Best of Bilbao

Discover Bilbao, a marvel of a Basque Country metropolis that is both modern and historic. The beating heart of the city is its Old Town, home to the city’s oldest landmarks as well as many excellent bars, restaurants, and boutiques. Major sights include the 18th-century Baroque Church of San Nicolás with its two imposing cupolas and the 16th-century Church of San Antón, dedicated to Anthony the Great, an Egyptian saint and the father of monasticism. Other notable sights include the 14th-century Cathedral of Santiago and the Mercado de la Ribera, which, at 107,639 square feet, is the largest covered marketplace in Europe. 

No visit to Bilbao is complete without stopping in at the Guggenheim Museum, a triumph of contemporary architecture designed by the legendary Frank Gehry. This glimmering titanium structure looks more like a sculpture than a building, with its sleek lines curving in virtual defiance of physics. Inside, the museum's nearly 260,000 square feet house a treasure trove of works from sensation modern artists such as Andy Warhol, Anish Kapoor, Mark Rothko, Jeff Koons, Louise Bourgeois, and Eduardo Chillida.