Last updated August 22, 2026

The titanium curves of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao alongside the Nervión River, with the city and green hills behind

Tiia Monto / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Spain

Where to Stay in Bilbao

Bilbao is the largest city in Spain's Basque Country, built along the Nervión River a short way inland from the Bay of Biscay. For most of the 20th century it was a working port and steel town; the 1997 opening of the Guggenheim Museum, Frank Gehry's titanium-clad building on the riverbank, kicked off a wider transformation that turned the city into one of Spain's most walkable, food-focused destinations without erasing its industrial character. Don't miss the Guggenheim itself, its curving metal panels changing color with the light through the day, and Casco Viejo, the compact medieval old town of seven original streets (Las Siete Calles) where pintxo bars line the ground floors. The riverside promenade connects the two in about a 20-minute walk, so a short stay can cover both without much planning.

Quick facts

Best time to visit
Visit June through September for the warmest, driest weather, or aim for September–October if you'd rather avoid the summer crowds around the Guggenheim. Mid-to-late August brings Aste Nagusia (Semana Grande), Bilbao's nine-day main festival with fireworks and street events — lively if you want to be part of it, but hotel prices rise and the city center gets busy.
Renting a car
Skip the rental car if you're staying in the city center. Casco Viejo's streets are narrow and largely pedestrian, parking downtown is limited and metered, and the metro, tram, and a 20-minute riverside walk already connect Casco Viejo and Abando. A car only makes sense for day trips along the coast, such as to Getxo or the beaches further out.

Where to stay

The ornate 19th-century facade of the Arriaga Theatre, on the edge of Bilbao's Casco Viejo old town

Pedro J Pacheco / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 ES

Casco Viejo

Best for: First-time visitors, Couples

The titanium curves of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao with the red arches of the La Salve bridge behind

Zarateman / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0

Abando

Best for: First-time visitors, Couples, Architecture lovers

Compare neighborhoods

AreaBest forAdvantageTrade-off
Casco ViejoFirst-time visitorsThe largest concentration of pintxo bars in the city, inside a genuinely historic old town, at generally lower hotel prices than Abando.The main streets get loud at night, and it's a 15–20 minute walk (or a short metro ride) from the Guggenheim.
AbandoFirst-time visitorsThe shortest walk to the Guggenheim and the riverfront, on quiet, wide streets with easy transit connections.Less atmosphere after dark than Casco Viejo, and hotel prices generally run higher.

Our picks for Bilbao

A handful of editorial calls across every neighborhood above, not just the highest star rating — see each hotel's own card further down for the full case for and against it.

🏆 Our overall pickHotel MiróAbando✨ Best luxuryThe Artist Grand Hotel of ArtAbando📍 Best locationThe Artist Grand Hotel of ArtAbando

A couple of hotels in Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo is the top-recommended area to stay in Bilbao.

Petit Palace Arana Bilbao

★★★

Our take A reliable, no-surprises choice directly across from the Arriaga Theatre — the kind of hotel that puts you in the middle of Casco Viejo without requiring any research into which street is which.

Highlights

  • Opposite the Arriaga Theatre at the edge of Las Siete Calles, walkable to Abando station
  • Free bike rental for guests, useful for the ride along the riverside to the Guggenheim
  • A quadruple room option, useful for families who'd otherwise need two separate rooms

What to know

  • Rooms lean compact, in keeping with this hotel group's other city-center properties in Spain
Check availability on Booking.com

NYX Hotel Bilbao by Leonardo Hotels

★★★★
  • 🏛️ Best for architecture & design

Our take A genuinely design-led hotel priced well below what its look and 4-star rating would suggest — the local street-art theme carries through the whole building instead of stopping at the lobby.

Highlights

  • Between Casco Viejo and Abando, with old-town pintxo bars and the newer center both walkable
  • Local street-art commissions throughout the public areas and rooms, not just a lobby feature
  • Sound-proofed windows help with street noise on a hotel this central

What to know

  • The lively lobby (arcade games, artwork, a bar) suits guests who want atmosphere on arrival more than a quiet check-in
Check availability on Booking.com

Useful travel information

Spain uses the euro. Bilbao Airport (BIO) is about 12km north of the center; the Bizkaibus A3247 bus runs downtown in around 20 minutes, or a taxi takes about 15. The compact Metro Bilbao network, designed by Norman Foster, and the riverside tram both cover Casco Viejo and Abando well, and the two areas are also an easy walk apart along the river. Bilbao is generally safe for a European city; the usual pickpocket caution applies in crowded pintxo bars and on the metro at peak times.

Tips

  • Do a pintxo-pote crawl through Casco Viejo's Siete Calles in the early evening — most bars charge a set price for one pintxo and one drink, so it's an easy way to try several places without committing to a sit-down meal.
  • Book Guggenheim tickets online ahead of time for a fixed entry slot, especially in summer or during Aste Nagusia in August, when queues at the door run longest.
  • If you're around in late August, check the Aste Nagusia schedule before booking — it's a genuinely fun week to be in the city, but hotel rates rise and Casco Viejo gets crowded for the festivities.

Frequently asked questions

Where should first-time visitors stay in Bilbao?
Stay in Casco Viejo for the old-town pintxo-bar atmosphere and the lowest prices, or in Abando if you'd rather be a short walk from the Guggenheim and the modern riverfront.
Is Bilbao walkable?
Yes. Casco Viejo and Abando are both compact and connected by a flat, roughly 20-minute walk along the river, and the metro and tram cover the rest of the city easily.
How many days do you need in Bilbao?
Two to three days covers the Guggenheim, Casco Viejo, and a relaxed pintxo crawl without feeling rushed. Many visitors add a day trip to the coast at Getxo, about 20 minutes away by metro.

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