Spain — Bilbao

The big city of the Basque region (Euskal Herria), Bilbao was a great, verdant, mountainous city. City center is relatively flat, and the river Nervión runs through it and divides city center from the Old Town (Casca Vieja), which sits at the foot of some truly steep neighborhoods. There are many many many steps, but also public elevators that can whisk you up at any time.

Formerly an industrial working town, Bilbao has in the past few decades transformed itself into a post-industrial artsy destination. The Guggenhiem museum, designed by Frank Gehry, is the centerpiece of the transformation, but the hustle of the 7 streets, the off-the-beaten path mountain neighborhoods, and the stunning landscape backdrops made this our favorite city. Plus, the rain wasn't bad that week.

Click on any image to enter the slideshow.

  • Slide 1: Flying to Bilbao
    Flying to Bilbao
  • Slide 2: The ride from the airport is interesting
    The ride from the airport is interesting
  • Slide 3: Squatters defending their territory
    Squatters defending their territory
  • Slide 4: CNT (anarchist trade union) offices in Bilbao
    CNT (anarchist trade union) offices in Bilbao
  • Slide 5: Spanish Halloween witches, in traditional Converse hi-tops
    Spanish Halloween witches, in traditional Converse hi-tops
  • Slide 6: The (Orange) Cone family
    The (Orange) Cone family
  • Slide 7: Bilbao City Hall
    Bilbao City Hall
  • Slide 8: The River Nervión at night
    The River Nervión at night
  • Slide 9: Open plaza leading up to one of Bilbao's mountain neighborhoods
    Open plaza leading up to one of Bilbao's mountain neighborhoods
  • Slide 10: Pizzeria Trozo: busy, good
    Pizzeria Trozo: busy, good
  • Slide 11: Bilbao, like Baltimore, was gifted a Bolivar statue
    Bilbao, like Baltimore, was gifted a Bolivar statue
  • Slide 12: Statuary on a building
    Statuary on a building
  • Slide 13: Every other Spanish girl wore Converse hi-tops
    Every other Spanish girl wore Converse hi-tops
  • Slide 14: Basque Country Cultural Heritage
    Basque Country Cultural Heritage
  • Slide 15: Plaza Federico Moyua, in city center
    Plaza Federico Moyua, in city center
  • Slide 16: Fountain in the Plaza Federico Moyua
    Fountain in the Plaza Federico Moyua
  • Slide 17: Chavarri Palace
    Chavarri Palace
  • Slide 18: Cool construction material delivery lift
    Cool construction material delivery lift
  • Slide 19: Scenic park along the shopping street
    Scenic park along the shopping street
  • Slide 20: More stunning architecture
    More stunning architecture
  • Slide 21: Semi-obscene statuary
    Semi-obscene statuary
  • Slide 22: Attention to detail, even on the undersides
    Attention to detail, even on the undersides
  • Slide 23: More poet statues please!
    More poet statues please!
  • Slide 24: Jesus is very concerned about the traffic here
    Jesus is very concerned about the traffic here
  • Slide 25: Building scale
    Building scale
  • Slide 26: Skulpture
    Skulpture
  • Slide 27: Skulpture detail
    Skulpture detail
  • Slide 28: Subtle river stairs to nowhere
    Subtle river stairs to nowhere
  • Slide 29: Moutainous hills to the north
    Moutainous hills to the north
  • Slide 30: Fascinating designs
    Fascinating designs
  • Slide 31: And of course, Frank Gehry's Guggenheim
    And of course, Frank Gehry's Guggenheim
  • Slide 32: Soap bubbles in front of the Guggenheim
    Soap bubbles in front of the Guggenheim
  • Slide 33: Luxury across the Nervión
    Luxury across the Nervión
  • Slide 34: Sculpture in front of the Guggenheim
    Sculpture in front of the Guggenheim
  • Slide 35: A smoke machine floods the pool at the museum
    A smoke machine floods the pool at the museum
  • Slide 36: Clarinetist plays ¡Ay Carmela!
    Clarinetist plays ¡Ay Carmela!
  • Slide 37: The spider at the Guggenheim
    The spider at the Guggenheim
  • Slide 38: Stairs a'plenty in Bilbao
    Stairs a'plenty in Bilbao
  • Slide 39: Art in the park along the river
    Art in the park along the river
  • Slide 40: "Las Sirgeuras" along the river
    "Las Sirgeuras" along the river
  • Slide 41: Las Sirgeuras detail
    Las Sirgeuras detail
  • Slide 42: Statue alongside a kids' playground
    Statue alongside a kids' playground
  • Slide 43: Hotel neighbor tending to her herbs
    Hotel neighbor tending to her herbs
  • Slide 44: Streets as steep as San Francicso
    Streets as steep as San Francicso
  • Slide 45: Lovely buildings on narrow winding streets
    Lovely buildings on narrow winding streets
  • Slide 46: The Funicular workers were on strike while we were there
    The Funicular workers were on strike while we were there
