Bilbao and the Basque Country
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Bilbao and the Basque Country - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Flysch
The Flysch is the crown jewel of the Basque Coast Geopark, a 13-km (8-mile) stretch of coastline distinguished by spectacular cliffs and rock formations. Taking its name from the German word for "slippery"—a reference to the slipping of tectonic plates that thrust the horizontal rock layers into vertical panels—the Flysch contains innumerable layers of sedimentary rock displaying some 20 million years of geological history. One such layer is black and devoid of fossils; it was identified by scientists as marking the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Playa de Itzurun, Zumaia, Basque Country, SpainSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
2. La Concha
La ConchaSan Sebastián's shell-shaped main beach is one of the most famous urban beaches in the world. Night and day, rain or shine, it's filled with locals and tourists alike, strolling and taking in the city's skyline and the uninhabited Isla de Santa Clara just offshore. Several hotels line its curved expanse including the grande dame Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra. The beach has clean, pale sand and few rocks or seaweed, but only a bit of shade, near the promenade wall. Lounge chairs are available for rent. The calm surf makes it a favorite pick for families. Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; sunset; walking.
Calle de la Concha Ibilbidea, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20007, Spain -
3. Aquarium Donostia-San Sebastián
Parte ViejaFor a stroll through and under some 6,000 marine animals—ranging from tiger sharks to sea turtles, with one participative pool where kids are encouraged to touch and try to pick up fish—the aquarium is a great rainy-day activity. The illustrated history of Basque whaling and boatbuilding is also fascinating.
Pl. Carlos Blasco de Imaz 1, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain94-344--0099Sight Details
Rate Includes: €14 -
4. Bibat Museum
The 1525 Palacio de Bendaña and adjoining bronze-plated building are home to one of Vitoria's main attractions, the Bibat, which combines the Museo Fournier de Naipes (Playing-Card Museum) with the Museo de Arqueología. The palacio houses the 15,000 playing-card sets of Don Heraclio Fournier, who founded a famous playing-card factory in 1868. One of the largest and finest such collections in the world, it features hand-painted cards from Japan, round cards from India, and other ancient specimens dating to the 12th century. The Museo de la Arqueología, in the newest building, has Paleolithic dolmens, Roman art and artifacts, medieval objects, and the famous Stele del Jinete (Stele of the Horseback Rider), an early Basque tombstone.
Calle Cuchillería 54, Vitoria, Basque Country, 01001, Spain94-520--3700Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. -
5. Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park
El EnsancheBilbao's main park, stretching east toward the river from the Museo de Bellas Artes, is a lush collection of tree-shaded paths, duck ponds, fountains, and wide lawns. It's a sanctuary from the hard-edged Ensanche, Bilbao's modern, post-1876 expansion. Doña Casilda de Iturrizar was a well-to-do 19th-century Bilbao matron who married a powerful banker and used his wealth to support various cultural and beneficent institutions in the city, including this grassy refuge.
Bilbao, Basque Country, 48011, Spain -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Isla de Santa Clara
You can visit the uninhabited Isla de Santa Clara, which rises from the center of La Concha's bay and shields it from high swells. Ferries (around €8 round trip) run from the mainland every 30 minutes and are packed on summer weekends, and reaching the island from the beach is a fun challenge for experienced swimmers. There's a small bar at the ferry dock and lifeguard service at a beach that reveals itself only at low tide. Bring sturdy sandals as the coastline is rocky. In 2021, a 15-ton bronze fountain called Hondalea ("Sea Floor"), by Basque sculptor Cristina Iglesias, was unveiled within the lighthouse; its whooshing flows are meant to mimic the tides.
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain -
7. Itsasmuseum
San MamésThis carefully researched nautical museum on the left bank of the Ría de Bilbao reconstructs the history of the Bilbao waterfront and shipbuilding industry beginning from medieval times. Temporary exhibits range from visits by extraordinary seacraft such as tall ships or traditional fishing vessels to thematic displays on 17th- and 18th-century clipper ships or the sinking of the Titanic.
Muelle Ramón de la Sota 1, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48011, Spain94-608--5500Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6 (free Tues. Sept.–June), Closed Mon. -
8. Mater Boat Museum
A museum on the move, this traditional wooden Basque fishing boat called a mater—the last of its kind—was built in 1900 and today gives roving "eco-tours" of the coastline. Visitors can choose from experiences ranging from an out-to-sea itinerary exploring ancestral fishing methods to an in-depth tour through the bowels of the vessel centered on the art of shipbuilding and maintenance.
Calle Arraunlari, Pasai Donibane, Basque Country, Spain61-981--4225Sight Details
Rate Includes: €7, Closed Jan. and Feb. -
9. Museo de Navarra
In a 16th-century building once used as a hospital for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela, this museum has a collection of regional archaeological artifacts and historical costumes. Placards are Spanish-only.
Cuesta de Santo Domingo 47, Pamplona, Navarre, 31001, Spain84-842--6493Sight Details
Rate Includes: €2 (free Sat. afternoon and Sun.), Closed Mon. -
10. Museo del Pescador
The craft and history of fishermen and the fishing industry, from whales to anchovies, are the subject of this museum. The tower was built by native son Alonso de Ercilla y Zuñiga (1533–94), poet and eminent soldier. Ercilla's "La Araucana," an account of the conquest of Arauco (Chile), is considered one of the best Spanish epic poems.
Torronteroko Enparantza 1, Bermeo, Basque Country, 48370, Spain94-688–1171Sight Details
Rate Includes: €3, Closed Mon., Tues.–Sat. 10–2 and 4–7, Sun. 10–2 -
11. Olite
An unforgettable glimpse into the Kingdom of Navarra of the Middle Ages is the reward for journeying to this town. The 11th-century church of San Pedro is revered for its finely worked Romanesque cloisters and portal, but it's the town's storybook castle—restored by Carlos III in the French style and brimming with ramparts, crenellated battlements, and watchtowers—that dazzles the imagination. You can walk the ramparts, and should you get tired or hungry, part of the castle has been converted into a parador, making a fine place to grab a snack or catch a few z's.
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12. Parque de la Florida
This park, with bridges, gazebos, and man-made hills, offers a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. At Christmastime, it morphs into one enormous nativity scene that kids go nuts over.
Calle Florida, Basque Country, 01005, Spain -
13. Torre de Doña Ochanda
This 15th-century tower houses Vitoria's Museo de Ciencias Naturales, which contains botanical, zoological, and geological collections along with the museum's most prized items: pieces of amber from the nearby archaeological site at Peñacerrada-Urizaharra.
Calle Siervas de Jesús 24, Vitoria, Basque Country, 01001, Spain94-518--1924Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon.
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