What to see in Bilbao and surroundings?

maybe you wonder what to see in Bilbao and surroundings because you are organizing a trip to the Basque city. In this case, the first thing we should point out to you is that it has undergone an enormous transformation in recent decades with the creation of the Guggenheim Museum and the construction of numerous infrastructures.

But this does not mean that Bilbao has lost its traditional charm. Very close to its most modern part you can still find the old town, full of charm and monuments. If to all this you add privileged surroundings, with wonderful fishing villages such as Bermeo o Lekeitio and natural jewels like the Gorbea Natural Park you have everything you need to enjoy an unforgettable stay in the Basque city. But, for you to organize your visits, we are going to explain in detail what to see in Bilbao and its surroundings.

What to see in Bilbao?

We will start our tour of the city in the old town and then show you other equally interesting places that you should not miss. Not in vain, we are talking about a metropolitan area of ​​more than five hundred square kilometers and almost a million inhabitants.

Old Town of Bilbao

Also know as the seven streets, is the authentic heart of the town, with its traditional shops and its numerous bars and restaurants that offer you magnificent Basque cuisine. But, above all, with its spectacular monuments.

We suggest you start your visits at the Santiago's cathedral, a Gothic building from the beginning of the XNUMXth century, although the main altarpiece is Renaissance. Also, very close you have the church of san antón, from the same period and style and so popular that it even appears on the coat of arms of Bilbao. You should also not miss other beautiful temples in the city, although some are no longer in the old town. For example, the churches of San Francisco de Asís, San Nicolás, the Sacred Heart and San José de la Montaña.

However, perhaps the most famous religious building in Bilbao is the Basilica of Our Lady of Begoña, which houses the image of the patron saint of Vizcaya. Its construction dates back to the XNUMXth century, although it lasted more than a hundred years. In fact, the initial Gothic style was replaced, at the time of building its cover, by the Mannerist style. Likewise, it was restored at the end of the XNUMXth century and its current main altarpiece belongs to this period, a neo-baroque work by Modesto Echaniz.

On the other hand, you should also visit in the old town the Basque Museum, of an ethnographic nature, and the of archeology. But, if we are talking about museum infrastructures, there are others in Bilbao. It is the case of Museum of Fine Arts, with an outstanding pictorial heritage, from the itsasmuseum, dedicated to the maritime world and that has the unique Carola crane, and, of course, the one that we are going to show you next.

Guggenheim Museum

It is one of the main tourist attractions of the city. In fact, despite the fact that it was inaugurated in 1997, with its peculiar boat shape and its silver tone, it has already become one of its Symbols. And it is that, designed by the Canadian architect Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim is a modern monument due to its external appearance.

As for the contents of the museum, it houses mainly contemporary art. It has a permanent collection of works, but also temporary exhibitions. Part of the first form the seven colossal sculptures grouped under the title of The stuff of time. But, if we are talking about great sculptures, it is necessary to mention the ones that you can see outside the building. Among these, perhaps the most famous is that of the dog Puppy, the work of Jeff Koons.

The Town Hall and other civil constructions in Bilbao

Regarding what to see in Bilbao and surroundings, before moving to the latter, we have to recommend you visit other great buildings in the Basque city. This is the case of the one that houses the Town hall, a beautiful building in an eclectic style, but inspired by that of the French Third Republic.

But perhaps even more spectacular is the Chavarri Palace, located in the heart of Bilbao's Ensanche. It was built at the end of the XNUMXth century in an equally eclectic style, but highly influenced by neo-Flemish. In fact, the project was carried out by the Belgian architect Paul Hanker.

Likewise, on the Gran Vía you will find the Palace of the Provincial Council of Vizcaya, also built at the end of the XNUMXth century and inscribed in the so-called Alfonsine eclecticism. In this case, its creator was Luis Aladren de Mendivil and inside it houses two murals by the Basque painter Jose Echenagusia Errazquin.

