Bilbao

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Bilbao, seen from an insider

A travel journal to Bilbao by Covadonga

The emptiness of the sphereMore Photos

Until 5 years ago, we weren´t used to see tourists wandering across our streets, map in hand and looking happy. The usual foreigner came to work, and the industrial pollution didn´t do much to help us increase the interest on our city. But the industrial crisis came, our steel factories and shipyards went away, and a kind of craziness invaded us. We had to have our metro (built by Sir Norman Foster), a new airport (Calatrava) and a huge flowery dog sitting beside the stunning new Guggenheim Museum. Our soccer team won´t win the Champions League, but our city was finally in the newspapers, and we had to look at our town through the eyes of a tourist ...

  • 7 reviews
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Bilbao, seen from an insiderBest of IgoUgo

Overview

The emptiness of the sphere
Of course, nowadays every new visitor has to get at least a glimpse and a picture of the Guggenheim Museum. So go there first, get your picture, and then walk along the riverside to the Old Town. Once there, visit the cathedral, have some pintxos in the Plaza Nueva, or enjoy the view of fresh seafood in the Central Market.

Quick Tips:

I would ride the funicular to Artxanda, and from there enjoy the views over an sprawling Bilbao, sitting in its green valley. Another option will be to get the metro to Las Arenas - Areeta, and then enjoy a walk along the harbour and the beach. If the weather is fine, it can get crowded with runners and kids.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to move around is walking, and afterwards the metro. Still looking new after 7 years, and most important, running every 30 minutes during the whole Saturday night. The number of night taxis has decreased since last year, and the waiting queues can be really huge.

Barcelo Hotel AvenidaBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Hotel Barcelo Avenida"

The Hotel Barcelo Avenida has been recently renovated. It is not located in the centre of town, but it is very near to a metro station (Santutxu) and it usually have good Internet rates. It has a good breakfast buffet, and in the neighbourhood you can find a couple of supermarkets and good bakeries. You can book it online at : http://www.barcelo.com/hotels/europa/avenida/avefra_e.htm
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Covadonga on August 8, 2002

Barcelo Hotel Avenida
AVDA ZUMALACARREGUI 40 Bilbao, Spain 48006
34 94 412 43 00

Cerveceria Henao 40Best of IgoUgo

Restaurant

A funny place. The menu includes roast chicken, salads, potato omelettes, iberic ham ... It is not haute cuisine, but it is well prepared, fast served and tasty. It is located near the Guggenheim Museum. They start serving at 1:30 (during lunch time) and at 21:00 at dinner time. It is also very popular with groups of friends, specially on friday and saturday nights, so in these cases a reservation it is recommended.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Covadonga on August 8, 2002

Cerveceria Henao 40
Henao Bilbao, Spain

La Taberna de los MundosBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

It´s a mix of restaurant-cafe-bar, plus photography exhibitions and travel conferences every week.

Some of its pintxos (tapas) have won Spanish championships, and if you just want to have a beer or coffee and something quick to eat, it´s a good place to go. The daily menu costs around 8 Euros, including appetizer, main course, dessert and water or wine, and it is a bit more expensive on weekends.

It is recommended to book if you plan to go there on friday or saturday nights, because it´s a popular place for groups of friends. The cooking is homely with a modern touch, with an emphasis on fish and salads.

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Covadonga on October 28, 2002

La Taberna de los Mundos
Luchana 1 Bilbao, Spain

Guggenheim MuseumBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Guggenheim Bilbao"

Since it opened its doors five years ago, the Guggenheim Bilbao has become a symbol of the changes happening in my town.

Actually, I´m more fond of the Metro designed by Foster, mostly because I get to use it everyday, and it hasn´t stopped to amaze me.

But the Guggenheim has an impressive architectural presence. Its titanium cover changes colors depending on the time of the day and the weather. I prefer it when the sky is gray and it has just stopped to rain. The water drops run slowly, and the light changes slowly.

  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Covadonga on October 14, 2002

Guggenheim Museum
Abandoibarra Et. 2 Bilbao, Spain

Teatro ArriagaBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Almost a clone of the Opera Garnier in Paris, you can find anything from avantgarde theatre to operas, ballet, folk music ... Check the local newspapers, and get there in order to enjoy the plush red velvet and golden decoration.

And, there is a good bar for the "entreactes" ...

  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Covadonga on August 8, 2002

Teatro Arriaga
Plaza del Arriaga Bilbao, Spain

Semana GrandeBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

On the third week of August, we celebrate our local festival, the Semana Grande or Aste Nagusia. You will find something for everyone, from bullfights to rock concerts, from classical music to children´s amusements. It is not so well-known as Sanfermines, but it is good fun, as long as you take care of yourself. A useful website to know what´s going on during the week is : http://www.astenagusia.info There are different zones across the city where you can spend your nights and days. In the Arenal you will find most of the "txoznas", geared towards younger and more militant people. I prefer Albia and Ledesma. The public is more grown-up (mid-twenties upwards), and you can take it easier. The most popular drinks are bier and kalimotxo (mix of coke and red wine), and there are places where you can grab a pintxo, specially in the Ledesma street. The past Aste Nagusia hasn´t been as good as other years. The weather has been bad, mostly gray and rainy.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Covadonga on August 8, 2002

Semana Grande
The city Bilbao, Spain

About the Writer

Covadonga
Covadonga
Bilbao, Spain

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