
Eat your way through Basque Country’s most populous city on a 2-night stay in Bilbao. Explore the history of the thriving Spanish community during a self-guided culinary tour of Bilboa’s renowned ‘pintxos’ restaurant routes; visit the architectural marvel that is Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; and spend your nights in a 3-star hotel just mere steps from the commercial center of an enchanting city that first charmed settlers in the 14th century. This thorough Bilbao experience offers an ideal combination of arts, dining and leisure time.
- Free drinks included
- Free snacks included
- Multi-Day Trip
This comprehensive Bilbao experience offers an ideal combination of arts, dining and leisure time. The activities are available all three days to accommodate your schedule. The below itinerary is simply an example of how you could allocate your time and choose your activities.
Day 1:
The
afternoon of your arrival, check into your hotel, conveniently located
near Bilbao’s commercial center and the city’s top sites. The music
palace Euskalduna and city Auditorium are a 3-minute walk from your
lodgings, and the city’s top museums—the Guggenheim, Fine Arts Museum,
and Maritime Museum—are within easy walking distance.
Let your tastebuds lead the way on a walking tour of places where you can sample multiple pintxos—miniature
Basque bites, or appetizers. Reference your included road book, which
suggests different routes, and explore at your own pace. Your can linger
over the eight included pintxos and four drinks at one stop, or visit
up to 12 different establishments during your very own food crawl. Make
sure to reference the road book to learn the history of these ancient
roads that have thrummed with port activity since the 14th century.
Overnight: 3-star Hotel Abba Parque or similar
Day 2: (B)
If
the previous night’s cuisine didn’t satiate your appetite, enjoy a
leisurely breakfast at your hotel before exploring the cultural side of
Bilbao. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, just a 15-minute walk from the
hotel, is the best place to start. Designed by renowned architect Frank
Gehry and hailed as one of the most important structures of its time,
the museum has housed more than 100 exhibitions since it opened in 1997.
Marvel at the way the abstract titanium exterior’s curves catch the
light, then explore the Guggenheim Bilbao’s collection of modern and
contemporary art. Highlights from the collection include major works
from Willem deKooning and Andy Warhol, as well as Mark Rothko’s Untitled (1952-53).
In a blend of the old and new, the museum also showcases work by modern
and contemporary Basque and Spanish artists. It’s easy to spend a day
enjoying the museum’s collection.
Once you’ve had your fill of
the arts, refer to your road book for any historical streets or
buildings you might have missed during the previous night’s foray into
the city. Tucked between two small mountain ranges, Bilbao has a rich
background, and it’s easy to take a step back in time as you walk along
the river or through tree-lined streets. If you didn’t get your fill of
pan-fried scallops, cured ham and cañas (large beers) the night
before, pop into any of the restaurants included in the dossier for
another plate of pintxos before heading back to the hotel.
Overnight: 3-star Hotel Abba Parque or similar
Day 3: (B)
Savor
breakfast on your final day before checking out of your hotel. If
there’s time, take one last walk through Bilbao’s streets to soak in the
history—and maybe sneak in a final pintxo. There’s always more to be
discovered around the corner of one of Basque country’s oldest and
largest cities.
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Wheelchair accessible
- A maximum of 2 people per room is available
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
If you cancel at least 31 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 5 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel between 14 and 30 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 20 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel between 8 and 13 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 40 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel between 3 and 7 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 60 percent cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
- 2 nights accommodation
- Snacks: 8 Pintxos
- 4 Drinks: crianza wine, txakoli, draft beer or soft drink
- Full Dossier with complete information, brochures, vouchers, city map and general information that will be delivered at the moment of check-in.
- Gratuities (optional)
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Airport pickup and drop-off
You must check-in after 3pm
Central Bilbao
3 days
Check-out in the hotel is at 12am
Daily