autoeurope

Bilbao is a city in Northern Spain, just south of the Bay of Biscay. It is the largest city in Basque country, and a living example of an urban miracle. In the 1990s, the city’s steel and shipbuilding industries collapsed, which left Bilbao in a bit of a bind. The city began a rapid investment in its culture and has transformed into a thriving economy. They were even awarded 2018’s European City of the Year by the Academy of Urbanism. Bilbao boasts one of the most impressive collections of art museums, as well as some of the most mind-blowing food you’ll find anywhere in Europe, let alone Spain, or even the world.

Visit the Guggenheim

Built in 1997, Bilbao’s Guggenheim is an incredibly impressive building that offers a constant array of wonderful art to discover. With 19 galleries, and many temporary exhibitions of contemporary art, the museum is always reinventing itself and offering something new to see. Since opening, the museum has had almost 200 exhibitions, 100 temporary exhibitions, and almost 100 presentations from its permanent collection. Many artists are on display, such as David Hockney and Richard Serra, but the museum also gives a space for Basque artists to make their mark as well.

With over 20 million visitors in its time as well, it’s clear Bilbao has found its niche. The Guggenheim building itself was designed by Frank Gehry and is a stunning mass of flowing titanium lines. It’s almost an exhibition in and of itself. In addition to the Guggenheim, you can check out Bilbao’s Fine Arts Museum and the Azkuna Zentroa. The Fine Arts Museum is far more traditional, though no less impressive as it is one of Spain’s most impressive galleries. You’ll find works by such heavy-hitters as El Greco, Francisco Goya, van Dyck, and Gauguin.

Wine in Bilbao, Spain

The Azkuna Zentroa is a repurposed wine warehouse that has been converted into a cultural center. It hosts art exhibitions, concerts, and movies, as well as conferences and sporting events. While there, look up and you’ll notice the upper floor is a swimming pool with frosted glass panels along the base.

Bilbao's Art Scene

For some of the city’s stranger art, check out the Painted Forest of Oma, just a short drive east, it is an open-air gallery by Agustin Ibarrola. It’s a forest, but the trees have been turned into art, with abstract figures and shapes painted directly onto their trunks.

Bilbao is one of the world’s preeminent food capitals because it boasts over 40 Michelin starred restaurants in the city and surrounding area. The food is amazing and so are the Pinxtos, the Basque version of tapas, or small eats. If your interest is in fine dining, look no further than Mina Restaurante, boasting its own Michelin star, the restaurant serves only 38 guests at a time and offers one of the most intimate food experiences you can find. The kitchen is open and you can see the chefs prepare the food.

Experience Pinxtos in Bilbao

The pinxtos can be found at any number of cafes, but the most delightful way to experience them is in the Casca Viejo, or the city’s old town. It’s a cozy district of pedestrianized streets with a multitude of boutiques, bars, and restaurants. Stop in to any of them to try such delights as softshell crab, grilled chorizo and mushrooms, or lamb skewers.