More humble, but equally very beautiful is the Olavarri Palace. And, as for the stately homes, do not fail to appreciate those of Ramon de la Sota, also located in the Ensanche and built at the beginning of the XNUMXth century, which are a magnificent example of neo-regionalist architecture. But you should also see Arróspide, Montero, Lezama-Leguizamón and Misericordia houses. Although it will be more curious the tiger building, which has the sculpture of a huge feline on top.

On the other hand, Bilbao has two spectacular theaters. the one of the Elysian Fields is an art nouveau jewel designed by Alfredo Acebal, although the decoration of its facade is due to the French Jean-Baptiste Darroquy. To the same period (end of the XNUMXth century) belongs the Arriaga Theater, a neo-baroque construction due to Joaquin de Rucoba. And, although it is no longer a theater but a casino, we also recommend that you see the building Albian Coliseum, Bilbao's former opera house.

Bilbao's bridges

Likewise, before leaving Bilbao, we have to talk to you about its bridges. It has several to cross the Nervión estuary, some of them surprising for their avant-garde. But others are older and truly spectacular. Among the latter, those of the City Council, Deusto or Arenal.

But the one you must inevitably visit is the Biscay Bridge, also known as the Portugalete suspension bridge. It was inaugurated in 1893 and, since 2006, it is a World Heritage Site. It is a transporter bridge. From it hang several boats that cross the estuary in this way and that even have capacity for vehicles.

It is located almost where the Nervión mixes with the Cantabrian Sea and unites Portugalete, with its medieval streets, and Getxo, with its beautiful mansions. But this leads us to talk about what to see around Bilbao.

What to see around Bilbao?

Along with the two towns that we have just mentioned, you have many other beautiful towns in the surroundings of Bilbao, almost all of them dedicated to fishing since ancient times. This is the case of the aforementioned Bermeo, to which San Juan de Gaztelugache belongs, which we are going to talk about next; from Mundaka, with its beautiful hermitage of Santa Catalina, or of Guernica, where the General Assemblies of Vizcaya met at the foot of its famous oak. But, in addition, all these towns belong to the natural jewel that we are going to tell you about.

Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve

This wonder of nature is one of the things you have to see in Bilbao and its surroundings. Its central axis is oka river, which is born in the Mount Oíz and it becomes an estuary when it reaches, precisely, Mundaka, where it forms spectacular marshes.

In addition, it is a special area for bird watching and offers you magnificent beaches such as those of game, next to the imposing rock of Ogoño, or that of laida, perfect for you to practice surfing. But it also offers you monuments. For example, the spectacular Arteaga Castle, a XNUMXth-century neo-medieval construction built on behalf of the empress Eugenia de Montijo.

However, if we are talking about this type of construction, perhaps the butron castle, a neo-Gothic fortress built in the XNUMXth century, although its origins are medieval, and which is located near the beautiful town of Plenty. Also, returning to Urdaibai, we also advise you to see the Ozollo tide mill, dating back to the XVII.

On the other hand, in Bermeo you have the imposing Ercilla Tower, from the end of the XV, the gothic church of Santa Eufemia and convent and cloister of San Francisco; In the charter the church of San Martín de Tours; on Rigoitia that of Santa María de Idibaltzaga and in busturia the Torre Madariaga, built at the beginning of the XNUMXth century. All this without forgetting the Oma Animated Forest, whose trees are colored by Agustin de Ibarrola and Santimamine caves, with its cave paintings.

Saint John of Gaztelugache

As we told you before, we are going to talk to you about what to see in Bilbao and surroundings of this other wonder of the Basque landscape that is between Bermeo and Laika. Wrapped in a mythological atmosphere of pirates and covens, San Juan de Gaztelugache is a rock which is linked to the coast by a stone bridge and 241 steps.

On it you have a beautiful hermitage in which you can place your foot in the footprint left there, according to legend, San Juan Bautista. But it is not the only legendary story of the place. It is said that for good luck you must ring the temple bells three times.

In conclusion, we have shown you some of the things What to see in Bilbao and surroundings. But, inevitably, we have left some places in the pipeline. For example, the small town of lekeithium, one of the most beautiful on the Basque coast. Or the Gorbea Natural Park, where is the impressive Beech forest of Otzarreta. With all this, don't you think Vizcaya deserves your visit?