Things to Do in Bilbao
Bilbao is a small, yet diverse city — cozy and full of life. It’s much more than just the Guggenheim Museum and the famous pintxos.
There’s never a dull moment here, as the city avoids monotony in its architecture, culture and politics. This tour is perfect if you want to learn not just about the city’s history and its transformation during the Industrial Revolution, but also about its modern-day life.
Expect useful tips on where to find the best, most affordable, and tastiest spots in town, along with a few essential phrases in Spanish and Basque to help you communicate.
All we ask of you is good energy and an open mind, ready to discover this amazing city.
“Ongi etorri!” means Welcome! Join our free tour and immerse yourself with us in the culture and traditions of the city, visiting the most iconic monuments of the old town of BILBAO, because here we are villains!
We will begin the free tour of Bilbao in front of one of the most notable buildings in the town: the Arriaga Theater , did you know that it is dedicated to said Bilbao composer, called the 'Spanish Mozart'?
We will walk through the Arenal Gardens , the gateway to the Old Town of Bilbao, a lively urban park full of surprises such as the Music Kiosk , a meeting place for Bilbao residents. From this point, we will look out over the Nervión estuary, the backbone of the city.
Shall we continue? The church of San Nicolás, the Yohn Palace and the Plaza Nueva await us, a famous location for its pintxos bars. The history is important but even more so are the anecdotes and curiosities that gave life to its streets and countrymen, some as illustrious as Miguel de Unamuno or Amadeo de Saboya. Do you know that he starred in one of the most unforgettable “bilbainadas”?
We know that gastronomy interests you, that's why we have prepared something for you and during your visit we will recommend traditional and modern places where you can have the best pintxos and other typical dishes.
We will walk through Bilbao of the “ seven streets ” that houses centuries-old businesses, vestiges of the port's past, fragments of the old wall and emblems such as the Cathedral of Santiago , an obligatory stop on the northern route of the Camino. Although in Bilbao we have two cathedrals... Do you know which one is the other?
An obligatory stop on our tourist tour is the Ribera Market , a fantastic space where you can continue discovering Bilbao's gastronomy.
We will let ourselves be carried away by the channel of the estuary, so linked to the history of the town and which will give us the opportunity to end the visit talking about curiosities and many recommendations to continue enjoying the essentials of Bilbao.
Come discover this and much more.
We will wait for you!
The Essential Tour of Bilbao!
You have a perfect opportunity to enjoy the most complete tour of the historic center of Bilbao.
We have the best team of professional local guides at your service.
Discover the heritage, culture and history of Bilbao with rigor and entertainment, without rushing, seasoned with anecdotes and curiosities.
Enjoy!
Brief description and itinerary:
From its medieval old town (Las Siete Calles) to the alternative Bilbao La Vieja we will explore the origins of this merchant town from the beginning of the 14th century, strolling through its first streets, buildings, squares and markets. You will discover the importance of the estuary, the activity mining and industrial, the historical events. The history of Great characters awaits us in an essential visit to get to know the town of Bilbao.
Meeting point: Plaza Arriaga
- Arriaga Theatre
- El Arenal Church of San Nicolás and origin of the BBV
- New and Old Square
- The Basque language and Euskaltzaindia
- The Cathedral of Santiago
- UNESCO Way of St. James
- Great Bilbao players: Unamuno, Aresti, Pichichi...
- The Seven Streets, Traditions and Gastronomy
- San Antón Bridge and Church
- Old Bilbao
- Marzana Pier
- Local shops and art
- La Ribera Market
And much more....
End point: Plaza Arriaga or nearby.
What does this tour include?
- Professional guides: Tours with expert local guides. Experienced historians, architects and guides from the most important museums will show you the city with passion.
- Local tips: Our knowledge is at your disposal. We are here to help you enrich your trip with good recommendations.
Don't hesitate to ask us!
The Essential Tour to discover Bilbao's great transformation!
Discover with us the heritage, culture and history of Bilbao in a rigorous and entertaining way, without rushing, seasoned with anecdotes and curiosities.
Enjoy!
Note: Both the historical tour and the modern tour offered by Basque Free Tours Bilbao complement each other; you can enjoy them in any order you prefer.
Brief description and itinerary:
From the expansion to the new architecture in Abandoibarra, we will learn about the transformation that has revolutionized Bilbao.
A world-renowned and award-winning urban landscape, driven by architectural highlights and monumental works. A grand tour of Bilbao's most iconic and important buildings, accompanied by historical moments and anecdotes.
Meeting point: Arriaga Square
- City hall
- Volantín Field
- Basque sculptors: Oteiza, Chillida...
- Torres Isozaki and Zubizuri
- Ibaigane Palace
- Athletic Club
- The Gran Vía and the large families
- Moyua Square and "Fosteritos"
- Guggenheim Museums Bilbao
- Iberdrola Tower
- Universities
- Doña Casilda Park
- Museum of Fine Arts
And much more....
What this tour includes:
- Professional guides: Tours with expert local guides. Experienced historians, architects, and guides from the most important museums will show you the city with passion.
- Local tips: Our knowledge at your disposal. We are here to help you enrich your trip with helpful recommendations.
Don't hesitate to ask us!
Important information:
The modern tour lasts approximately 2 hours. It generally ends near Plaza Moyua. Please check with the guide before departure, as the exact location may vary depending on the weather and the guide's preferences.
Tours always run, rain or shine. We're in Bilbao 😊
-We recommend suitable footwear for walking, an umbrella if rain is forecast, and a reusable bottle to enjoy the water from our many fountains along the route.
-BFT reserves the right to cancel the tour if the minimum of 4 participants is not reached.
We are confident that we offer the best tour to enjoy Bilbao!
