Bilbao - General Information

The City

Little more than a decade ago Bilbao was a somewhat faded industrial city in the north of Spain that would have been few people’s idea of a hip tourist destination. Then, in 1997, the Guggenheim Museum opened and the so-called “Guggenheim effect” took hold, whereby a striking new building provides the will and energy for large-scale urban renewal. In recent years the city has been graced with further innovations, such as Norman Foster’s distinctive metro entrances, the arching Zubizuri Bridge and the Euskalduna cultural centre, while many areas have been regenerated and a plethora of new bars, clubs and hotels have opened.

Bilbao Panorama

Blessed with a maritime climate, milder than the dry plains to the south, Bilbao sits on the River Nervión, which divides the city into east and west. To the east lies the Casco Viejo (Old City), a warren of narrow streets, crammed with authentic Basque eateries and distinguished by such monuments as the Santiago Cathedral, the Mercado de la Ribera food market and San Antón church. To the west lies the vibrant modern city, with its thriving business district, broad boulevards and leafy parks. Add to this a new airport (also designed by Norman Foster), a sleek new tramline (EuskoTran) and an admired football team (Athletico Bilbao, who play at the San Mamés stadium), and it’s easy to see why Bilbao goes from strength to strength.

Guggenheim Museum

Rising dramatically beside the banks of the Nervión, the Guggenheim is a modern art museum designed by Canadian/American architect Frank Gehry in the style of Deconstructivism. Acclaimed as one of the worlds’ finest contemporary buildings, its gracefully curved exterior is clad in titanium squares that are supposed to resemble the scales of a fish, thus recalling Bilbao’s maritime heritage (also evident in the fin-like skylights of the largest gallery.) Though its permanent collections are somewhat less world beating, they include many interesting pieces and the venue plays host to frequent temporary exhibits from the Guggenheim museums in New York and Venice. For many visitors, however, the most appealing permanent feature at the Guggenheim is the 13-metre tall topiary sculpture of a West Highland White Terrier puppy, which sits on the terrace and was designed by American artist Jeff Koons.

Museo del Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts)

Bilbao’s other great museum – the Museo de Bellas Artes – covers a much larger time scale than the Guggenheim. It currently boasts more than six thousand works dating from the 12th century to the present day, and includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings and decorative objects. Items in its collection include a rich selection of Spanish classics by El Greco, Goya and Velázquez, as well as Flemish and Italian masterpieces. The museum’s upper floor is devoted to Basque and international 20th-century art.

Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao is the Basque region's premier football team and historically, one of the Spanish League's most successful clubs. The team has won the national title no fewer than eight times and the Copa del Rey 24 times. A defining feature of the club is its 'Cantera' policy - a recruitment policy which dictates that team players must be native to one of the seven Basque provinces. They are the only fop-flight club in Spain to operate such a strict policy but have produced some excellent footballers both for their own club, and the Spanish national team. Athletic Bilbao play at the San Mamés Stadium with a capacity of 39,750. The stadium is located in the city centre and has its own metro station (San Mamés).