Weekend in Bilbo

Eat, drink, stroll... then eat and drink some more.

Quick Tips:

Take the metro to the coast. Go for longer than we did. Watch a game of Pelota. Learn some Basque.

Best Way To Get Around:

Easy to walk. There's also a good metro if your feet get sore!

Incredibly good value. We booked it through their website (click here) and got a very good rate. I think the weekends are cheaper as it is a business hotel.

The rooms were great and the breakfast incredible. What we payed per person per night including breakfast would only just cover the breakfast in a Hilton in the UK!

The location is great; not in the old town or the new, but both are easily accessible, as is the Guggenheim.

This hotel does not have much character, but for the price we paid for the facilities and the breakfast, I would not stay anywhere else if I were to go again.

Great restaurant - complete revelation.

The restaurant is above a bar of the same name. We arrived at just before 8.30 pm when the restaurant opens (it is Spain) and decided to have a drink in the bar to let the restaurant open up. We sat in the bar for half an hour or so, my wife and friend having some undrinkable wine, and did not see a soul go upstairs. As the bar was populated entirely by old Basque men, we began having second thoughts about eating there.

When we eventually went upstairs, it was a revelation. For a start, it was busy with locals as other people had used the other stairs, and it also looked quite nice, unlike the "spit and sawdust" downstairs.

To start, the four of us had a plate of cured ham, smoked fish and two specials, which included crabs and prawns.

For main it was two steaks, a clam stew and peppers stuffed with crabmeat.

Desert was the most amazing cheese and flan (creme caramel).

To drink it was a good cheap Rose (E5.50).

Great restaurant which I would definitely re-visit.

Incredible building, some incredible art, and some incredibly patronising, pretentious commentry courtesy of the audio tour. A must if you go to Bilbo, even if you just wander around the outside and look at the two or three exhibits on display.

Inside there are three floors of modern art in some very unique rooms. The first level contains the permanent collection, and includes some Andy Warhol. The other two levels are dedicated to touring collections. As for the audio, it is worth persevering with, especially as the touring exhibits have a slightly less annoying commentary.