Hotels in Bilbao

Located in the north of Spain, Bilbao is the largest city in the province of Biscay, and in fact the largest city in the wider Basque Country as a whole. With an ever increasing population of more than 350,000, the city is fast moving and fast progressing, but it still boasts a lot of history and culture.

Its port location made Bilbao a very important city in trading from the 14th century onwards, and in more modern times, it has proven itself to be a very popular European break destination for travellers from all corners of the continent.

One of the reasons for this popularity of tourism is the fact that visitors to Bilbao are able to find cheap and affordable hotel accommodation in many locations around the city.

Neighbourhoods of Bilbao

Bilbao consists of a number of districts:

• Casco Viejo: This is Bilbao’s ‘old town’ area, filled with amazing ancient and antique architecture, churches and the crowning glory of the Catedral de Santiago de Bilbao. You will find lots of great tapas bars and drinking spots in Casco Viejo. Europe’s largest covered indoor market La Ribera is also in this neighbourhood.
• Bilbao la Vieja: Just across the river from old town, this is the area that showcases Bilbao’s hip and cool culture. Nicknamed “Bilbi”, there’s lots of urban street art, fashion boutiques, and fusion restaurants and bars.
• Abando: Abando is the most central district in the city, and arguably its most elegant too. Here you will experience the city’s finest boulevards filled with department stores and designer stores. This is the area of the city where you will find many of the biggest attractions like the Guggenheim Museum, the Campos Eliseos Theatre, and the Abando train station with its huge stained glass window depicting typical Basque culture.
• Santutxu: Although a densely populated residential area, it has lovely green spaces in the Mina del Morro Gardens and the hilly Parque Larreagaburu, which offers fine views of the city below.

What to see and do in Bilbao

Some of the most important and interesting attractions in Bilbao are dedicated to art and culture. The most popular of these attractions include the likes of the striking Guggenheim Museum designed by Gehry, the Museum of Fine Arts which boasts a huge collection of pieces from the medieval times to modern day, and the famous Gothic revival Catedral de Santiago

What to eat in Bilbao

Bilbao has long been celebrated for its excellent regional cuisine. Some of the must try local signature dishes that you must seek out include bacalao pil-pil which is cod fried in garlic and olive oil, txangurro which is stuffed and baked spider crabs, and marmitako which is a traditional Basque style stew with tuna and potato. Be sure to work your way around a number of pintxos bars where the main offering is bread with all manner of toppings.

Typical events and festivals in Bilbao

Bilbao is a vibrant city that loves to host different events throughout the year. Some of the best out of the bunch include Festivals of San Blas in February, the large scale Bilbao Easter celebrations that are important to the city’s history and culture, and the Bilbao Night Marathon that takes place in October and provides a different type of running experience for the masses.

How to move around in Bilbao

There are five major forms of public transport within Bilbao. These are the underground Metro lines, the local buses, trams, buses connecting to the outskirts, and the main RENFE train line which connects the city to wider Spain. With five options plus a range of taxi services, Bilbao is arguably one of best connected cities in the region.

The climate in Bilbao

Bilbao’s two most defined seasons are summer and winter, with an average annual temperature of 19 degrees. January is the coldest month in the city with a still mild average of 13 degrees, whilst summers rise up to 25 degrees for perfect vacation temperatures. The most popular months for holiday travel in Bilbao are usually the late May to early September period.