Pamplona
Explore Pamplona with your family: walk ancient city walls, climb a cathedral bell tower, discover the Running of the Bulls route, and eat your way through the old town.
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🇪🇸Bilbao
Discover Bilbao with your family: the Guggenheim, pintxos crawls in Casco Viejo, the Artxanda funicular, and a city that genuinely welcomes kids at every turn.
Your family guide
Bilbao with kids: Guggenheim, pintxos and Basque culture
“Industrial city turned cultural powerhouse. Bilbao proves that urban reinvention can create brilliant family destinations.”
— San & Jo
Bilbao is one of those cities that genuinely catches families off guard. You arrive expecting a gritty industrial port town and instead find a walkable, welcoming city where a titanium museum glitters beside the river, playgrounds line the promenade, and every bar counter is stacked with beautiful little bites of food that children actually enjoy.
The contrast between Casco Viejo, the atmospheric medieval old quarter with its narrow stone streets and buzzing market, and the sleek modern waterfront along the Nervión River is what gives Bilbao its character. You can wander 15th-century alleyways in the morning and stand in front of a giant flower-covered puppy sculpture in the afternoon. It never feels like two different cities; it feels like one city that has a lot to say.
For families, Bilbao works beautifully. The city is compact and easy to navigate on foot, the food culture is fun and low-pressure, and the mix of world-class art, local football passion, and Basque history gives everyone in your group something to latch onto. This is a city break that earns its place on the family travel shortlist.
Basque CountryNorthern Spain
Mild and greenBest April to October
Bilbao Airport (BIO)Nearest major airport
Best things to do
Best things to do in Bilbao
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Even before you go inside, the Guggenheim is an experience. Frank Gehry's titanium-clad building shimmers and shifts as you walk around it, and the outdoor sculptures, including Jeff Koons' enormous flower-covered Puppy and Louise Bourgeois' towering Maman spider, are genuinely thrilling for kids. The modern and contemporary art inside ranges from immersive installations to large-scale paintings that spark real conversation.
Arrive early on weekdays to beat tour groups at the outdoor sculptures
2-3 hours
Casco Viejo and the Siete Calles
The old town is the beating heart of Bilbao. The Siete Calles, seven medieval streets dating back to the 15th century, are packed with pintxos bars, independent shops, and local life. Wander through to Plaza Nueva, peek into Santiago Cathedral, and end up at Mercado de la Ribera, one of the largest covered markets in Europe, which has stood on this site in some form since the 14th century.
Plaza Nueva hosts a Sunday market, great for a slow family morning
2-3 hours
A pintxos crawl along Ledesma Street
Pintxos are Bilbao's answer to tapas, and doing a crawl with kids is more fun than it sounds. You walk from bar to bar, pick up small skewered bites from the counter, and pay as you go. Ledesma Street is one of the best spots for this, and classics like Gildas (anchovy, olive, and pepper skewers) and mushroom pastry bites are crowd-pleasers even for younger eaters.
Go between 7pm and 9pm when the bars are lively but not yet packed
1-2 hours
Artxanda Funicular
The Artxanda Funicular has been carrying passengers up to the top of Mount Artxanda since 1915, and the ride itself is half the fun. At the top, you get sweeping panoramic views over the whole city, including the Guggenheim, San Mamés Stadium, and the river winding through the urban landscape. There is open green space up here too, perfect for kids to run around after a day of sightseeing.
The views at sunset are spectacular and worth timing your visit around
1-2 hours
San Mamés Stadium
Athletic Club is one of the most unique football clubs in the world, fielding only players from the Basque Country. Their home ground, San Mamés, opened in 2013 and replaced the legendary old stadium known as La Catedral. For football-loving families, a stadium tour or match day visit is a genuinely special experience steeped in local pride and Basque identity.
Check the match calendar before you book your trip, attending a home game is brilliant
1-2 hours
Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park
This is Bilbao's green lung, and locals love it. The park has a lake, fountains, a beautiful pergola, and wide open lawns where families spread out for picnics. It sits right next to the Fine Arts Museum, so it makes a natural pairing: art in the morning, park in the afternoon. Nap-time logistics sorted.
