Why now is the perfect time to visit Bilbao

Why go now?

The startling Guggenheim museum, which kickstarted Bilbao's transformation from industrial port to art and design capital, turns 20 this month – what better excuse for a cultural break?

Frank Gehry’s creation is undoubtedly the symbol of the city’s regeneration, and the birthday is being celebrated with a year-long programme of events and exhibitions, but a line-up of star architects, including Norman Foster, Arata Isozaki, Zaha Hadid, Santiago Calatrava and Cesar Pelli, have also played their part in shaping Bilbao's new identity. There is no shortage of art and architecture to admire. 

Beyond the cultural scene, Bilbao offers excellent shopping and an impressive array of pintxos (the Basque version of tapas) bars – and with temperatures hovering in the low 20s, autumn might well be the most appealing time to visit. 

Getting there

British Airways (0844 493 0787, britishairways.com) flies to Bilbao from Heathrow and Gatwick; EasyJet (0330 365 5000, easyjet.com) flies from Stansted, Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol. Iberia and Vueling also offer services from London. 

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Where to stay

Special treat

Built in the 1920s, the five-star Hotel Carlton provides classic old-school grandeur in a handy location on Plaza Moyúa. Inside, time has stopped, and the décor and service epitomises a distinctly old-school luxury. The lavish breakfast will set you up for a day’s sightseeing. 

Mid-range

The 50-room Hotel Miró, the creation of fashion designer Antonio Miró, has simple design-driven rooms that serve as a blank canvas for the real asset: the up-close view of Bilbao’s main attraction, the Guggenheim. It’s a four-star hotel, but with five-star guest service. 

On a budget

The Casual Gurea (00 34 944 163299; casualgurea.com) is a good example of the basic yet stylish hotels that are springing up around Spain. As it is on the third floor with no lift, it won’t suit everyone, but it is in a great location in the old town. No breakfast but there are lots of cafés nearby.

On arrival

6pm

Wake up your senses at the Ribera market (Ribera 22, mercadodelaribera.net), in a restored Art Decó building with magnificent stained-glass windows on the bank of the Nervión estuary in the Casco Viejo, or Old Town. A mooch around the stalls gawping at the seafood and vegetables will give you an idea of why Basque cuisine is one of the best in the world. Have a glass of wine in the chic market bar to toast the start of your weekend. Pretty much anywhere in Bilbao, you’ll be served a rather nice Rioja Alavesa as standard, for around €2, which is reason enough in itself to visit if you ask me.

7pm

Dive into the pedestrianised grid of lanes outside the market, known as the Siete Calles or Seven Streets, which are packed with shops and bars specialising in pintxos, the Basque version of tapas. Stick to the shops for now and have a look at Santiago Cathedral (Plazuela de Santiago 1), parts of which date back to the 15th century.

8.30pm

As the shutters come down on the shops, the logical step is to follow the locals into the bars. One or two will probably have caught your eye as you were walking around. You could start at the classic Víctor Montes (Plaza Nueva 8, victormontes.com), which has outdoor tables in the square, then drift along to Irrintzi (Santa María 8, irrintzi.es) for gourmet pintxos or Sassibil (Jardines Kalea 8) for seafood. You are now officially on a txikiteo, or pintxos crawl, and it will probably go on for some time.

Day one

10am

Have breakfast or at least a coffee at a marble table at the splendid Café Iru?a (Jardines de Alba, 944 237021), which has been going for more than a century. The over-the-top tiled décor is neo-Mudéjar, in case you were wondering.

11am

Cut through to the riverbank and stroll along to the Guggenheim museum (Abandoibarra 2, 944 359000, €13; guggenheim-bilbao.es)

The enormous spider sculpture by Louise Bourgeois is just one of the artworks to get you in the mood as you approach. For the best vantage point for photos, cross over Santiago Calatrava’s Zubizuri bridge to the opposite bank.

Inside the Guggenheim, the art includes works by Jenny Holzer, Joseph Beuys and Mark Rothko – and an extraordinary installation of steel sculptures by Richard Serra.

1pm

If you are one of those people who emerge from the Guggenheim feeling more blown away by the architecture than the art, just head for the nearby Museo de Bellas Artes, or Fine Arts’ Museum (Plaza del Museo 2, 944 396060, useo de Bellas Artes; €9; museobilbao.com), which has one of the best collections in Spain with paintings by many of the great Spanish masters, including El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán and Goya, as well as 20th-century artists and particularly rich displays of Basque art.

2.30pm

I defy you to resist ordering one of the ibérico ham toasts that are usually arranged tantalisingly along the bar at La Vi?a (Diputación 10, 944 155615, lavinadelensanche.com). This very popular place serves fantastic traditional and fancy food to share or keep to yourself. You’ll probably spend about €10-€15 each for a light lunch. 

4pm

Time to hit the shops, but you’ll see some interesting architecture too. In the Plaza Moyúa, look out for Sir Norman Foster’s metro entrances, which look like giant prawns. The Gran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro is the main shopping street, with El Corte Inglés department store, Zara, Mango and Desigual.

9pm

Book ahead for dinner at the Michelin-starred Nerua restaurant in the Guggenheim (Abandoibarra 2, 944 000430, nerua.com). Spend between €80 and €170, depending on how many courses you want to sample.

For something interesting but a bit more down to earth, try Bascook (Barroeta Aldamar 8, 944 009977, bascook.com) in a former salt warehouse, which serves a mix of Basque and Japanese dishes with plenty for vegetarians too. About €35.    

Day two

10am

Take a bike tour with Tourné Bilbao (Villarías 1, 944 249465, tournebilbao.com) for €32 per person. Or just hire a bike and do your own thing (€10 for four hours).

2pm

Philippe Starck was entrusted with transforming the Alhóndiga (Plaza Arriquibar 4, 944 014014, alhondigabilbao.com), a vast former wine exchange built in 1909, into a cultural and leisure complex aimed at the citizens of Bilbao rather than tourists. Starck said that he wanted to create a space where “people feel more alive, more cheerful, more in love and sexy”. I’ll leave you to make up your own minds about that as you look up to see people swimming in the glass-bottomed rooftop pool. You can have a smart lunch at the Yandiola restaurant, a snack at the Hola bar or something inbetween at La Florinda, which will box up tasty goodies to go if you have to make a dash for the airport.

Bilbao checklist

Buses run every 20 minutes from Bilbao Airport to the centre and the bus station (€1.45).

Get yourself organised by dropping in at the very state-of-the-art tourist office (Plaza Circular 1, 0034 944 795760, bilbaoturismo.net).

The Bilbao Bizcaya Card costs €30 for 24 hours, €35 for 48 hours and €40 for 72 hours and includes admission to major museums and sights - including the Guggenheim - public transport and the Artxanda funicular railway.