Bilbao: Tours & Experiences

Bilbao sits on the Nervion estuary in northern Spain and is the largest city in the Basque Country. Its transformation is famous: once a shipbuilding and steel port, it was rebuilt around Frank Gehry's titanium-clad Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, now flanked by Jeff Koons' flower-covered Puppy and Louise Bourgeois' giant bronze spider, Maman.

Beyond the museum, the Casco Viejo and its Siete Calles form a maze of pintxos bars, the arcaded Plaza Nueva and the riverside Ribera Market. The Artxanda funicular climbs to the classic view over the city, while downriver the UNESCO-listed Bizkaia Bridge still ferries passengers across the estuary in a hanging gondola. With the Basque coast, La Rioja and San Sebastian all within a day's reach, Bilbao is as much a launchpad as a destination.

Our Bilbao experiences are full-day guided excursions that set out from the city with knowledgeable local guides:

• Basque coast day trips — the clifftop hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, the fishing harbour of Bermeo and the historic town of Gernika.
• Rioja wine country — panoramic vineyard views, tastings at traditional wineries and the walled medieval village of Laguardia, with some routes also taking in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
• Across the Basque Country and into France — San Sebastian, elegant Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz, or the old streets of Pamplona.

Each tour departs from a central meeting point in Bilbao and returns the same day. More Bilbao experiences are being added by our local guides — availability, languages, duration and pricing for each tour are shown in the live listings above.

Late spring to early autumn (May–September) is the best window for Bilbao and for day trips along the coast and into the vineyards, with the warmest, driest weather and long daylight hours. September and October are especially rewarding in Rioja, when the grape harvest is under way.

Bilbao sits in "Green Spain" for a reason — rain is possible in any month, so a light waterproof is worth packing even in summer. August brings Aste Nagusia, the city's nine-day Big Week festival, when Bilbao is at its liveliest and accommodation fills early. Winters are mild but wet and much quieter; check each listing for seasonal availability.