26 Jan Beyond the Guggenheim: 15 Bilbao Secret Spots
Tracing the curves of the Nervión River, Bilbao sits at the heart of ‘Green Spain’. Once an industrial powerhouse, the largest city in the Spanish Basque Country has completely transformed in recent years.
Frank Gehry’s groundbreaking Guggenheim Museum was the spark, igniting a burgeoning art scene and a wave of creativity that spilled over into the city’s food culture. While San Sebastian remains the Basque’s most popular tourist destination, Bilbao’s reputation has blossomed, with tourists drawn here to soak up the culture, snack on innovative pintxos and hike in the surrounding hills.
Beyond the shimmering curves of the Guggenheim and the lively alleyways of the Casco Viejo (Old Town) lie a treasure trove of Bilbao secret spots and under-the-radar places that showcase the city’s unique character and charm.
From shady parks and characterful neighbourhoods to cultural gems and intriguing nature, here’s our insider’s guide to Bilbao secret spots.
1. Azkuna Zentroa
Azkuna Zentroa is a former wine warehouse reimagined as a cool cultural hangout by renowned architect Philippe Stark. Known as Alhóndiga in Basque, its architecture is a work of art with 43 columns symbolising different cultures and events in world history. Inside you’ll find a cinema, exhibition halls, a multi-level library, and a leisure centre with a glass-bottomed swimming pool hanging over the atrium.
2. Iralabarri Neighbourhood
An explosion of colour around 15 minutes’ walk from the city centre, Iralabarri is known as the ‘Basque Notting Hill’. This former workers’ district is a highly photogenic Bilbao secret spot, where brightly coloured, English-style houses line steep streets. Built around 1916, these vibrant homes feature small gardens and balconies, and the neighbourhood offers a taste of authentic Basque life close to the bustling downtown.
3. Stained-Glass Window at Bilbao Abando Station
Even if you’re not travelling by train, it’s worth popping in to Bilbao Abando Station. This historic railway station boasts an impressive atrium adorned with a huge stained-glass mural designed by Basque artist, Gaspar Montes Iturrioz. Created in the late 1940s, it stitches together scenes of Basque industry with local landmarks and rolling hills, flooding the station concourse with colour.
4. Gastronomia Bilbao
Delve into the gastronomy of northern Spain at Gastronomia Bilbao on Salbe Plaza, just across the river from the Guggenheim. Combining shopping, learning and pleasure, it features a relaxed wine and tapas bar with over 400 wine references, a cookery school, a wine tasting room and a gourmet products shop in one mouthwatering space. A total delight for foodies and wine lovers.
5. Parque Doña Casilda Iturrizar
Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park is the perfect spot to escape the busy city. Conveniently perched between the Guggenheim and the Fine Arts Museum, this leafy, old-world garden feels wonderfully unhurried. Take a break from sightseeing to stroll past fountains and flowerbeds, admire the botanic gardens, watch ducks swimming on the lake, and seek out statues tucked amongst the trees.
6. Zorrotzaurre
One of the most intriguing Bilbao secret spots, Zorrotzaurre is a former industrial island being reimagined as a smart, sustainable waterfront district under the stewardship of renowned architect Zaha Hadid. This 2.5km artificial peninsula blends old industrial buildings with bold new architecture, art and cultural spaces, and riverside walks. It offers a fascinating insight into urban regeneration and is very much still a neighbourhood in transition.
7. Bilbao La Vieja Murals
A hip district on the Nervión River, Bilbao La Vieja is home to independent boutiques, cosy cafes and vintage shops. But its real allure is the vibrant street art painting the walls in a living canvas of colourful murals and thought-provoking graffiti. This creative Bilbao secret spot invites wandering slowly, camera in hand, with no fixed agenda.
8. Itsasmuseum
Tucked beneath the Euskalduna bridge, Itsasmuseum Bilbao is an under-the-radar spot exploring the city’s maritime heritage. Inside, engaging interactive displays showcasing old shipbuilding techniques, shipwrecks, pirate threats and coastal rescues sit alongside model ships. Outside, historic boats welcome curious visitors. This characterful museum helps you make sense of everything you see along the riverfront.
9. Bar BIKIAK Berri
Tucked down a side street in Casco Viejo, Bar BIKIAK Berri feels like the kind of place locals keep for themselves. Perch at the bar to sample a selection of creative and delicious pintxos, sip a glass of Rioja or Txakoli, and soak up the laidback buzz. It’s cosy, unfussy and ideal when you want atmosphere without the Plaza Nueva crowds.
10. Mount Artxanda Viewpoint
For panoramic views of Bilbao and the wild Basque mountains beyond, head to Mount Artxanda. Hike to the viewpoint or hop on the historical funicular for an atmospheric ride to the top, where you’ll get a different perspective of the city. Iconic architecture and red-tiled rooftops spread out before you, divided by the Nervión River. It’s especially lovely at sunset as the city lights flicker into life below.
11. Plaza Nueva Flea Market
Set at the heart of Casco Viejo, Plaza Nueva is hardly a Bilbao secret spot. But if you pop along on a Sunday morning, you can swap late-night pintxos for old-school treasure hunting. Tucked under the arches, locals set out stalls of vintage books, stamps, coins and quirky collectables, chatting as they browse. Perfect if you love to hunt out bargains or rummage for treasures.
12. San Francisco Neighbourhood
Tucked between Abando and Bilbao La Vieja, San Francisco is a neighbourhood in transition. Once home to a 15th-century monastery, it used to be one of the city’s more notorious areas. Still gritty and a bit rough around the edges, it’s slowly regenerating into a creative, multicultural barrio where graffiti-layered walls, world-food shops and cultural spaces make it a brilliant place to wander and people-watch.
13. Fountain of Dogs
Pause for refreshment at one of Casco Viejo’s most charming curiosities, the Fountain of Dogs (Fuente del Perro). Originally a watering point for market animals, it was transformed into a neoclassical-style public fountain in the 1800s. Three carved stone lion heads serve as spouts but they were widely mistaken as dogs, hence the name of the fountain and street it stands on.
14. Mount Serantes Viewpoint
With a height of 451 metres, Mount Serantes offers panoramic views of the Bay of Biscay, the skyline of Bilbao and the verdant Basque coast. Head to Santurtzi, a 30-minute metro ride from Bilbao, and pick up a winding 5.3-km trail to the summit. Along the way, pause to explore the restored Guard Tower and Serantes Fort, peek in birdwatching hides and admire the ever-changing views.
15. Forest of Oma
Our final Bilbao secret spot is a 40-minute drive from the city. Set in a quiet valley near Kortezubi, Basque artist Agustin Ibarrola created an open-air gallery with colourful motifs and geometric figures painted across tree trunks. As you wander the forest paths, different viewpoints reveal whole images, blending art, nature and a touch of magic. It’s a truly enchanting experience.
Discover Bilbao Secret Spots with Just Explore
Most people come to Bilbao for the Guggenheim and the creative food scene. But this is a city that richly rewards those who veer from the well-trodden tourist trail to seek out its hidden treasures and quieter corners.
Whether you’re interested in our small group tour of Northern Spain and Bordeaux or would like us to arrange a tailor-made trip to the Basque Country, we’ll help you uncover Bilbao secret spots and savour its authentic character and charm. Contact Just Explore to start planning your Basque Country boutique tour today.
