Luxury holidays in Bilbão

The Guggenheim rocketed the city onto the global radar back in the Nineties, but Bilbão’s cultural clout spans centuries. Follow the Nervión past Frank Gehry’s sci-fi behemoth to the Casco Viejo, where a Gothic cathedral towers over cobbled mediaeval streets. Across the river, the next gen of artists cut their teeth among Bilbi’s indie galleries and kaleidoscopic graffiti scene. And in a gastro landscape sprinkled with Michelin stars, you’ll still find a pintxos bar packed with locals on every corner.
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When to go

Spring and autumn mean mild days and cool evenings, but we’d say light jacket-weather is a worthwhile trade for less crowded museums.

Getting there

  • Planes

    Fly direct to Bilbão Airport from European hubs including London Gatwick, Manchester and Paris Charles de Gaulle. From there, it’s a 20-minute drive to the city centre; or you can take Bizkaiabus’s A3247 bus to Gran Vía, the city’s main thoroughfare.

  • Trains

    Reach Bilbão Abando train station from Barcelona in under seven hours, and from Madrid in under five. It’s a walkable city, but hop on the metro to whizz between the city centre and quaint seaside suburbs.

  • Automobiles

    Bilbão is a strollable city and has a solid metro system, so only bother with a car if you have a Basque Country road trip in your sights.