Bilbao Travel Information

Bilbao Information

Bilbao lies in Spain's north right on the beautiful Bay of Biscay and only about an hour from the French border to the East. It is the capital of the Vizcaya region in Basque country and has a population of  around 375,000 residents in the city with around a million or so making up the larger metro area. Bilbao is the most dynamic city in the Basque country and is one of Spain's most economically important cities with a high level of industrialisation.

There is evidence of settlement as early as 200-300 BC as well as the all pervading Roman influence in the area. However it wasn't until around 1300 AD that the town of Bilbao proper was established. There are fewer medieval structures and buildings than in other similarly aged cities but the historic old town of Bilbao still has some impressive churches, cathedrals and other buildings from that time. The Basílica de Begoña was built in the sixteenth century and overlooks the city; the Gothic styled Cathedral of St. James was built in the fourteenth century but took several hundred years to complete; and another Gothic styled church, the Iglesia de San Antón, which dates from the 1420s, is interesting due to it's mix of later styles of architecture added in the following centuries.

Bilbao is also an excellent place to experience some colourful and exciting Basque culture. This ancient culture is till strong in Bilbao and you'll find many opportunities to sample some of the distinctive flavours of it's rich food and wines. One of the specialties of the region is the Basque version of tapas called Pintxos - a more complex and rich concoction than tapas found elsewhere. Add to this the friendliness and welcoming nature of the locals and you'll find a new experience in delicious and relaxed gastronomy.

One of Bilbao's most famous attractions is the Guggenheim Museum which put Bilbao squarely on the world stage as a city of culture. This extraordinary and eccentric building seems to be constructed from folded, bent and curved sheets of titanium that appear to be still slowly evolving. It houses it's own permanent collection as well as hosting several major touring exhibitions each year.

The weather in Bilbao is strongly influenced by the nearby Bay of Biscay resulting in generally mild summers and winters with a lot of rainy or overcast weather throughout the year with the wettest month being November. Summer maximums average around 25ºC (77ºF) dropping to around 14ºC (57ºF) in winter. The high level of precipitation means that the hills of Bilbao are usually covered in green which offers a welcome change to the dry plains further to the south and the warm weather allows for many outdoor activities when the sun is shining.