Bilbao Spain
Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque Country and the standard example of a post-industrial turnaround: a shipbuilding and steel town that rebuilt itself around culture and design after the yards closed. The Guggenheim opened in 1997 and is the symbol of it, but the more useful thing for a visitor is that the whole city was replanned at the same time, so the riverside is walkable, the metro is excellent and the centre is compact.
It is also a serious food city. The Basque pintxo tradition means standing at a bar eating small plates rather than sitting down to dinner, and the old town has streets of places doing exactly that. For conference purposes everything is close together: the Euskalduna centre, the Guggenheim and most of the hotels sit within about a kilometre of each other along the Nervion.
- Guggenheim Bilbao - Gehry’s titanium building is the reason most people come, and it is a ten-minute walk from the conference centre. Worth seeing even if you skip the collection.
- Casco Viejo - the old town across the river, seven streets of pintxo bars, and the place to eat in the evening.
- Mercado de la Ribera - the covered market on the riverbank, one of the largest in Europe, good at lunchtime.
- Artxanda funicular - three minutes up to a viewpoint over the whole city and the river valley.
- Azkuna Zentroa - a converted wine warehouse by Philippe Starck, now a cultural centre with a glass-bottomed rooftop pool.
- San Sebastian - an hour away by bus and one of the great eating cities in the world. The obvious day trip if you add a day.
Bilbao Airport (BIO) is 12 km north of the city at Loiu and is small and easy. The Bizkaibus A3247 runs to the centre in about 25 minutes for a few euros, and a taxi takes 15 to 20 minutes. Flight options are mostly European; from outside Europe you will usually connect through Madrid, Barcelona, Paris or Frankfurt. The alternative is to fly to Biarritz or San Sebastian and come along the coast, or take the high speed train from Madrid, which is around five hours and not generally worth it over the flight.
Walk, and use the metro for anything longer. The Norman Foster designed metro is clean and fast, with its glass entrance canopies that locals call fosteritos. A Barik card covers metro, tram and bus and is cheaper than single tickets. The Euskotren tram runs along the river past Euskalduna and the Guggenheim and is the easiest way between the conference centre and the old town. The Artxanda funicular is a three-minute ride to the viewpoint above the city. Driving is unnecessary and the centre has restricted zones.
Late July, when CogSci runs, is high summer and about as warm as Bilbao gets: 20 to 27C, long evenings, and busy. But this is the Atlantic coast, not the Mediterranean, and Bilbao is genuinely one of the rainiest cities in Spain, so a shower is possible in any month and a light waterproof is worth packing even in July. May, June and September are mild and quieter. Note that Aste Nagusia, the city’s big August festival, falls a couple of weeks after the conference and fills the city, so leaving late is pleasant but book accordingly.
Map
1 upcoming conference in Bilbao
Bilbao makes this easy. The Euskalduna conference centre sits in Abandoibarra, the redeveloped riverside strip between the Guggenheim and the San Mames stadium, and the city’s business hotels were built around it. Four of the five we list are within 450 m of the hall: the Melia Bilbao at 201 m is the five-star option and effectively next door, NH Collection Villa de Bilbao is 241 m, Catalonia Gran Via 344 m on the main avenue, and NH Bilbao Deusto 430 m across the river. The Akelarre Hostel is the budget choice at 842 m, further into Deusto. That cluster is modern and convenient but quiet in the evenings; the Casco Viejo across the river is where the pintxo bars are and is a fifteen-minute walk or a short tram ride, so consider staying there if you would rather be among the restaurants than beside the venue. Rates rise in July and August and spike during Aste Nagusia in mid-August.
Our picks in Bilbao
A curated selection of hotels chosen for location, value, and fit for conference travellers.
Bilbao Akelarre Hostel
Morgan Kalea 4-6, Deusto, 48015 Bilbao
Friendly hostel in Deusto with a shared kitchen and lounge, 842 m from the Euskalduna centre. The right option for grad students...
Catalonia Gran Via Bilbao
Gran Via Don Diego Lopez de Haro 73, 48011 Bilbao
Four-star on Gran Via with a sun terrace and small pool, 344 m from the Euskalduna centre. Good value for attendees who...
Hotel Melia Bilbao
Lehendakari Leizaola Kalea 29, 48001 Bilbao
Five-star on the riverside between the Guggenheim and the Euskalduna centre, 201 m from the conference hall and the closest bed to...
NH Collection Villa de Bilbao
Gran Via 87, 48011 Bilbao
Large four-star at the western end of Gran Via, 241 m from the Euskalduna centre and beside the San Mames stadium. A...
NH Bilbao Deusto
Francesc Macia Kalea 9, 48014 Bilbao
Straightforward three-star across the river in Deusto, 430 m from the Euskalduna centre and close to the Guggenheim and the Iberdrola tower....
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