  • Slide 47: Plaza at the foot of the stairs
    Plaza at the foot of the stairs
  • Slide 48: Whole neighborhoods to explore up the hill
    Whole neighborhoods to explore up the hill
  • Slide 49: …but it's a climb!
    …but it's a climb!
  • Slide 50: Great views at the top
    Great views at the top
  • Slide 51: Unique façade at the park
    Unique façade at the park
  • Slide 52: Houses up the hill, where real people live
    Houses up the hill, where real people live
  • Slide 53: Laundry drying out the window
    Laundry drying out the window
  • Slide 54: Skatepark in a former industrial site
    Skatepark in a former industrial site
  • Slide 55: Great buildings and captivating views
    Great buildings and captivating views
  • Slide 56: Great buildings and captivating views
    Great buildings and captivating views
  • Slide 57: I just want to live in that
    I just want to live in that
  • Slide 58: Building for density in a mountainous area
    Building for density in a mountainous area
  • Slide 59: Where Simon Bolivar lived, if we need to send his statues back
    Where Simon Bolivar lived, if we need to send his statues back
  • Slide 60: Great windows on the corner
    Great windows on the corner
  • Slide 61: Fabulous trees in a plaza
    Fabulous trees in a plaza
  • Slide 62: Pedestrian bridge at night
    Pedestrian bridge at night
  • Slide 63: Pedestrian bridge interior
    Pedestrian bridge interior
  • Slide 64: Basque, or maybe Klingon
    Basque, or maybe Klingon
  • Slide 65: City workers clean up after a wind storm with mini-truck
    City workers clean up after a wind storm with mini-truck
  • Slide 66: Little vegan bakery in the 7 streets
    Little vegan bakery in the 7 streets
  • Slide 67: The River Nervión, sullied by storm waters
    The River Nervión, sullied by storm waters
  • Slide 68: Famous bridge over the Nervión
    Famous bridge over the Nervión
  • Slide 69: Inside the Guggenheim lobby
    Inside the Guggenheim lobby
  • Slide 70: Video feature; Marine Hugonnier
    Video feature; Marine Hugonnier
  • Slide 71: Insanely cool Ellsworth Kelly pieces
    Insanely cool Ellsworth Kelly pieces
  • Slide 72: Must be entered to be experienced
    Must be entered to be experienced
  • Slide 73: Walking through the spiral
    Walking through the spiral
  • Slide 74: 3 Picassos and 1 Yellow Coat
    3 Picassos and 1 Yellow Coat
  • Slide 75: Picasso sculpture
    Picasso sculpture
  • Slide 76: Picasso sculpture
    Picasso sculpture
  • Slide 77: Ellsworth Kelly pieces from above
    Ellsworth Kelly pieces from above
  • Slide 78: The scale is crazy
    The scale is crazy
  • Slide 79: 3 Picassos
    3 Picassos
  • Slide 80: 6 Picassos
    6 Picassos
  • Slide 81: 2 Picassos
    2 Picassos
  • Slide 82: One tall thin Picasso
    One tall thin Picasso
  • Slide 83: Picasso's girl on a swing
    Picasso's girl on a swing
  • Slide 84: Picasso head profile
    Picasso head profile
  • Slide 85: Picasso head portrait
    Picasso head portrait
  • Slide 86: You cannot unsee the Warrior Muppet
    You cannot unsee the Warrior Muppet
  • Slide 87: Gilbert & George at scale
    Gilbert & George at scale
  • Slide 88: Always nice to see the boys
    Always nice to see the boys
  • Slide 89: Jeff Koons' shiny candy
    Jeff Koons' shiny candy
  • Slide 90: Basquiat at the Guggenheim
    Basquiat at the Guggenheim
  • Slide 91: Children draw in front of a Pablo Palanzuelo
    Children draw in front of a Pablo Palanzuelo
  • Slide 92: Basquiat at the Guggenheim
    Basquiat at the Guggenheim
  • Slide 93: Rising Sea
    Rising Sea
  • Slide 94: Rising Sea detail
    Rising Sea detail
  • Slide 95: Carefully woven with metal tabs
    Carefully woven with metal tabs
  • Slide 96: Jeff Koons' "El Puppy" in front of the Guggenheim
    Jeff Koons' "El Puppy" in front of the Guggenheim
  • Slide 97: Reflections near the Guggenheim
    Reflections near the Guggenheim
  • Slide 98: Church steeples
    Church steeples
  • Slide 99: Statues in the sky
    Statues in the sky
  • Slide 100: Two old Basque men in their txapelas (boinas)
    Two old Basque men in their txapelas (boinas)
  • Slide 101: The train station
    The train station
  • Slide 102: Gorgeous views along the river
    Gorgeous views along the river
  • Slide 103: Breathtaking skies
    Breathtaking skies
  • Slide 104: Headless statue guards the apartments
    Headless statue guards the apartments
  • Slide 105: The mountainside at dusk
    The mountainside at dusk
  • Slide 106: One of the many neighboorhood stairways
    One of the many neighboorhood stairways
  • Slide 107: Early morning departure for Madrid
    Early morning departure for Madrid