City Guide: Bilbao

The first image that comes to mind when someone mentions Bilbo is the notorious Guggenheim Museum which is perhaps one of the most famous buildings in the world. Designed by Frank Gehry the museum, which opened in 1997, put Bilbao on the map as a cultural capital. It contains artworks by some of the biggest names in the contemporary art world including Richard Serra, Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst.  Located on the banks of the river Nervión the Guggenheim has become symbolic of Bilbao although the city has plenty of other areas of interest.

Bilbo is the largest city in the Basque Country on Spain’s northern coast with 353,168 inhabitants. The first settlement in the area occurred in 1300 on the opposite side of the river to most of the modern city.  At the beginning of the 20th century Bilbao was the richest city in Spain thanks to its industrial development. It’s mining and shipbuilding industries supported much of the population although more recently the city has suffered from the decline in industry.

Bilbo has undergone significant regeneration over the last decade in order to target the tourism industry. The areas alongside the river have been improved and new real estate was freed up by moving the port outside of the centre of the city. The transport infrastructure in Bilbao includes 7 rail lines suitable for commuters and tourists alike. There is also an underground system called the Metro Bilbao which covers most of the inner city. There is also a good road system including 13 bridges over the river so car hire is another option for tourists. Plenty of companies offer car hire in Spain with most having a location in Bilbao.

“As well as the famous Guggenheim Museum, the city acts as home for the Fine Arts Museum recognized as one of Spain’s finest art museums and recently refurbished and the Maritime Museum on the Nervión’s banks, which recently hosted the RMS Titanic exhibition which has been touring Europe. Museums are only a part of the city’s attractions.”