Bilbao Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Bilbao tours, the iconic Guggenheim Museum, the lively Casco Viejo old town, world-class pintxos and Rioja wine, and stunning day trips to San Sebastián and the Game-of-Thrones island of Gaztelugatxe. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Bilbao itinerary.
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Explore Bilbao by interest
Whatever brings you to Bilbao — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Guggenheim
Gehry’s titanium masterpiece.
ExplorePintxos & wine
Basque bar culture.
ExploreSan Sebastián
La Concha beach and pintxos.
ExploreGaztelugatxe
The Game-of-Thrones island.
ExploreCasco Viejo
The lively old town.
ExploreRioja wine
World-class vineyards.
ExploreCooking classes
Make pintxos and cheesecake.
ExploreDay trips
San Sebastián, Rioja and the coast.
ExploreTop attractions in Bilbao
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Guggenheim Museum
Gehry’s titanium masterpiece.
Pintxos & wine
Basque bar culture.
San Sebastián
La Concha beach and pintxos.
Gaztelugatxe
The Game-of-Thrones island.
Casco Viejo
The lively old town.
Rioja wine country
Vineyards and wineries.
Artxanda funicular
Panoramic city views.
Ría & riverside
The revived river city.
Bilbao in 1 day
- 1Guggenheim Museum
- 2Casco Viejo & market
- 3Pintxos crawl
- 4Artxanda views
Bilbao in 2 days
- 1Day 1: Guggenheim & pintxos
- 2Day 2: San Sebastián
- 3La Concha beach
- 4Coastal pintxos
Bilbao in 3 days
- 1Day 1: Guggenheim & pintxos
- 2Day 2: San Sebastián
- 3Day 3: Gaztelugatxe or Rioja
- 4Coast & wine
Bilbao with kids
- 1Guggenheim Puppy & spider
- 2Artxanda funicular
- 3Gaztelugatxe climb
- 4Pintxos tasting
1 hr awaySan Sebastián
La Concha beach and pintxos.
45 min awayGaztelugatxe
The Game-of-Thrones island.
1 hr awayRioja wine region
World-class vineyards and Laguardia.
45 min awayBermeo & Mundaka
Fishing port and surf beach.
40 min awayGernika
A historic Basque town.
2 hrs awayBiarritz
An elegant French Basque resort.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Bilbao visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Late spring and summer (May–September) bring the mildest, sunniest days, lively terraces and coast trips at their best — the prime time to visit.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Fresh, green days ideal for the city, the Guggenheim and coastal day trips before the summer peak.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Warm and lively, great for the coast, San Sebastián and pintxos terraces; the busiest season, so book ahead.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Mild, golden days with the Rioja wine harvest and fewer crowds — a wonderful time for the city and wine country.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Mild but wet and quieter, good for the Guggenheim, pintxos bars and indoor culture, with lower prices.
Pack for rain
Bilbao is in “green Spain” and can be rainy any time of year — bring a layer and umbrella, though showers rarely last long.
One day
Enough for the Guggenheim, the Casco Viejo and pintxos.
Two days
Add a San Sebastián day trip.
Three days
The sweet spot: the city, San Sebastián, and Gaztelugatxe or Rioja.
Four to five days
Add more coast, Gernika, Biarritz and wine country.
A week or more
Use Bilbao as a base to explore the Basque Country.
Travelling with kids
Mix the Guggenheim, the funicular and Gaztelugatxe at a gentle pace.
On foot
Bilbao’s Casco Viejo, Guggenheim and riverside are compact and best explored on foot along the Ría.
Metro & tram
A sleek metro (designed by Norman Foster) and a riverside tram cover the city cheaply and easily.
Artxanda funicular
The historic Artxanda funicular whisks you up for panoramic views over the city and river.
Day-trip transport
Tours and buses reach San Sebastián, Gaztelugatxe, the coast and the Rioja wine region.
By bike
Flat riverside paths make Bilbao pleasant to cycle, with shared bikes available.
From the airport
Bilbao Airport links to the centre by the Bizkaibus A3247 in about 20 minutes.
Book ahead
Pre-book the Guggenheim, pintxos food tours and San Sebastián, Gaztelugatxe and Rioja day trips — they sell out in summer and around cruise calls.
Currency & tipping
Spain uses the euro; tipping is modest — rounding up or leaving small change for good service is enough.
Do a pintxos crawl
Hop between bars in the Casco Viejo ordering one or two pintxos and a small wine at each — the Basque way to eat.
See the Guggenheim outside too
The Guggenheim’s exterior, Puppy and Maman spider are free to admire; pre-book a ticket for the art inside.
Use the metro & Barik card
Bilbao’s metro, tram and buses are easy and cheap; a rechargeable Barik card saves on fares.
Carry a layer
Bilbao can be rainy, so bring a light waterproof even in summer for the city and coast.
Guggenheim
Pre-book timed Guggenheim tickets or tours to skip the queues.
Pintxos tours
Award-winning pintxos and wine tours sell out — book ahead.
San Sebastián trips
Popular San Sebastián day tours fill up — reserve early.
Gaztelugatxe trips
Game-of-Thrones Gaztelugatxe tours are busy — book ahead.
Rioja wine tours
Rioja winery day trips have limited places — reserve early.
Summer peak
July and August are very busy — plan well ahead.
Guggenheim
Around €16–25 for Guggenheim entry, more for a guided tour.
Pintxos tours
About €60–110 for a pintxos and wine food tour.
San Sebastián trips
Roughly €60–100 for a San Sebastián day tour.
Gaztelugatxe trips
Around €55–90 for a Gaztelugatxe and coast day trip.
Rioja wine tours
About €75–130 for a Rioja winery day trip with tastings.
How to save
Walk the compact centre, admire the Guggenheim exterior free, and do a self-guided pintxos crawl in the Casco Viejo.
Bilbao through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Fresh, green days for the city and coast.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lovely before the summer peak.
- Best for
- Warm days, the coast and pintxos terraces.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Busiest; book tours and day trips ahead.
- Best for
- Mild days and the Rioja wine harvest.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- A wonderful time for wine country.
- Best for
- The Guggenheim, pintxos bars and culture.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Mild but wet; lower prices.