City Experiences &Experience Old Quarter Gran Vía Guggenheim Azkuna Zentroa San Mamés Metropolitan Area Practical Info BILBAO Experience OLD QUARTER What to See What to Visit What to Do What to Buy What to Eat BILBAO Experience What to See OLD QUARTER Santiago Cathedral With a late-Gothic style, the Santiago Cathedral soars into the sky at the heart of the Bilbao’s Old Quarter. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Way of St. James. It has an inviting cloister and can be toured with audio guides in a number of languages. Plaza Nueva This Neoclassical porticoed square is not only an architectural gem, but also one of the city’s nerve centres, especially for the Old Quarter. Here you’ll find bars, restaurants, lively pave- ment cafés, and events like the flea market on Sundays and others planned throughout the year. BILBAO Experience What to See OLD QUARTER La Ribera Market This market has the privilege of being the largest covered market in Europe. Its 10,000 square metres are dedicated to the displaying and selling products brought directly from nearby fish- ing ports and gardens. Located in front of the 7 Calles, it’s a hallmark of the Basque Country that changes colours with the season. It’s quite the experience. San Antón Church It may not be the oldest church in Bilbao, but it is one of the most distinctive. On the banks of the Estuary, its history is intimately tied to Bilbao. It’s even part of the city’s shield. The temple you can see today is Gothic, although its impressive portico is Renaissance and its bell tower Baroque. BILBAO Experience What to See OLD QUARTER City Hall Near the Old Quarter, this elegant and eclectic building only became the city hall at the end of the 19th century. Its luxurious interiors blend the neo-Renaissance inspiration for the ple- nary hall, entrance hall, and stairwell with the exquisite neo-Moorish style of the reception hall, the work of local craftsman José Soler. Its impressive Arabian Hall is not to be missed. Reservations are required for a tour. Call 944 20 43 54 or 944 20 48 10. BILBAO Experience What to Visit OLD QUARTER Archaeology Museum The Archaeology Museum is on the Calzada de Mallona stairs. The museum's mission is to preserve the prehistoric legacy of the Historic Territory of Bizkaia, conduct research and ar- chival work, and share this history with the locals and visitors with a permanent collection of approximately 500 pieces including funerary steles, everyday objects used in the homes of the past, and religious artefacts. Basque Museum The Basque Museum is responsible for collecting, recovering, preserving, and protecting the Basque Country's historical and artistic artefacts and accounts so as to defend its interests and share this history and art with visitors. It receives donations and pieces on loan from private and public collections and also plans events. BILBAO Experience What to Visit OLD QUARTER Diocesan Sacred Art Museum The primary goal of this museum is to preserve, study, and share the historical and artistic heritage of the Diocese of Bilbao. Once dedicated solely to research, it opened to the public in the 20th century. It has a collection of over 2,300 pieces (500 on display) from the 12th to 20th centuries, all from the temples of Bizkaia and many of them created by artists from the province. Easter Procession Museum The Easter Procession Museum of Bilbao is a space dedicated to sharing the history of Holy Week celebrations in Bilbao and exhibiting the city’s artistic and religious heritage. The treas- ures on display here include high-quality imagery of processions and the items used in them encapsulating both devotion and art. BILBAO Experience What to Visit OLD QUARTER Reproductions Museum Visiting this museum entails taking a journey through Europe’s best museums without ever leaving Bilbao. With its permanent and temporary exhibitions, the whole family can learn a great deal about our history. Be sure to sign up for one of the activities organized here. Your expectations are sure to be exceeded. Works from the British Museum, the Louvre, the Vati- can Museums, and more can all be found in one space that breathes art and history in equal measure. BILBAO Experience What to Do OLD QUARTER 7 Calles Known around the world, this cluster of streets is a very lively place with quirky shops, sleek bars full of pintxos, restaurants with something for everyone, and night life. The seven streets are: Somera, Artecalle, Tendería, Belosticalle, Carnicería, Barrencalle, and Barrencalle Barrena. You don’t need to remember their names to have a great time on them. Teatro Arriaga This is the city’s theatre of reference. With top-notch