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Bilbao

Bilbao: from industrial port to Guggenheim icon

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The guide

Bilbao, capital of the Spanish Basque Country, reinvented itself around Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum, whose titanium curves symbolise the transformation of a former industrial port. The Abando-Ensanche district lines up grand avenues, the shops of the Gran Vía and cultural institutions. Across the Nervión, the Casco Viejo, the old town, reveals its Siete Calles (seven streets), the neoclassical Plaza Nueva and the Mercado de la Ribera, one of Europe's largest covered markets. Life revolves around pintxos, those bites set out on the counter, and the social ritual of the txikiteo. Stroll along the river, take the funicular up to Artxanda for the overall view, and taste Basque cuisine, among the most celebrated in the world, from bacalao to txakoli, the local sparkling white wine.

The opening sequence of the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough (1999), with Pierce Brosnan, plays out in front of the titanium-clad Guggenheim Museum. You glimpse the famous flower-covered Puppy; the fake Swiss bank was in fact a building opposite the museum, on the Alameda Mazarredo, along the Nervión river.

Jeff Koons' Puppy, the giant flower-covered terrier guarding the museum entrance, is actually older than the Guggenheim itself: it was first installed temporarily in 1992 at a German castle in Bad Arolsen, before being acquired and planted in Bilbao for the museum's opening in 1997.

For pintxos, skip the area around the museum and dive into the Casco Viejo, the Siete Calles, around Plaza Nueva. Scout out the best bars of the moment with a data eSIM before setting off on a txikiteo, the crawl of drinks and bites from one counter to the next.

Must-see

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Frank Gehry's 1997 masterpiece, sheathed in shimmering titanium plates beside the Nervión. Beyond the collections, its outdoor sculptures (Koons' Puppy, Bourgeois' Maman) have become the symbol of the city.

Casco Viejo

Old Bilbao and its Siete Calles: dense lanes, historic façades and pintxos bars. The neoclassical Plaza Nueva acts as the quarter's open-air living room, lively in the evening and during the Sunday market.

Mercado de la Ribera

One of Europe's largest covered markets, by the river next to San Antón church. Across three floors: fish on the ground floor, meat above, fruit and vegetables higher up, plus pintxos bars.

Artxanda funicular

A short ride on the historic funicular to the top of Mount Artxanda, with sweeping views over all of Bilbao, the bend of the Nervión and the surrounding hills. The best vantage point to grasp the city's layout.

Good to know

Bilbao has an Atlantic climate: green but rainy, so pack a raincoat in any season; late spring and early autumn are the mildest. The centre is walkable, complemented by a metro designed by Norman Foster, the tram and the funiculars. Tip: combine the Guggenheim with a walk along the Nervión to the Casco Viejo. 4G/5G coverage is very good across the metro area and along the river; a data eSIM lets you book museum tickets and follow pintxos routes without hunting for wifi.

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