Bilbao is one of the Spanish cities where we will discover modernity and monuments. Modern architecture and centuries-old monuments intertwine and work together very well. History lovers will enrich their knowledge, and modern architecture will delight every tourist’s eye. And the nearby access to the sea ensures a lot of relaxation on sunny, sandy beaches.
Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, in the Basque Country region, at the mouth of the Nervión River in the Bay of Biscay of the Atlantic Ocean, the administrative seat of the province of Bizkaia.
Sightseeing
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
- The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is one of the most important museums of contemporary art in the world. The building in a rather modern and unique style was designed by Frank O. Gehry, it quickly became an architectural icon and a magnet attracting tourists from all over the world to the Spanish city. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao hosts many permanent and temporary exhibitions. The collection focuses on 20th century art. It includes works by artists such as Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, and Richard Serra. There are also works by Clyfford Still, Francesco Clemente, Anselm Kiefer, Jenny Holzer, Richard Serra and many, many others.
Plaza Nueva
- Plaza Nueva also known as Plaza Barria, is the center of life in Bilbao. One of the most notable features of Plaza Nueva are the enclosed arcaded buildings that give the square a unique atmosphere. As you walk around the square, you will be greeted by the sight of magnificent arches called cuevas or caves that add to the charm of the square.
Azkuna Zentroa – Alhóndiga Bilba
- The sports and cultural center “Azkuna Zentroa”, designed by a French architect, is open to both residents and tourists, becoming a cultural recreational and social center. Azkuna Zentroa – Alhóndiga Bilbao connects society with contemporary culture through six program lines: contemporary art, live art, film and audiovisual materials, society, digital cultures and literature. All engage in dialogue to generate an expanded and iterative hybrid program that privileges the everyday nature of modernity, with mediation and education as channels for generating critical knowledge and transforming society through art and artists.
Biscay Bridge
- Between the city of Portugalete and the district of Getxo in the Spanish Basque Country is the 164-meter Puente de Vizcaya (Biscay Bridge) ferry bridge. It was built in 1893 by Alberto Palacio. It is the oldest bridge of this type in the world and one of the few that has survived to this day.
Zubizuri Bridge
- Zubizuri means white bridge, it is also called the Campo Volantin footbridge. A bridge crosses the Nervion River in Bilbao, northern Spain. The Zubizuri were designed by the Spanish architect and engineer Santi Calatrava, who also designed Bilbao Airport and many other bridges in the world. At night, the bridge has atmospheric lighting in the bridge deck, which is made of glass and illuminates the bridge. Zubizuri was opened to pedestrian and bicycle traffic in 1997.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Jacob in Bilbao
- Bilbao Cathedral, also called the Cathedral of St. Jacob is a unique pearl of sacred architecture located in the heart of the city. The majestic church, once the main point on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, is a monument of great historical and spiritual value. The basilica was built in the 14th century in the Gothic style.
San Mamés – Football Stadium
- Estadio San Mames is a football stadium located in Bilbao. The Athletic Club plays its matches here. The facility replaced the old San Mames stadium, which operated for a hundred years. It can accommodate over 53,000 fans, making it the seventh largest facility of this type in Spain. One of the host stadiums of Euro 2020.
Torre Iberdrola
- Torre Iberdrola is the tallest skyscraper in Bilbao. Designed by architect César Pelli. The construction of the skyscraper began on March 19, 2007 and was completed in 2011. The tower is 165 meters high and has 41 floors and 50,000 m², in the shape of an isosceles triangle with slightly curved sides.
Museum Of Fine Arts
- Museum of Fine Arts in Bilbao – Part of the collection comes from the city’s previous art museum – Museo de Bellas Artes – founded in 1914 and the museum of contemporary art – Museo de Arte Moderno – founded in 1924. The collection was then joined by donations from private connoisseurs and the museum’s own purchases. The collections include works of art created at the turn of the century – from the 12th century to the present day. The facility has over 6,000 works of art: paintings, sculptures, drawings, graphics and artistic crafts.
Itsasmuseum Bilbao
- The collections of the Maritime Museum of Bilbao include objects and items related to the maritime activities of the Ría de Bilbao area and the port, as well as to maritime culture in general. The exhibits that can be seen here include ships belonging to shipowners from Bilbao, models of ships built in the city’s shipyards, such as Nervión and Euskalduna; watercolors by Esteban Bermejo, or a sea rescue system provided to the Museum by the Seaside Center of the Red Cross in Arriluze.
Beaches near Bilbao
San Vicente de Baracaldo 8 km
Portugalete 11 km
Santurce-Antiguo 12 km
Sestao 9 km
Durango 26 km
Castro-Urdiales 28 km
Galdácano 7 km
Erandio 7 km
Amorebieta 16 km
Guernica y Luno 22 km
Munguía 13 km
Bermeo 25 km
Sopelana 15 km
Arrigorriaga 7 km
Amurrio 24 km
Ortuella 13 km
El Corrillo 18 km
Berango 14 km
Abadiano Celayeta 29 km
Derio 5 km
Güeñes 15 km
Górliz-Elexalde 18 km
Campa 14 km
