Budget stays
Look in Indautxu and on the station side of Abando, not only in Casco Viejo. The cheaper rooms there can put the Guggenheim farther away.
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Bilbao follows the Nervión estuary from Casco Viejo to the Guggenheim and San Mamés. Pick the old town for pintxos and narrow streets, Abando for rail and shopping, or the riverfront for museums and walks.
Casco Viejo is built around Plaza Nueva, Santiago Cathedral and the riverside Mercado de la Ribera. Seven old streets lead toward the Arriaga Theatre. The bars around Plaza Nueva stay lively after dinner, so a room facing an inner courtyard can be quieter.
Across the river, Abando has the main station and Gran Vía. Walk west along the estuary and you reach the Guggenheim Museum and the riverside paths of Abandoibarra. The tram connects the museum with Abando and San Mamés.
Indautxu has restaurants and shops around Plaza Moyúa. Continue west for San Mamés stadium and Bilbao Intermodal. Across the estuary, Campo Volantín leads to the Artxanda funicular and a high view over the city.
You can walk most of Bilbao along the river, but expect wet days even in summer. The metro and the tram run different routes. Check which stop is nearest the hotel, because a riverside address is not always near a metro station.
Plaza Nueva, Santiago Cathedral and Mercado de la Ribera are close together. Stay here for old streets and pintxos. A room over one of the bar-lined squares can be loud.
Around here: Plaza Nueva, Santiago Cathedral, Mercado de la Ribera
Bilbao-Abando station and the Gran Vía shops are on the doorstep. The Guggenheim is a longer walk west, and Casco Viejo is across the river.
Around here: Bilbao-Abando station, Gran Vía, Plaza Circular
Stay by the museum for riverside walks, the tram and the Euskalduna Palace. The old-town pintxos streets are farther east along the estuary.
Around here: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Euskalduna Palace, La Salve Bridge
Plaza Moyúa, neighborhood restaurants and San Mamés stadium are west of the station. Onward buses leave from Bilbao Intermodal. To reach Casco Viejo, take the tram or allow for a long walk.
Around here: Plaza Moyúa, San Mamés, Bilbao Intermodal
The north-bank promenade looks across at the Guggenheim and leads to the Artxanda funicular. You will cross the river for the museum and most shopping.
Around here: Campo Volantín, Zubizuri, Artxanda Funicular
The warmest months are July and August, with afternoons around 78–79 °F. Walking weather is milder in late spring and early autumn. Rain is likely in every month, and November is the wettest. Bring a light layer for evenings by the river.
Bilbao Airport (BIO) is north of the city. The Bizkaibus A3247 runs to central stops and Bilbao Intermodal. Mainline trains use Bilbao-Abando. Some regional lines leave from other stations, so check the station name on your ticket.
8 mi from downtown
Take the Bizkaibus A3247 toward Bilbao Intermodal and get off near Gran Vía or Moyúa. Taxis wait outside arrivals.
Abando near the station and Indautxu around Plaza Moyúa. Casco Viejo is worth a look too, but its older buildings can mean stairs and street noise.
You can get a room from $35. If the hotel is out past the center, add tram or metro fares to the total.
No. The tram runs past the museum, and the riverside walk from Casco Viejo is manageable if the weather holds.
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