Photographing Bilbao
A reinvented Basque industrial city anchored by Gehry's titanium Guggenheim.
Where to shoot
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao — Gehry's titanium-clad masterpiece, seen best from across the river or beside Jeff Koons' flower Puppy.
- Casco Viejo — the medieval old quarter of seven streets, full of pintxos bars and the Santiago Cathedral.
- La Ribera Market — a large covered market on the riverbank, worth a look for its stained glass and stalls.
- Mount Artxanda — reached by funicular, a hilltop viewpoint over the whole city and the winding Nervion River.
- Guggenheim Museum Bilbao — Frank Gehry's titanium-clad landmark beside the river, its surfaces shifting with the light
- Puppy — Jeff Koons's giant flower-covered dog sculpture guarding the museum entrance
- Casco Viejo — the medieval old town of arcaded streets and squares around the Santiago Cathedral
- Zubizuri — Santiago Calatrava's white, curving footbridge spanning the Nervión River
When to go
May to September brings the warmest, driest weather; come in August for the lively Aste Nagusia festival, though spring and autumn are mild and quieter.
What to eat
Pintxos (Basque tapas) eaten bar to bar in the Casco Viejo, and bacalao (salt cod) dishes.
Where to stay
Stay in or near the Casco Viejo for nightlife and pintxos, or along the river to be close to the Guggenheim.
Visit the Guggenheim at dusk, when the titanium catches the last light and the building's exterior installations are lit.
Read more in Spain: northern coasts, golden stone cities & Atlantic light and the Basque Country: bays, Bilbao & Rioja vines.
