Bilbao
Bilbao, a Basque city on the Nervión River, is known for the Guggenheim and its pintxos bars. It suits a food-led city break with day trips to the coast.
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country, in northern Spain. It sits on the Nervión River, a short way inland from the Bay of Biscay. For more than a century the city grew around shipbuilding, steel and port work, and the riverfront still shows that history, now lined with museums and footbridges. The Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry and opened in 1997, is the main reason many visitors come first.
Most people eat in Casco Viejo, the old town, which is within walking distance of the Guggenheim and the river. Its narrow streets hold pintxos bars, where small plates are served on bread and eaten at the counter. Green hills and the Basque coast are within reach by train or car, so a two- or three-day stay can include a day trip. Late spring and early autumn suit walking the city and the coast best. Bilbao gets rain in every season, so pack a light rain layer.
Bilbao in five
- Book the Guggenheim ahead in peak monthsThe museum is Bilbao's main draw, and queues build in summer and on weekends. The museum's site listed Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 7 pm, at the last check, with extra summer opening days set each season, so confirm your date.Bilbao in 2 days
- Take the airport bus, then the MetroBizkaibus A3247 runs from Bilbao airport to the center in about 30 minutes. A rechargeable Barik card then covers the Metro, tram and buses, including the line out to the Getxo beaches.
- Eat pintxos at the bar, then sit for dinnerOld-town bars lay pintxos on the counter and charge by the piece, so you can try three or four places in an evening. Sit-down kitchens open later than in northern Europe, often after 8:30pm.Where to stay in Bilbao
- Check the Gaztelugatxe calendar before you drive outEntry to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is free, but on controlled-access days you need an online reservation for a time slot. The walk is 1.2 to 1.6 km of steep trail plus 241 steps, so pick a clear day.Day trips from Bilbao
- Connecting through Madrid? Register thereIf you reach Bilbao on a connection through Madrid or Paris, your EES border registration happens at that first Schengen airport. The onward flight is then an ordinary internal arrival.EES, explained
Things to do in Bilbao
See all attractions in Bilbao
Need to know
- Airport
- Bilbao (BIO), about 30 min by Bizkaibus A3247
- Getting there
- Madrid by bus about 4.5–5.5 hours; San Sebastián by bus about 1 hr 15–1 hr 30
- Getting around
- Walk, Metro, tram; funicular up to Artxanda
- Best base
- Casco Viejo or Abando
- Time needed
- 2 days; 3 with San Sebastián or the coast
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain15 rainy daysHigh12°Low7°Wet, mildJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 144 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, mild
- FebruaryRain13 rainy daysHigh14°Low7°Wet, quietFebruaryRain
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 112 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, quiet
- MarchRain17 rainy daysHigh15°Low8°ChangeableMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 106 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Changeable
- AprilRain14 rainy daysHigh17°Low9°Spring showersAprilRain
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 89 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring showers
- MayRain14 rainy daysHigh19°Low12°Green, mildMayRain
Good
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 84 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Green, mild
- JuneRain13 rainy daysHigh22°Low15°Long daysJuneRain
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 82 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JulyPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh24°Low17°Driest, warmJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Driest, warm
- AugustClear10 rainy daysHigh25°Low18°Aste NagusiaAugustClear
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 53 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Aste Nagusia
- SeptemberRain12 rainy daysHigh23°Low16°Warm, calmerSeptemberRain
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 86 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, calmer
- OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh21°Low14°Showers returnOctoberRain
Good
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 104 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Showers return
- NovemberRain17 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Rain, coolNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 166 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain, cool
- DecemberRain15 rainy daysHigh14°Low8°Cool, lightsDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 132 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, lights
Average daily high and low in Bilbao, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Aug Great Week of Bilbao
Right now in Bilbao
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
10
- Feels like
- 9°
- Humidity
- 79%
- Wind
- 7 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 5%
Basque Country
09:46 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today16°8°5%Monday: Cloudy. High 16°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Tue14°7°40%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 14°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 40%.
- Wed14°5°18%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 14°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 18%.
- Thu16°4°3%Thursday: Clear. High 16°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Fri17°3°18%Friday: Fog. High 17°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 18%.
- Sat16°5°17%Saturday: Fog. High 16°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 17%.
- Sun23°14°39%Sunday: Cloudy. High 23°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 39%.
Updated 07:02 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- JanTamborradaSan Sebastián, a day trip
- JulVitoria-Gasteiz jazz festivalBasque Country, a day trip
- Jul–AugFestival Internacional de SantanderSantander, a day trip
- JulSan Sebastian Jazz FestivalSan Sebastián, a day trip
- AugQuincena Musical de San SebastiánSan Sebastián, a day trip
- AugGreat Week of BilbaoBilbao
Day trips by train
Day trips from Bilbao, the full guide- San Sebastiánabout 1 hr 15–1 hr 30 by busBeach city and pintxos capital; sleeping there is a better fit than a rushed day.Read the guide
- Getxo and Portugaleteabout 25–35 min by MetroBeaches, a seaside promenade and the hanging Vizcaya Bridge.
- San Juan de Gaztelugatxeabout 45 min by carA hermitage on a causeway islet. Free ticket, reserved on controlled days.Read the guide
- Guernica and Vitoria-Gasteizabout 1 hr by train or busA peace museum in Guernica, or a medieval old town and cathedral tour inland.Read the guide
Before you go to Bilbao
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Bilbao, checked
- Gaztelugatxe is free but needs an advance online reservation on controlled-access days; the calendar is published each year.Checked Oct 1, 2026 · Source
Bilbao FAQ
How many days do you need in Bilbao?
Two days cover the Guggenheim, the old town and a long pintxos evening. One day is enough for the museum and a meal. Add a third day for the coast or San Sebastián.
Is Bilbao worth visiting?
Yes, for the Guggenheim, a compact old town and some of Spain's best bar food, all at a gentler pace than Barcelona or Madrid. It is a poor pick if you want a classic beach holiday.
Is Bilbao or San Sebastián better?
Bilbao for art, architecture and lower prices; San Sebastián for city beaches and the most polished pintxos streets. They are about 1 hr 15 to 1 hr 30 apart by bus, so many trips use both. Our comparison weighs days and budget.
Does it rain a lot in Bilbao?
It can in any month, with the wettest stretch from autumn to early spring. July and August are the driest and warmest. Pack a light waterproof and shoes that handle wet cobbles.
Do you need a car in Bilbao?
Not in the city, where the Metro, tram and buses cover most places. A car helps for Gaztelugatxe and small coast villages, though a tour or the Biscay bus network also works; Guernica and Vitoria-Gasteiz are easy without one.
Do you need to book Gaztelugatxe?
Only on controlled-access days, when a free time-slot ticket is required. The calendar changes yearly and is posted by the Biscay government. On other days you can walk in, but the 241 steps are steep, so go on a clear day.