I will be staying at the hotel Jardines de Albia on calle San Vicente, 6. According to the map it is near the Guggenheim. I will only be there one evening and was wondering if anyone can suggest where exactly to go. I will be with my two children , so I am probably just looking for a good area to walk around and eat dinner. We will head to the Museum the following morning before heading to Madrid. I know it is shameful to just stay one night. but it is better than nothing...and I really wanted to get to the Guggenheim this trip. After all I have read about Bilbao on this board, I feel so badly about the very short amount of time I will actually have there. That is why I need suggestions...my time is limited, but my interest is unen ding .

Walking around the Ensanche, the newer part of central Bilbao around the main square is very pleasant but you can also head across the river past the main theatre to the Casco Viejo where you'll find historic buildings as well as places to eat etc. There is a large square there as well but the name escapes me. Enjoy your stay:

Kaixo! You will love Bilbao! If you just have one night I would stick to central Bilbao and Casco Viejo.

Take a walk down Gran Via, if you are interested in shopping at all,Zara, Mango, Corte Ingles, all the chain stores are all there (Gran Via is metro: Moyua). This takes you through the most modern part of the city.

Casco Viejo is probably your best bet for just walking around and finding something to eat. This older part of the city is beautiful and not to be missed. There are tons of little cafes and bars and you should have no problem finding what you want. Metro: Casco Viejo.

You can easily walk to all these places if you have a good map, but if not the metro is super nice, easy and cheap.

If you get bored with these options (but with only a night, you probably wont have time for more), you can take the metro out to the other parts of the city. For beaches try Metro: Larrabastera, Sopelana or Plentzia. All are gorgeous and have a much more small and quaint feel than industrial Bilbao.

Agur, and enjoy Bilbao!
Kelly

Referring to bilbao's Casco Viejo, Bricamb writes: Would that be the Plaza Mayor?

Esperanza: I really hope you get to see some of Bilbao's Traffic police wearing red boinas with their police uniforms. It really struck me when I first saw one.

If you get to Bilbao before the mercado closes, it's really an amazing place. It's on the rio Nervion across from the Cathedral where its bend delineates the Casco (helmet). La Begonia Cathedral, that all Euskadi people think of as their very own, is also worth a visit.

If the Bus Vision is still running when you arrive, it will take you to most of those places (except the Mercado). Enjoy your visit to Bilbao!

A couple of suggestions, that will allow you to see more quickly, is to take the boat through the Bilbao estuary. It travels length of the city. It's a beautiful tour, and you can see so much of Bilbao's architecture without wearing yourself out. The second suggestion is to take the fanicular to the top of the hill where there is a beautiful park, and a restaurant covered with a roof of vines where a person can relax, and enjoy the atmosphere. It offers another breathtaking view of the city as well.

I don't think you'll be disappointed by either, or both of these options. They aren't very costly, and the kids would get a real kick out of it. Even an "old kid" like I am is planning to do these again, next time I'm there.

Wolf

I absolutely knew that you guys would come through with some excellent and appropriate ideas! Thanks! I will report back in August and let you know how it went..

I think you will enjoy yourself Esperanza. Bilbao has apparently some of the best tapas bars in the country and I found the people there to be very friendly and helpful. If you come back to the Pais Vasco, try to visit San Sebastian and Santander, both glorious, elegant holiday towns.

Yes, the Tapas (called "Pinxtos" in Euskadi) are GREAT, even if they arent free like in Granada . Your best bet for tapas is going to be any of the little bars around the Plaza Mayor in Casco Viejo, there are tons!

Well, 'pintxos' aren't free, however, at the Basque Country's eateries, I suspect most everybody gets to have one or two for free . This is how the system works; you just keep either helping yourself to the varied trays of pintxos, or asking the waiters for the ones that need to be readily made (while wash them down with lots of 'txacoli'(white wine) and/or 'zuritos'(small beers) ; and upon leaving you tell the waiters how many you've had. Weeell, from my experience, everyone "declares" at least one less than they have enjoyed! (I do believe it's understood too, so that's ok )

Anyway, "Espe" try the 'chipirones Pelayo', which are only prepared in that region, as far as I know, and are worth trying!

¡Qué tengas un viaje fenomenal!

I had decided long time ago not to post anymore at MM's, but I came accross your last post and I must say I have never heard such a lie in my life.

I, my friends, and everyone who I know, including people passing by, either in Madrid or (much more) in the Basque Country always declare all they have had. No matter how busy waiters may be.

May I remind you that 'vizcainos' (biscaynes) more or less meant 'honest' or 'gentleman' in the 16th Century?

By the way, I simply loath the way you speak about the Basque Country. I can hardly imagine more lies and right-winged fascist one-sided biased inputs.