A flower puppy, a gondola from 1893, a market that oversells itself

Bilbao's sights string along the river, from the Guggenheim to the Casco Viejo. Leave the car in one garage and walk the bank.

1. Circle Puppy before the museum opens

Jeff Koons's flower-covered Puppy stands outside the Guggenheim, Gehry's building from 1997. Inside, Steve McQueen's show runs to 21 February 2027.

2. Cross Zubizuri to the right bank

Zubizuri, the white footbridge, opened the same year as the museum. It lands you by the funicular.

3. Ride the funicular up Artxanda

The Artxanda funicular has climbed 770 m of track since 1915. Go up for the view back over the river; I'd time it for late afternoon.

4. Doubt the Ribera's biggest-market claim

Guides call Mercado de la Ribera Europe's largest covered market. Guinness in 1990 said "most complete municipal food market", which is a different claim. Fish downstairs, meat in the middle, fruit on top.

5. Hang over the river at Puente Bizkaia

The Vizcaya Bridge has carried a gondola between Portugalete and Getxo since 1893, and it's been UNESCO-listed since 2006. The crossing takes about 90 seconds and costs under €1.

6. Walk through the old Alhóndiga

Azkuna Zentroa, the old Alhóndiga, reopened as a culture centre in 2010. Telpark's garage is underneath, which makes it my wet-day plan.

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Pinchos morunos, pil-pil and a txikiteo

1. Order the moruno at Iruña

Café Iruña opened on 7 July 1903 and still grills pinchos morunos, spiced skewers, in its Mudéjar rooms. Open every day.

2. Do a txikiteo in Plaza Nueva

A txikiteo is a bar crawl with a small glass of txakoli or wine at each stop. Start under the arcades at Victor Montes and Sorginzulo.

3. Eat cod al pil-pil once

Bacalao al pil-pil is cod in a sauce emulsified from its own oil. Bilbao treats it as its own dish.

4. Buy lunch at the Ribera

The fish counters at the Ribera are where I'd shop for a picnic. Add a txuleta at a steakhouse if you've walked enough.

Talo in December, BBK Live in July, the Great Week in August

1. Eat talo on 21 December

The Santo Tomás fair fills the centre with talo, chorizo and cider stalls. Turismo Euskadi lists 21–22 December 2026. I'd leave the car in a garage.

2. Book early for BBK Live

Bilbao BBK Live returns to Kobetamendi on 8–10 July 2027, the organiser says. That's the 21st edition.

3. Wait for the Aste Nagusia dates

The Great Week, held in its modern form since 1978, runs nine days from the first Saturday after 15 August. The 2027 dates aren't published; that rule gives 21 August.

A charter from 1300, a siege, and a metro in 1995

1. Date the town to 1300

Diego López V de Haro founded Bilbao in 1300. I'd read the old town's street plan with that date in mind.

2. Remember the 1874 siege

Carlist forces besieged Bilbao from February to May 1874. I'd count it as the siege that shaped the city's memory.

3. Credit the metro before the museum

The metro opened in 1995, two years before the Guggenheim. The second made the headlines; the first is why you can leave the car outside.