The Best Day Trips from Bilbao

Bilbao is unusually well placed. Within about an hour and a half you can reach a famous coastline, one of the world’s serious wine regions, and a city many people consider the best place to eat in Europe.

You probably have time for one or two. Here is how they actually differ.

1. Gaztelugatxe — the landscape day

Go if you want the single most striking piece of coast in the Basque Country, and you are happy to climb for it.

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is a tenth-century hermitage on a rock island, reached by a stone causeway and 241 steps. Entry is free, the timed permit is free, and the trip out from Bilbao takes about an hour. Day trips pair it with Bermeo and Gernika, run about $81, and the better ones include the access fees.

The catch: it is the most physically demanding of the four. If stairs are a problem, this is the trip to reconsider — see the steps guide.

2. La Rioja — the wine day

Go if wine is a real interest rather than a nice idea.

Rioja is about an hour and a half south, and the day is bodegas, tastings and some of the more spectacular modern winery architecture in Europe alongside centuries-old cellars. Guided trips from Bilbao run from roughly $81 to $87 for the standard versions, with premium and private options well above that.

The catch: it is a long day with driving at both ends, and you will be tasting. Do not plan to drive yourself unless someone abstains.

3. San Sebastián — the food day

Go if you want pintxos, a famous bay, and a town that is simply very pleasant to walk around.

It is about an hour and a quarter east. The old town has an extraordinary density of pintxo bars, and unlike the others this trip works perfectly well without a tour — the train and bus connections are good and the city is walkable from either station.

The catch: it is a city, not a sight. If you go for two hours you will have had lunch and not much else. Give it a full day or leave it.

4. The coast villages — the quiet day

Go if you have already done the headline stops, or you dislike crowds.

Bermeo, Mundaka, Lekeitio, Elantxobe: working harbours, a famous surf break, and cliffs, along the same coast road as Gaztelugatxe. Several Gaztelugatxe day trips include one or two of these anyway, which is a good way to sample them.

The catch: there is no single must-see. This is a day for wandering, and people who want a checklist will find it slight.

Choosing

One day, first visit: Gaztelugatxe. It is the thing you will remember, and the coastal drive is part of it.

One day, and you love wine: Rioja, without hesitation — but book a tour so nobody has to drive.

One day, and you love eating: San Sebastián, all day, and do not rush it.

Two days: Gaztelugatxe and one other. The coast and the wine region are very different days; doing both is the varied option.

Three days: add San Sebastián, and consider basing yourself there rather than doing it as a return trip.

A practical note on all four

Bilbao’s own attractions — the Guggenheim above all — deserve at least a day in their own right. It is easy to plan three day trips and never actually see the city you are staying in. Whichever of these you choose, keep one day for Bilbao.

See Gaztelugatxe day trips from Bilbao