Geography
Located at the mouth of the Nervion, Ibaizabal and Cadagua rivers, the city of Bilbao features suburbs extending to the Bay of Biscay. The climate is generally mild, with the hottest months in July and August.
Museums
The Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, built in 1997, is the most famous of Bilbao's museums. It houses a collection of classical Spanish artworks, contemporary art, and art from the Basque region. Bilbao also has a Basque Museum, Museum of Religious Art, Maritime Museum and Bullfighting Museum.
Food
The food in Bilbao follows the Basque tradition of simple cooking, fresh ingredients including seafood and small tapas-like servings. A local custom is "txikiteo," which involves bar-hopping from place to place sampling plates of food before dinner.
Culture
Bilbao has a thriving musical scene, with major operas staged at the Palacio Euskalduna each year. The Bilbao Symphony Orchestra and Municipal Band also perform there.
Outdoors
The city of Bilbao has more than 30 miles of bike lanes, with more planned in the near future. The nearby Gorbeia and Urkiola ranges of hills are designated nature preserves, with horse riding, hiking, adventure tours and rowing available.
Article Written By Hailey Williams
Hailey Williams is a freelance writer and editor from Los Angeles, California. She has a particular interest in culture, lifestyle, health, and women's interest reporting, and her work has been published in magazines including TV Week and Sugar. She graduated from the University of Sydney.
