the number one of the Basque Country. Chef Alvaro Garrido and his wife Lara Martín keep it simple: they only cook with what is currently available on the market. It’s a fish restaurant with 1 Michelin star.

Nerua
www.neruaguggenheimbilbao.com
In the Guggenheim museum restaurant Nerua, you can taste real Basque cuisine. The dishes are simple, harmonious, innovative and surprising. Top chef Josean Martínez Alija also earned 1 Michelin star.
Bistro
www.bistroguggenheimbilbao.com
After a visit to the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao you can not only eat at Nerua, but also at the modernist “Bistro”. Nice and informal, with mouth-watering dishes such as the candied cod.
Kimtxu
https://kimtxu.com/
In a city with the culinary tradition of Bilbao, the overused concept of fusion food puts many people on the alert. But Ivan Abril succeeded to create an unpretentious eatery, using local ingredients, applying Asian techniques whenever possible; popular with both locals and tourists.
Gure-Toki
http://www.guretoki.com/
This one was also on my favorites list, but we did not like the hustle and bustle of Plaza Nueva and my friends were a little scared that the restaurants here are a tourist trap. But I have read so many good reviews, that I have no doubt about the quality of the food here. It’s also recommended by Michelin and in 2016 they won a highly regarded gastronomic contest for the best Pinxtos bar. They give a new twist to traditional Basque cooking. In the past this bar was also known for offering giant portions of patatas bravas. Nowadays it’s specialty is a grilled foie gras with apple and sweet sherry.

Victor Montes
http://www.victormontes.com
If you do like the crowds at Plaza Nueva, here’s another one to try. The agreement to build Bilbao’s Guggenheim museum, was signed in this restaurant in 1997. The gorgeous décor exhales the rich history of this premise. They offer delicious and complex pintxos, which are fairly priced.

Bascook
http://www.bascook.com/
Another one recommended by Michelin and several others. One of Bilbao’s most well-known signature cuisine restaurants. Located in a former sea-salt warehouse, transformed into an urban chic restaurant. They offer an innovative and exquisite menu that combines international and Basque cuisine, with room for dishes for vegetarians, and the youngest members of the family.

El Globo
www.barelglobo.com
This one was also on my favorites list, located across “La Viña”. It’s all about pintxos here. Apparently you must try a “Gilda” (the ancient pintxo of anchovy, olives and chili pepper) or a pintxo “modern” with gratinated spider crab.
Azurmendi
https://azurmendi.restaurant/en/
One of the best restaurants of the world, with no less than 3 Michelin stars.
Not for everyone’s wallet (neither for mine), but too much an icon not to mention it. It is a story that combines high-end gastronomy, architecture and nature. The journey of this sustainable restaurant starts in the rooftop vegetable garden where guests inspect the home-grown produce before continuing via the kitchen to an indoor greenhouse for a selection of ‘snacks’. Diners are eventually seated in a section of the dining room, flanked by temporary fabric walls projecting different scenes for different courses. Chef Eneko Atxa cooks modern Basque cuisine, watch the movie on their website that says it all. Please note that it’s not located in the city center of Bilbao, it’s a 20 minutes’ drive by car.

Good night, sleep tight!

As we travelled with 5, we decided an apartment would be the best option for us in 2019.
We have chosen an apartment (Heros) of Forever Rentals in the Calle Heros. We were really happy with our choice. The apartment was quiet big; it had a spacious living room with a double sofa bed, 1-bedroom with a double bed, 1-bedroom with 2 twin beds and 2 bathrooms with a shower. But what we appreciated the most was the location. It’s very close to the Guggenheim Museum and Nervion River. There is a breakfast spot of “Bertiz” just at the corner, and plenty of others close by. Calle Heros is very vibrant, with lots of bars and restaurant, without being noisy. And we only paid € 110 pp for 3nts. https://forever-rentals.com/en/

If you also look for an apartment, here’s another good option we looked into:
Bilbao Centric Apartments https://bilbaocentricapartments.com/

In 2023 we needed a hotel with a carparking, so we reserved Hotel Ecrilla de Bilbao. It belongs to the Mariott chain, so a bigger hotel with a very international audience. Not what I normally prefer, but apart from the parking it has other assets to consider, such as a good location, a varied breakfast buffet, a gym and a very popular rooftop terrace with one of the best views on the city. Please note that drinks are rather expensive here … € 20 for a glass of French Champagne for example. If you stay at the hotel, make sure you reserve a spot at forehand, otherwise chances are big that you wont get a table, as it’s also a popular spot amongst the hip locals. If possible they do give priority to hotelguests though. The rooms are spacious enough and comfortable, but not hipper modern, as you can expect from Mariott.

Travelling with less people, or just preferring a hotel? Here are some nice hotel options I found:

Pension Caravan Cinema, http://www.caravan-cinema.com/
Pension Luxury Lo Bilbao, http://pension-luxury-lo.hotels-bilbao.com/nl/
Basque Boutique **, http://www.basqueboutique.es/en/home/
Tayko Bilbao ****, https://taykohotels.com
Barcélo Bilbao Nervion ****, https://www.barcelo.com
NYX Hotel Bilbao *****, https://www.nyx-hotels.com

The earth is art, the photographer is only a witness!