Holiday lettings & accommodation in Bilbao

Due to Bilbao’s relatively small size, deciding where to stay within the city shouldn’t take much conscious effort. The city is divided into a total of 8 districts, which we former independent municipalities before being absorbed by the city in the early 20th century. The historic centre of the city is located within the district of Abando, which was an independent municipality before the formation of Bilbao in 1300. Here, visitors will find all of the most popular tourist attractions that Bilbao is famous for, as well as several museums. The city has undergone extensive urban regenerations since 1992, with areas such as the Abandoibarra which was once an industrial park in the city, being revamped and made a cultural hotspot as the site of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Euskalduna Palace. In many of the outlying districts, you can enjoy the lush and beautiful landscape that characterises the Bay of Biscay.

With a long and diverse history that stretches all the way back to the 14th-century, Bilbao has a rich cultural heritage. Since 1602, the city has been the capital of Biscay and since the nineteenth and twentieth centuries it has been the economic centre of the Basque Country. The city’s historic wealth can be seen in the Art Nouveau architecture that decorates the central Bilbao. Top attractions within the city include the Museum of Fine Arts, which includes a collection of more than six thousand works dating from the 12th century to the present day and the Guggenheim Museum which casts a formidable shadow over the Nervión River in central Bilbao. The Guggenheim Bilbao was established in 1997, and is one of the most admired examples of contemporary architecture. The museum houses large-scale installations by contemporary artists. Another noteworthy site to visit in the city is the Vizcaya Bridge, which is Spain’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the “Industrial” category.

Like many Spanish cities, Bilbao has a rich food culture and many great restaurants where you can sample typical local delicacies. Due to Bilbao’s proximity to the coast, you can expect to find a wide selection of delicious seafood dishes in many of the city’s top eateries. Bilbao is located within the Basque country, and the regional cuisine is diverse and delicious. Many dishes have hallmarks of both French and Spanish influence, with the French border located just a few miles away from Bilbao. Typical dishes include Marmitako, which is a fish stew made with potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and onions, grilled and roasted meats and fish, Pinchos, which are a type of tapas skewered with a toothpick, and Pisto, a healthy dish made of tomatoes, courgettes, aubergine and peppers. Amongst the most popular sweet dishes you will find the Gâteau Basque, a delicious dessert made with thin layers of cake or pastry dough and a filling of vanilla or almond cream.

Public transport in Bilbao is extensive and far-reaching, enabling commuters to get pretty much anywhere in the region with relative ease. The city is served by 43 Bilbobus routes which have won prizes for both efficiency and quality of service. Amongst these 43 routes, 28 run with normal buses, 7 are served by so-called “micro-buses”, which are used for parts of the city that normal sized buses are unable to access, and 8 night lines. The wider region is served by the BizkaiBus network, which comprises more than 100 lines connecting the city with nearly every town and village in Biscay. Bilbao’s Metro System commenced activity in 1995, and is used by more than 85 million passengers per year. Bilbao Airport is the largest in the Basque Country, and serves more than 4 million passengers per year.