Getaway to Bilbao with entrance to the Guggenheim Museum

We start the day in the Casco Viejo or seven streets, the heart of the city. The first stop is the Church of San Antón, beautiful inside and out and with a location next to the estuary that makes this temple a most photographed place of interest. It is so popular among the people of Bilbao that it is portrayed on the city's coat of arms. If you want to enter, the ticket is purchased at the same venue and you can also buy the combined ticket that also includes a visit to the Cathedral of Santiago, our next stop. The price is more than affordable and there are usually no queues since there are many visitors who take pictures from outside, without entering the temple. The Cathedral of Santiago, located a few steps from the church of San Antón, is a Gothic construction built between the 14th and 15th centuries, although its beautiful façade, later rebuilt, is neoclassical in style. With three naves, of which the main one is the tallest at 22.5 meters high, without a doubt what is most striking are its stained glass windows, the celestial vault of the Sacristy and the cloister. At the end of the visit to the cathedral, it is a good time to go to the Plaza Nueva, a meeting place for Bilbao residents and, of course, a good place to eat and try some of the region's famous pintxos with their corresponding txakoli, wine Basque par excellence. After replenishing energy, head towards the estuary. From there you will quickly reach the Arriaga Theatre. A beautiful neo-baroque theater from the 19th century and built in honour of Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, a young musical prodigy from Bilbao who, when he died at the age of just 19, had already composed more than 20 works. This building stands out for its main façade and its decorative elements, which take the Paris Opera House as a reference. 

If you continue walking along the Ría de Bilbao, along the Paseo Campo de Volantín, you will find the famous Calatrava bridge: the Puente Zubizuri, a white, arched structure that simulates a sailboat 10 meters from the water of the estuary. Cross it and continue walking along the other side of the estuary to reach the impressive Guggenheim Museum.  The first thing that strikes you about this museum is its exterior sculptures: Puppy, the famous flowered dog and Mama, the great spider with eight giant legs. But, what is also really pure art is the avant-garde architecture of the building that has become a symbol of the city. Designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, this monumental sculpture covers an area of 24,000 square meters and houses large permanent collections of contemporary art and other temporary exhibitions. We recommend that you spend time visiting it, It usually lasts about 3 hours, so you should enter the museum in the early afternoon, around 3 or 3:30 p.m. since the museum closes at 7:00 p.m. 

When you finish seeing the museum's exhibitions and its enormous sculptures, you can return via Puente de la Salve, the Guggenheim bridge. On the other side of the estuary is the funicular to reach the Mirador de Artxanda. From this viewpoint, you can see the entire city of Bilbao. Its red railing with the word Bilbao and its panoramic views have made this viewpoint a place worth photographing. Also, if you fancy dinner, there are good restaurants and bars in this area where you can eat a good steak or cod. Now, we recommend that you enjoy txikiteo, going from bar to bar eating pintxos and having a txikito (small glass of wine). The busiest areas are the Casco Viejo, especially Plaza Unamuno, Ledesma street and Diputación street. Here you can taste a wide variety of pintxos while you enjoy the joy and energy of the people of Bilbao. You're going to love it!