Things to Do in Bilbao, Spain: Museums, Old Town and Coast

If you only have a day or two, the best things to do in Bilbao cluster close together. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, devoted to modern and contemporary art, is the name most British visitors know, and it pairs naturally with the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum a short walk away. Between them they give you a good sweep of the city's art, from older collections to the striking contemporary.

For a sense of the city's history, head into Casco Viejo, the protected old quarter, where St. James' Cathedral stands. Euskal Museoa, the Basque Country Museum, explains the culture of the region, while Itsasmuseum Bilbao, a little over a mile out, looks at the city's relationship with the water. Alhóndiga Bilbao is another cultural stop worth adding to your list.

Among the other Bilbao tourist attractions are its grand buildings and bridges: Chavarri Palace, Ibaigane Palace and the Biscay Foral Delegation Palace, which houses the Provincial Council of Vizcaya, plus La Salve, Deusto Bridge and Puente Euskalduna spanning the river. The Plaza de Toros de Bilbao, the city bullring, completes the picture.

Bilbao itself holds the bulk of the things to see, with around 31 points of interest logged in the city. Almost all of the main Bilbao attractions, from the Guggenheim to Casco Viejo and the palaces, are roughly half a mile to a mile from the centre, so you can link several in one walk and save the Itsasmuseum and Puente Euskalduna, a touch further out, for a riverside stroll.

Portugalete, about 6 miles away on the coast, is the place to go for sea air. Its Basilica of Santa María is a listed cultural property, and Las Arenas beach is the nearest named stretch of sand in the area, the obvious answer if you are wondering what to do in Bilbao on a warm afternoon.

Santurtzi, around 7 miles out and also on the coast, is quieter and smaller in terms of named sights, but it has its own activities on offer and makes a pleasant contrast to the city. Both coastal towns are easy half-day outings, and among the simplest day tours from Bilbao if you would rather someone else handled the logistics.

With children, the shortest walks pay off, and Bilbao's compact centre helps: the Guggenheim, the Fine Arts Museum and Casco Viejo are all within about a mile of one another, so little legs are not pushed too far. The bridges over the river, La Salve, Deusto Bridge and Puente Euskalduna, make an easy, free-feeling outing between museum visits.

Itsasmuseum Bilbao, with its focus on the water, tends to hold younger visitors' attention, and on a sunny day Las Arenas beach near Portugalete gives everyone a break from galleries. July and August are the warmest months, with highs of 25 to 26°C and around 10 rain days, which suits a beach day best; in the wetter months, build the day around indoor museums.

You can compare tours and tickets for Bilbao attractions directly on this page, along with day tours from Bilbao, Spain to the coast and beyond. Booking timed museum entries ahead is sensible in summer, when the city is at its busiest.

Plan around the weather: Bilbao is green for a reason, with rain on 13 to 17 days a month for much of the year and November the wettest month. Keep a flexible day in hand so you can swap a coastal outing for a museum if the forecast turns.

Getting here is straightforward. Bilbao airport has direct flights from the UK and sits 4 minutes from the city, 8 from Portugalete and 9 from Santurtzi; Santander airport, also with direct flights, is about an hour's drive. If you prefer the sea, Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth to Bilbao in roughly 28 to 32 hours, and to Santander from Portsmouth or Plymouth. You can also compare car hire, hotel prices and package deals here.