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15th October 2018
03:44pm BST

Casco Viejo is the perfect spot to get lost in for the day, especially during the cooler winter months when walking around outdoors can be so much more comfortable.
Peppered with tiny bars and cafés where you can stop for a beer, a Pintxo or two (tiny plates of delicious food, from chorizo to fish to the best tortilla in Europe) that you can graze on throughout your stay, Casco Vieja is an intoxicating place that builds in atmosphere as the night goes on. Spanish culture dictates, of course, that the city does not really come to life until 10pm or later.
For anyone planning a trip before Christmas, St. Thomas's Market in Plaza Nueva has carol singing, countless stalls and a festive atmosphere that's the best in Spain - the place really comes alive on 21 December, when thousands gather to sample the local beers, wines and culinary treasures.
The city is divided by a snaking river, Ría de Bilbao, that eventually leads you to Frank Gehry's monumental Guggenheim Museum - a short tram journey from Casco Viejo.
The Guggenheim is an extraordinary place to visit, a chrome and metal masterpiece that plays home to some stunning modern artistic creations.
If, like me, you prefer to swerve the usual tourist hotspots to find your own way around cities like Bilbao, you won't regret making an exception for the Guggenheim - even spending an hour amid the splendour of Gehry's work will be well worth it; for just €10, you'll see some stunning exhibits.
Football, as in the rest of Spain, is woven into the fabric of the city and even if it's not necessarily your thing, the San Mames Stadium - home to Athletic Bilbao - has one of the best atmospheres of any European venue; surprising, perhaps, given the fact that it only opened in the last five years, replacing the old and much cherished home of Los Leones.
Bilbao is an exceptional city, and is perfect for solo travellers looking for stories to tell, as well as couples and those in larger groups. Easy to navigate, with its network of tiny paved streets and the Ría de Bilbao to keep you oriented, it truly is a place where you will eat and drink well, take in some incredible architecture and leave with the determination to come back again soon.
It's the perfect winter getaway.

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