48 hours in Bilbao: What to do in Spain’s Basque Country

Now here’s a trip you won’t forget anytime soon.

Recently, JOE was invited over to Bilbao in Northern Spain with Opel Ireland to check out the new Opel Corsa OPC (you can read all about the car over here). While we were over there, we managed to spend some time in the city, so we’re giving you guys a look at what Bilbao has to offer.

Getting there

Aer Lingus flies directly from Dublin to Bilbao on select days each week, mainly Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and the weekends. Depending on when you book, return flights will cost between €150-€200 per person. Alternatively, you could always book cheaper flights to mainland Europe and head to Bilbao from there, but while it might be a bit cheaper, it will mean an extra few hours of travelling through airports – we’d rather just get there ASAP.

Where to stay

López de Haro Opel set us up nicely in Bilbao by booking a room in the boutique 5* López de Haro located in the heart of Bilbao’s city centre. A mid-week night in the López de Haro costs just under €100 per night and you’re only a short walk from the Guggenheim Museum, as well as some great pubs, cafés and tapas restaurants located on Bilbao city's main street.

Pic via hotellopezdeharo.com

Canadian architect Frank Gehry is said to have designed the Guggenheim Museum while staying in one of the rooms in López de Haro, so there’s a lot of interesting history to check out before you’ve even left the hotel. Hotel Ibis Bilbao Centro If you’re not planning on spending more than a few hours in the hotel or if you’re only looking for somewhere comfortable and centrally located to rest your head, then the Hotel Ibis Bilbao Centro might be right up your alley. With prices starting at just €60 per night, this hotel is located just 10 minutes away from the Guggenheim Museum and two minutes from the local metro station.

Pic via ibis.com

Other accommodation options available in Bilbao include some great AirBnB options ranging from €20 to €121 (check them out here).

What to eat

Seafood lovers are sure to find more than their fair share of tasty cuisine in Bilbao and one place you should definitely check out is Etxanobe. Boasting a Michelin Star, Etxanobe’s menu is a mix of traditional cuisine and creative cuisine, that features deep flavours and surprising creations thanks to the work of the R & D team led by Paul Ibarra.

Pic via Etxanobe - Facebook

Our evening meal in Etxanobe started off with a ‘sardine lipstick’ – a red sardine puree shaped like a lipstick. That should give you an idea of the dishes on offer. More info can be found, here.

What to do

Guggenheim Museum Fans of art, architecture and all things awe inspiring will love the Guggenheim Museum. You don’t even have to enter the museum to be utterly amazed by what stands before you. Located on the bank of the Estuary of Bilbao, the building was completed in 1997 and outside it features a numerous sculptures, the most impressive of which is the 30ft bronze spider by artist Louise Bourgeois, called Maman. This particular journalist suffers from a debilitating case of arachnophobia and even I thought Maman was one of the most impressive sculptures I had ever seen in the flesh. More info can be found here. San Mamés Stadium Football fans can walk to Athletic Bilbao’s San Mamés Stadium from the city centre and while museum tours are available, the Stadium has been undergoing renovations as of late, so you’ll have to check availability for when you’re planning on heading over. Find out more over here. Rent a car Renting a car is a must do for any motoring fans heading to Bilbao... The Basque Country features some of Spain’s best roads and the views of the bay from up in the mountains breathtaking and are well worth a look. Shopping There are a several well-stocked shopping centres in Bilbao and there are plenty of clothing boutiques and homely cafés located just off the main street in the city centre. You may want to bring a wad of cash with you, though, as it’s not the cheapest of cities. Having said that, the memories of the scenery, sculptures and cuisine will stay with forever and you can’t put a price on that…