The ducks on the lake are a guaranteed hit with toddlers
1-2 hours
Zubizuri Bridge and the Waterfront
Santiago Calatrava's Zubizuri is a glowing cable bridge that spans the Nervión River, and it is just as striking up close as in photos. The whole waterfront promenade is stroller-friendly, lined with playgrounds, and gives you a fantastic perspective on the city's architectural transformation. Walk it in either direction and you will pass landmarks at every turn.
The bridge is illuminated at night, making an evening stroll particularly lovely
1 hour
Our verdict
How Bilbao scores for families
Kids
Stroller-friendly waterfront, playgrounds along the river, and an interactive food culture make Bilbao surprisingly easy with children of all ages.
Culture
The Guggenheim alone would justify a visit, but the Basque heritage, Fine Arts Museum, and medieval old town make this a genuinely rich cultural destination.
Food
Pintxos culture is fun, accessible, and affordable. The variety means even picky eaters find something, and the bar-hopping format keeps things lively.
Nature
The park and the Artxanda hilltop offer green breathing room, but Bilbao is primarily an urban destination. Day trips to the Basque coast add natural variety.
Budget
Pintxos make eating out affordable, but museum entry and accommodation in the city centre add up. Mid-range is realistic for most families.
Planning your visit
How long should you stay in Bilbao?
1
1 day
Quick visit
The Guggenheim, a pintxos crawl in Casco Viejo, and a walk along the waterfront. You will get a taste but leave wanting more.
sweet spot
3
3 days
Sweet spot
Enough time to explore the old town properly, ride the funicular, visit both major museums, catch a meal at a proper Basque restaurant, and still have a relaxed afternoon in the park.
5
5 days
Deep dive
Add day trips to the Bizkaia transporter bridge, the Basque coastline, or the hills above the city. You will start to feel like a local by the end.
Fun facts
Things to know about Bilbao
The fountain of dogs that are actually lions
In Casco Viejo there is a fountain decorated with lion sculptures. Locals nicknamed it the fountain of dogs because, back in the day, most people in Bilbao had never actually seen a real lion and had no idea what one looked like. The name stuck.
Puppy is made of 50,000 flowers
Jeff Koons' giant Puppy sculpture outside the Guggenheim is covered in around 50,000 living flowers that are replanted with the seasons. There is an internal irrigation system hidden inside the steel frame that keeps every single one of them alive. Your kids can try to count them. They will not succeed.
Bilbao used to be one of Spain's biggest industrial cities
In the 1800s and early 1900s, Bilbao was the second most industrial city in Spain after Barcelona. The whole area around the river was filled with shipyards and steel works. Today, the Guggenheim sits on land that was once a working industrial port. The transformation is one of the most dramatic urban reinventions in modern European history.
Taste Bilbao
What to eat with your family in Bilbao
Pintxos
Must tryGure Toki, Plaza Nueva
The cornerstone of Bilbao's food culture. Small skewered bites served on bread or in pastry, lined up along every bar counter. Classics include Gildas (anchovy, olive, and guindilla pepper) and hot scallop pintxos. The format is relaxed and self-service, which makes it genuinely easy with kids.
Mushroom pastry pintxo
Kids love itCafé Iruña, Casco Viejo
One of the most popular pintxos for younger eaters. Sautéed mushrooms in a crisp pastry shell, rich and savoury without being challenging. You will find versions of this at almost every pintxos bar in the city.
Bacalao (salt cod)
Local favouriteEtxanobe, Palacio Euskalduna
Bacalao is a pillar of Basque cooking and appears on menus across the city in many forms. Purrusalda, a gentle stew of cod with leeks, potatoes, and carrots, is one of the most approachable versions for families and has been on Bilbao tables for generations.
Mejillones tigres
Safe choiceMercado de la Ribera, Casco Viejo
Fried stuffed mussels with a spiced filling, breaded and deep-fried until golden. They are a Bilbao bar staple and a brilliant introduction to Basque seafood for kids who are willing to be a little adventurous.
Creative Basque tasting menu
Must tryRestaurant Mina, Nervión estuary
For a special family dinner, Restaurant Mina sits above a former mine along the Nervión estuary and holds one Michelin star. The tasting menus use locally sourced Basque ingredients and the setting is genuinely memorable. Best saved for older kids or a grown-up evening out.
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