By booking tickets to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, you'll discover the works and architecture of one of the world's most famous contemporary art museums.
The tourism in Bilbao is not something so recent: back in the 18th century, there was already a president of the USA who came to visit.
Between that man and the French architect who redesigned the avant-garde building where you look up at the ceiling and see people swimming, many people have passed through here.
And between those two places, there is a balloon. It's The Balloon, with a capital letter.
Things that only happen in Bilbao.
I guide you so you can connect the dots. The geographical dots and the dots in history.
And I explain it to you in Spanish, Basque, English, or French.
I was born and have always lived in Bilbao. I am that lucky. My city captivated me from a young age, in those 80s when Bilbao was dirty and gray. But I walked hand in hand with my mother, looking up, observing the beautiful buildings of the Ensanche, searching for Begoña from the Arenal bridge, feeling small under the office building of the Banco de Bilbao...
Then Bilbao once again lived up to that local saying (oh, Bilbao, how you've changed) and transformed again. It put itself back on the map, we started receiving tourists again... and that's how I have the honor of offering what I know about the history and geography of my city.
You just book my tour. I'll take care of everything else...
Do you prefer amazing natural places and small, welcoming historic towns to the chaos of big cities? Do you want to reach those places that only a few locals know about? Get on board our car and discover the wonderful coast of Bizkaia!
There is much more to the Guggenheim in Bilbao than just the Guggenheim. In fact, for nature lovers and explorers, the best part of the region is located outside the city of Bilbao, mainly on the coast. There, the hills end just before the sea, creating incredible landscapes with amazing cliffs, exciting beaches, wonderful villages and fascinating places. All of those places are out there waiting for someone like you to visit them.
The best part? Not even locals usually visit them. Many of them don't even know that some of these places exist, so they are usually quiet, relaxing, and lonely places. You will probably be the only tourist there. Trust us, if you like panoramic views and green rocky shores, this will be one of the best free tours of your life!
We will visit the following places:
- The huge cliffs and astonishing rock formations.
- An amazing view of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Yes, where Game of Thrones was filmed!
- The small chapel and the cozy seaside village of Mundaka, along with its fantastic landscape of the Urdaibai Bay.
- The iconic fishing village of Bermeo.
- The historic town and ancient institutions of Gernika, together with a mosaic of the Picasso that took the name of the town!
**Also, as you travel from one place to another you will have the opportunity to take in the incredible views of the Cantabrian Sea and the Urdaibai Bay Biosphere Reserve. There are some picturesque places along the way where we can stop, enjoy the scenery and take beautiful memorable photographs.
The meeting point and end of the tour will be at the entrance to the Faculty of Economics of the University of the Basque Country in the Sarriko district (Sarriko Faculty of Economics and Business).
Come and enjoy the fascinating Basque Coast!
Please note:
- The tour is available with my car at no additional cost.
- If you prefer, you can take the tour in your own vehicle.
In 2018 Bilbao was declared “Best European City” – do you want to know why?
We will meet in front of the modernist façade of the Estación de la Concordia , to begin this free tour of the essentials of Bilbao. Are you ready to discover the most emblematic corners of the Biscayan capital? Let's go!
We will cross Abando Station , with a mandatory stop at its spectacular and colorful window, to head towards the commercial and financial center of the city: El Ensanche. This area is also known as the “Golden Mile”, as it is where the most exclusive shops, luxury homes, financial headquarters and business offices are located.
Don Diego López de Haro, founder of the town, will appear on our tour to explain how its industrial past, linked to iron, blossomed into a unique model of an avant-garde city, without losing sight of the Basque charisma.
As we stroll along the Gran Via that bears his name, we will discover wonderful buildings such as the Provincial Council , the Campos Elíseos Theatre or the Alhóndiga (Azkuna Centre), the epicentre of Bilbao's cultural life. Almost without realising it, we find ourselves in the heart of the Ensanche, the Plaza Moyúa , where we will appreciate the exterior architecture of the Chávarri Palace and the Carlton Hotel .
But this is not the end of it, there are still a few more essentials for you to discover. A good example is the Museum of Fine Arts , which, located next to a large garden, houses one of the most important and complete art collections in the country.
We will follow the art trail that traces its itinerary until we find the famous Guggenheim Museum , one of the most famous works of the famous Canadian architect Frank Gehry. Here you will meet Puppy , the guard dog that tirelessly guards the doors of the museum.
After two and a half hours - which fly by - we will approach the Puente de la Salve to enjoy a fascinating panoramic view of this contemporary city.
Get to know the most amazing legends of Bilbao by touring the capital of Biscay with this free tour. A route full of mystery and intrigue.
We will begin this free tour of mysteries and legends of Bilbao in front of the Arriaga Theater , the scene of a cruel murder still unsolved... Very close to this place we will contemplate the façade of the Cathedral of Santiago , whose exterior architecture will provide us with interesting clues about Basque mythology.
The next stop on this special tour of the capital of Biscay will take place at the Portal de Zamudio . Did you know that this crossroads is linked to none other than the witches of Bilbao? Just opposite is the Parroquia de los Santos Juanes , which guards the so-called “Miraculous Virgin”. If it weren't for her, the people of Bilbao would have suffered epidemics and other unpleasant torments...
We will continue the free tour of Bilbao next to the church of San Antón and the Mercado de la Ribera . If you still do not know the famous “Miracle of Atxuri”, this is a good place to reveal its curious history. Very close to this point is the Plaza de la Encarnación , where we will shudder remembering a turbulent event related to the most perverse and depraved side of the human being.
To get rid of the bad vibes of this last story, we will conclude the free tour at the Puente de la Merced . According to legend... Its sculptures bring good luck!