programming, it attracts both locals and people from the surrounding area. Its grand building is a central point of reference for life in Bilbao and the square in front of it also hosts events and gatherings of all kinds. Simply check what’s on and choose what to see. BILBAO Experience What to Do OLD QUARTER El Arenal Historic park and green space at the heart of the “Botxo” (a term of endearment used by lo- cals to refer to Bilbao) that, along with San Nicolás Church and Teatro Arriaga, serves as the entrance to the Old Quarter. At the centre stands a modernist gazebo. Markets, fairs, dances, and more are carried out here. Always lively, this meeting place is sure to be one you’ll visit during your stay in Bilbao. Calzada de Mallona These stairs start in Plaza de Unamuno and lead to the hallowed Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Begoña, the patron saint of Bizkaia. At the bottom, you’ll find theArchaeology Museum a few steps up, you’ll see the gate to the old cemetery also called Mallona. BILBAO Experience What to Buy OLD QUARTER Handicrafts and Basque Products Of course, every city sells its traditional products, but Bilbao takes pride in the special shops dedicated to selling these items in the Old Quarter. You’ll find top-quality handicrafts and quintessentially Basque products. Let them be little mementos of an unforgettable trip. Authentic Shops Bilbao’s Old Quarter is a web of commercial streets full of bars and restaurants, well-known brands, and shops that have been around forever. Here you’ll also find authentic shops with special delicacies: soaps, hats, haute couture and second-hand clothing, umbrellas, nougat, and cod. Come on in and make a purchase. Remember, you’re not likely to find shops like these elsewhere. BILBAO Experience What to Buy OLD QUARTER Gourmet In a country and city particularly devoted to food, there is no shortage of top-quality foods for you to purchase and enjoy back home as you tell your friends and family all about your experience in Bilbao. Cheeses with Designation of Origin Idiazabal, tinned fish canned right on the coast of Bizkaia, honey from nearby mountains, beans, peppers, and a few bottles of txakoli to wash it all down. BILBAO Experience What to Eat OLD QUARTER Pintxos These miniature culinary delights are a spectacle of haute cuisine. Their beauty and irresist- ibility make pairing them with a txakoli one of the top recommended experiences in Bilbao. The Old Quarter has many bars offering a veritable rainbow of pintxos. Choosing which ones to devour is quite challenging. Txikiteo Wine Routes One long-standing Basque tradition is going out with your “kuadrilla” (group of friends) to chat or sing between rounds of drinks and pintxos. As a result, the ambiance at the door of all bars and restaurants in the Old Quarter will act as a magnet pulling you in. BILBAO Experience GRAN VÍA What to See What to Visit What to Do What to Buy BILBAO Experience What to See GRAN VÍA Provincial Council Hall This palace at the centre of Gran Vía was inaugurated in 1900. It is considered the best exam- ple of the eclecticism seen in contemporary Basque art. In addition to being the place where regional administrative affairs are handled, it is also open to visitors. Reservations required, free entry. It is worth visiting. Isozaki Towers Not far from Gran Vía, you can find theIsozaki Atea (Isozaki Gate) towers, named after the Japanese architect who imagined them to be the gate to the city. The complex includes 83-me- tre high twin towers and a number of other buildings with different heights. Its stairs are particularly striking. BILBAO Experience What to See GRAN VÍA Zubi Zuri Bridge This bridge connects two banks of the estuary: Uribarte and Campo Volantín. It’s also known as the “Calatrava bridge” for the architect who designed it. It looks like a sail boat. Its sleek- ness contrasts with the other bridges that cross the estuary, which tend to be made of thick stone. Casa Lezama-Leguizamón In the first decade of the 20th century, many elegant homes were built in the ensanche area of Bilbao. They are monumental buildings with Renaissance and Baroque touches. This building overlooks Gran Vía on one side and Doña Casilda Park on the other. BILBAO Experience What to See GRAN VÍA Sota House Within this collection of early 20th century bourgeois residential homes, the famous Sota Buildingstands apart. It is named after the developer Sir Ramón de la Sota. It is done in the regional style and was inspired by mountains. Although it maintains its original beauty, the building has been fully remodelled, and now provides space for private homes, offices, and commercial businesses.