Top attractions in Bilbao

What you can't miss in Bilbao, with photos and context.

The Guggenheim Museum on the Bilbao estuary

Guggenheim Museum

Frank Gehry's museum that changed the city: rippling titanium on the riverbank, with 'Puppy' and the spider 'Maman' at its doors. The symbol of modern Bilbao.

A street in Bilbao Old Town

Old Town (Seven Streets)

The medieval core, with its Seven Streets, the cathedral of Santiago, arcades and the city's best pintxos and traditional shopping.

La Ribera Market on the estuary

La Ribera Market

The great Modernista market on the riverbank, one of the largest in Europe, a temple to Basque produce and pintxos.

View of Bilbao from Mount Artxanda

Artxanda Funicular

The century-old funicular up Mount Artxanda, with the best panorama of Bilbao, the estuary and the surrounding mountains.

The Bizkaia Bridge between Portugalete and Getxo

Bizkaia Bridge (Portugalete)

The oldest transporter bridge in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at the mouth of the estuary. A gem of industrial architecture.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe and its stairway over the sea

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Half an hour away, the islet with its hermitage linked to land by 241 steps, a Game of Thrones location. One of the most striking sights in the north.