We traveled by train to Bilbao from San Sebastian because someone told us that the two-and-a-half hour ride was scenic. It was not. By bus it is only one-and-a-half-hours. Bilbao is one of the most sought out cities in Spain today. It was not always that way. The host at our Airbnb told us that the city was transformed by the building of the Guggenheim Museum from an industrial city to a today not-to-be-missed stop in the Basque country. The museum, opened on October 21, 1959, was responsible for the cleaning of the Nervion river where the museum sits and for a cultural revival in the city. Our Airbnb was a comfortable walk to the Nervion and an easy access to the museum via one the bridges. The magnificent architecture of the Guggenheim is breathtaking and the interior is well organized. It was the highlight of our visit. We also found the metro a quick and convenient way to travel around parts of the city. There was plenty of help from attendants for direction and the purchase of multiple day cards. The Casco Viejo (Old Quarter) offered endless choices of foods for meals and interesting streets.
Close up of the Guggenheim Museum.
One of the interesting sights in Bilboa: colorful apartments with balcony flowers. We found so many balconies with red geraniums all over northern Spain that we wondered if they were mandated by law.
