A Walk Along the River

Take a stroll along the Nervión River starting at Palacio Euskalduna Jauregia, Bilbao’s modern conference and concert centre. The riverside path is lined with sculptures and impressive contemporary buildings. You’ll pass the Guggenheim Museum and cross the Zubizuri Footbridge, which connects the museum with the Ayuntamiento. It’s an easy, scenic walk that blends art, architecture, and city life in one route.

Algorta Old Port

Algorta’s Old Port is a small fishing quarter in Getxo, just 20 minutes from central Bilbao by metro. Whitewashed houses line the narrow streets down to the water. On summer evenings, locals gather outside bars for a beer or cider, often with green olives or fried calamari.

• Address:

  Portu Zaharra, Ereaga Kaia, Getxo

Arriaga Theatre

Inaugurated in 1890, the Arriaga Theatre is a Neo-baroque opera house named after the Bilbao-born composer Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, often referred to as the 'Spanish Mozart'. Inspired by the Paris Opera House, it became a key cultural venue in Bilbao. The original theatre burned down in 1914 and was rebuilt, reopening in 1919. Today, it hosts opera, ballet, classical concerts, and theatre productions. Guided tours give a behind-the-scenes look at the staircases, Royal Box, and costume collection.

• Web:

  www.teatroarriaga.eus

• Address:

  Arriaga Plaza 1, Bilbao

• Phone:

  +34 944 79 20 36

Artxanda Viewpoint

Artxanda is Bilbao’s hilltop viewpoint, offering wide panoramic views of the city, the Nervión River, and the surrounding mountains. It’s a nice escape from the streets below, with paths to wander and spots to sit and take it all in. You can reach the top via a small funicular railway from the Iralabarri district.

• Address:

  Enekuri Artxanda Errepidea 70, Bilbao

Azkuna Zentroa - Alhóndiga Bilbao

Once a wine warehouse, Azkuna Zentroa is now one of Bilbao’s main cultural spaces. Inside you’ll find cinemas, galleries, a library, a gym, and even a rooftop swimming pool with a glass floor you can look up through from the atrium below. Philippe Starck, a French industrial architect, redesigned the building, adding 43 columns, each with a unique style, and open spaces that make the building an attraction in its own right. The venue’s programme ranges from art exhibitions and talks to film screenings and concerts.

• Web:

  www.azkunazentroa.eus/en

• E-mail:

  info@azkunazentroa.eus

• Address:

  Arriquíbar Plaza, 4, Abando, Bilbao

• Phone:

  +34 944 01 40 14

• Opening hours:

  Daily 8am–9pm

Basilica of Begoña

Perched above Bilbao on Artagan Hill, the Basilica of Our Lady of Begoña was built starting in 1511 on the very spot where, legend says, the Virgin Mary appeared. The church mixes styles: mainly Gothic inside, a Renaissance front with a grand arch, and a belfry added in the early 20th century. Inside, there’s a polychrome wood carving of the Virgin of Begoña ('Amatxu' to locals) from the 14th century. Sailors often used to name their boats after her, and every 15 August (Assumption) and 11 October (Feast of Begoña), the place fills with pilgrims.

• Web:

  https://begona.org/en/saint-mary-of-begona

• Address:

  Begoñako Andra Maria Kalea 38, Bilbao

• Phone:

  +34 944 12 70 91

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Sat 8:30am–1:30pm / 5pm–8pm; Sun 9:30am–2pm / 5pm–8pm