I'm another person in the universe who doesn't care much for Barcelona. I have zero interest in Gaudi and dislike all the pickpocketing that goes on in the city.

As for Bilbao, I think the Getty Museum is the least interesting aspect of it. However, San Sebastian is for me the real draw of the region. I'd skip Bilbao and head straight there were I making a huge effort to get north.

Be sure to check out Bill's Beerhall in Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao..

(kudos to anyone who gets the reference!)

thanks for the info.
When it comes to tarvel , it seems different strokes for different ....
is really the case.

nela

I had the same experience of planning a trip to Spain that didn't include the Getty Museum, and then seeing pictures and deciding I really should squeeze it in.

I was sorry I did! Actually seeing the museum was not much more than seeing the pictures, and I thought the museum exhibits were not interesting, and I'm a big fan of modern art and museums. Basically it was built to be a big tourist magnet. It works brilliantly at attracting tourists to Bilbao.

I also prefer other places in Spain to Barcelona, but visitors to Spain tend to sharply divide between those who prefer Barcelona, those who prefer Sevilla and those who prefer Madrid.

The museum in Bilbao is the Guggenheim, not the Getty.

Kurt Weill

Yes! Sorry. Guggenheim designed by Gehry.

I've partly got Getty on the brain because the last time I was in Roma I was down the street from the mausoleum for the tomb of Augustus, which was designed by the same architect who designed the Getty museum in LA.