12 Step Planet: Bilbao

How Do I Get There?
Right now’s the perfect time to plan your early summer break at knock-down prices. Aer Lingus fly direct to Bilbao three days a week from May. Alternatively Ryanair will take you to Santander, also from May – it’s only a short hop along the coast to Bilbao.
When Should I Go?
This isn’t the Costa del Sol. It’s the Costa Verde (the Green Coast) – so-called because it gets a fair bit of rain rolling in off the Atlantic. So if you’re looking for guaranteed heat you probably need to wait till July/August. But this part of Spain isn’t about the weather. It’s about the culture, the ambience and the food, so anytime from May to September is good. If you time it right and avoid the ssummer, you can check out local (and we really mean “local” – traditionally all the players are Basques) heroes Athletic Bilbao.
What are the touristy things to do?
Bilbao is the home to the Guggenheim Museum’s European outpost. The building itself is remarkable, a stunning Frank Gehry interpretation of a sailing ship. While the structure is breathtaking, it’s not the only star of the show. The exhibits range from funky Jeff Koons pop art to physically imposing steel structures, designed to challenge your sense of space and balance. You can spend hours there or treat it as something to dip into.
Anything else?
Bilbao’s now got it’s own (almost) free sight-seeing tour, with the local version of the Luas running along the banks of the river Nervin, around the main shopping districts and then alongside the city’s medieval quarter, known as Zazpikaleak (Casco Viejo in Spanish). The latter is a brilliant maze of seven streets which used to be the walled part of the town until the end of the 1800s. The narrow streets and alleyways combine brilliantly to make it both fantastically engaging and occasionally disorienting. It’s worth taking a stroll there for the architecture alone.
What about eating?
Considering the sheer number of bars and restaurants you'd think that the Basques do nothing else but dine out. You’d be right. Breakfast is light, but you’ll have a little snack at 11, lunch from about 2-3.30, a few light pintxos (the Basque country version of tapas/pintos) between 6-9, washed down with gorgeous fresh white wine aperitif Txakoli and then tuck into dinner from about 9.30. What do you mean is there time to do anything else? The food in Bilbao is very good value – you can eat in smashing restaurants like Casco Veijo for circa €20 a head including a fine Spanish wine. When you’re dealing with pintxos, it’s often done on an honour system so DO remember what you’ve had.
What should I avoid?
Wearing a Spanish national team football jersey – or even worse a Real Madrid one! Seriously. Despite being proud of Xabi Alonso's achievements with Spain, Basques are proud of their separate identity and have a fiercely independent streak. The Basque language, Euskara, is widely used and anything that could be construed as related to Madrid or (worse) General Franco will provoke withering glances.
How much to get tanked?
Drinks are good value as long as they’re Spanish. In local bars, generous glasses of wine or local beers will set you back around €2. We mentioned Txakoli as an aperitif earlier, but in reality it’s drinkable at any time of night or day. It is a lightly sparkling white wine, with a crispness that makes it sinfully easy to drink. The pouring is almost a spectator sport – from a height and with a large clatter of glass and bottle. In the Casco Veijo there’s a well know ritual of “txikiteo“, essentially a civilised version of the pub crawl. You’ll last the evening a lot better if every stop is accompanied by the house’s best pintxos.
What should I bring home?
Well Txakoli is the obvious tipple. But it won’t keep for more then a year, so drink early and often! Bilbao also has “Pupi”. Normally, we avoid cheesy mascots and Pupi adorns everything from t-shirts to mugs. But he’s based on a work of art by Jeff Koons standing outside the Guggenheim and has become the city’s mascot of choice.
Why should I go?
Bilbao is a great example of a genuine working city that’s got a lot to offer for a weekender and is also a decent stop on a tour of the Costa Verde or the Basque Country.
Why should I not go?
Bilbao isn’t on the coast. So if you’re looking for a beach-based Basque gastro fest, San Sebastian’s a better bet. However, beaches are only 20 minutes away by bus/train.
What’s my challenge?
To order your food and drink in Euskara. The Basques will love it if you use their native tongue – there are lots of k’s in it, and the “tx” is pronounced like a ‘ch’. Give it a lash.