This half day Bilbao shore trip centers on the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao's most visited attraction, followed by a driving tour of the modern city.
Bilbao is the capital of Biscay (Vizcaya in Spanish), one of the three Basque provinces of Spain. The city's origins trace back to a historic port in what is now the Arenal, a few steps from the Casco Viejo, or Old Town. Bilbao first became a destination for visitors when the railway to the coastal town of Getxo opened in 1872, but tourism took off after the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao opened in 1997. The museum now draws more than 1.3 million visitors a year.
Your tour starts at the museum, and the time you spend there depends on your interests: an express visit runs about an hour, though most guests end up spending closer to two. Afterward, the rest of the tour is shaped by how much time is left. Thanks to its history and location between mountains and sea, Bilbao mixes architecture, tradition, and industry in a way few Spanish cities do, so you might spend the remaining time on a driving tour past the city's modern buildings, or on a stroll through the old town.
At the end of the tour, your guide returns you to the pier.