Three full days in Bilbao gives you plenty of time to explore the city’s most famous sights, some lesser-known neighbourhoods and the wider province of Bizkaia.
Bilbao Essentials
Before we get started, here are some guides with key advice for anyone visiting Bilbao, featuring tips about transport, accommodation, weather and the language.
Transport
Public transport in Bilbao is clean and efficient. Our main tip is to purchase a Barik card, which can be used in all of Bizkaia, as this will help you save time and money.
Accommodation
There is a range of hotels and establishments for all budgets. Take a look at these guides to help you find the perfect place to stay in Bilbao. Our advice is to look for somewhere close to a metro station as this will help you get about the city.
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Click the button below to take a look at which hotels are offering 2026 getaway discounts.
Weather
The rain in Bilbao can be as furious as it is notorious. No matter what time of year you visit, be prepared for a potential downfall. If you come in the winter months, rain will almost be a guarantee.
Basque language
Bilbainos, and Basques in general, are extremely proud of their ancient language. Learn a few words before your trip and make a good impression with the locals.
Day 1 – Casco Viejo and Guggenheim
The first two days follow similar plans to our two-day itinerary. Take a look at that page for a 48-hour schedule.
09:30 – Head to Casco Viejo (Old Town) and get some breakfast in the main square, Plaza Nueva.
10:30 – Explore the Old Town’s famed medieval ‘Seven Streets’.
12:00 – Funicular train to Mount Artxanda.
13:00 – Pintxos for lunch at Diputación.
14:30 – Visit Guggenheim Museum.
17:30 – Visit Azkuna Zentroa/Alhondiga.
18:30 – Stroll along Gran Via to Casco Viejo.
19:00 – Sit-down dinner and drinks in Old Town.
Day 2 – San Mames and Deusto
09:30 – A slice of Spanish omelette in Abando for breakfast.
10:30 – Athletic Club Museum and stadium tour at San Mames.
12:30 – Stroll through Parque Doña Casilda.
13:30 – Eat a traditional ‘menu del dia’ in nearby Abando or Indautxu.
15:30 – Visit Bilbao Maritime Museum.
17:30 – Explore the Deusto neighbourhood.
19:30 – Walk along river back to Bilbao city centre (head to the City Council building and cross the bridge into the city centre.
20:30 – Bar hop and pintxo crawl along Calle Ledesma for dinner.
*If you’re a football fan and you have the opportunity, we highly recommend watching an Athletic Club fixture at San Mames stadium. Soak up the pre-match on Pozas before witnessing the power of The Cathedral.
Day 3 – Visit town in Bizkaia
For your third day in Bilbao we recommend getting out of the city and exploring the province of Bizkaia. Easy options with minimal travelling, as both places are on the Bilbao metro system, include seaside towns like Getxo and Plentzia. The picturesque fishing neighbourhood of Puerto Viejo de Algorta is in Getxo.
Trips further afield to iconic Basque towns like Gernika, Mundaka, Bermeo and Lekeitio are well worth your time. The first three towns mentioned are on the same Euskotren line (E4), making it easy to explore all of them in the same day.
Conversely, if you’re flying out of Santander, it might suit you better to leave the Basque Country entirely and spend a day there.
A medium-sized city, Santander has a stunning beach and plenty of activities to keep you busy for a few hours.
WIFI and mobile data in Bilbao
Bilbao has an extensive free WIFI network, with around 200 hotspots, including Bilbao Metro, but the connection can be dodgy at times.
If you’re visiting from another EU nation, you should be able to use your existing mobile data plan without any issues. Just make sure to check your service provider’s guidance on ‘fair usage’ before you visit.
Travellers from the UK will need to check if their plan has ‘free EU roaming’. If not, they might potentially incur hefty costs for using roaming data in Bilbao.
Those coming from outside the EU will need to purchase a pre-paid sim card or e-sim if they want mobile data.
*Before purchasing a physical sim or e-sim, make sure it’s compatible with your mobile phone.
Popular service providers here include Euskaltel, Yoigo, Lowi, Vodafone, Orange and Movistar. You’ll need to bring a passport when buying a sim card in one of their shops.
Our recommendation for non-EU tourists is to buy an e-sim via a company like Airalo. Set it up before you travel or with Bilbao Airport’s free WIFI when you land.
Airalo has a range of plans and options to suit all. Check out the different options here.
Here’s a list of Airalo-compatible devices.
