Yes — the center is compact, and the riverside walk between the Guggenheim and the Old Town covers most of the city's highlights in one go.
Discover Local Bilbao: What to Do Around Mercure Bilbao Jardines de Albia
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Bilbao, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Bilbao in 5 picks
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Frank Gehry's titanium-clad building is a sculpture before you even get to the art inside, changing color as the light shifts through the day. It's the single reason many visitors first came to Bilbao — give it at least half a day.
Casco Viejo (Las Siete Calles)
The Old Town's original seven streets date back to the 14th century, now packed with bars, small shops and squares that fill up in the evening. It's compact enough to wander without a map and still find something new.
Mercado de la Ribera
One of Europe's largest covered markets, overlooking the Nervión river with colorful buildings opposite. Come for a picnic's worth of ingredients or a few lunchtime pintxos from the café stalls inside.
Plaza Nueva
A grand, arcaded square inside Casco Viejo where the pintxo bars spill out into the open air by evening — Gure Toki is one of the better-regarded stops if you only try one.
The riverside walk
Follow the Nervión from the Guggenheim down to the Old Town and you pass Bilbao's best bridges and architecture along the way — a genuinely good way to link the modern city with the historic one on foot.
FAQ
Pintxos, ideally with a glass of txakoli, eaten bar-hopping style through Casco Viejo or Plaza Nueva.
About 1.2 miles — a walkable distance, or a short tram ride if you'd rather save your legs for later.
Where to sleep
See Mercure hotels in Bilbao, all within reach of these picks.