. The economic capital of Spain’s Basque region, the port city saw its fortunes soar in the 19th and early 20th centuries thanks to its steel and shipbuilding industries. When those collapsed in the 1980’s, Bilbao crashed with them, plagued by pollution and drugs and caught in the fight between Basque separatists and the Spanish government. Today, though, Bilbao is a city reborn.Once grimy riverfronts have been turned into parks and the streets are buzzing with both locals and visitors, turning the city into a cultural and culinary capital that is perhaps best represented by Bilbao’s most recognizable landmark – the gleaming Guggenheim museum, which opened in 1994. On this full-day tour, we’ll walk Bilbao’s backstreets and stop into the local eateries – old and new – that tell this city’s remarkable tale of renewal.
We’ll start our day in the Casco Viejo, Bilbao’s old town, a charming labyrinth of narrow streets, bustling markets, and historic buildings. Here, we’ll first visit one of the city’s great survivors, Mercado La Ribera, considered to be the largest covered market in Europe. Although built in 1929, there has been a market at this location since Medieval times. We’ll walk through the colorful aisles, meeting local vendors and tasting some essential market eats. From La Ribera, we’ll wander through the Casco Viejo’s side streets to an old-school breakfast spot – in true Basque fashion, a bar – that’s been in business since 1924. Here we’ll get a taste of classic Bilbao breakfast sandwiches, accompanied by traditional tart Basque cider. At our next stop, a family-run shop in business since 1931 that specializes in selling all types of preserved fish, we’ll learn about the local obsession with salt cod, the key role it plays in Basque cuisine and get a taste of one of the store’s specialties.
Continuing our exploration of classic Basque flavors, our next stop will be at a 100-year-old bodega for our first pintxos – the region’s famous bar snacks – and a taste of txakoli, the minerally and fresh wine made from the native Hondarrabi grape and which itself has seen a revival in recent years. Working our way through the heart of town, we’ll take in some architectural treasures before sitting down at one of the newer spots responsible for the resurgence of Bilbao’s culinary scene. Here, we’ll taste some “new wave” dishes that lovingly riff on classic recipes, including the restaurant’s celebrated Spanish omelette and cod pil pil. Before the day is over, we’ll have a tasting of artisanal regional cheeses, pop into a beloved tavern run by the same family since 1943 to join the locals for afternoon pintxos and wine, check out the striking stained glass windows – and the surprisingly sophisticated to-go food – in Bilbao’s old train station, and then stop by a decades-old pastry shop to pick up a whimsical local speciality, the Carolina, a tower of meringue sitting inside a puff pastry cup. Carolinas in hand, we’ll walk a bit more to say our goodbyes in front of Bilbao’s pride and joy, the Guggenheim, our story of the city’s rebirth now complete.
