Bilbao travel guide - where to stay, what to do, and where to eat pintxos in Bilbao, Biscay, Basque Country, Spain.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Idiazabal cheese - smoked or unsmoked sheep's milk cheese from the Basque Country, sold in Mercado de la Ribera and delicatessens
Txakoli - the dry, lightly sparkling white wine of Bizkaia (DO Bizkaiko Txakolina), sold in wine shops and markets
Gernika peppers and tinned seafood - local peppers, Cantabrian anchovies and bonito in jars and tins, sold in food shops and the market
Txapela - the traditional Basque beret, sold in hat shops and souvenir stores in the Casco Viejo
Carolinas and bilbainitos - Bilbao pastries (chocolate-covered almond sweets and puff-pastry cakes), sold in pastry shops around the Casco Viejo
Basque pacharan and sidra - the local sloe liqueur and cider, sold in supermarkets and wine shops
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Mercado de la Ribera
A large covered market on the Nervion river at the edge of the Casco Viejo, with fresh-food stalls and a food hall.
Where: Casco Viejo, Bilbao
Hours: Fresh-food stalls typically Mon-Sat mornings to about 14:30; the food hall and some bars reopen in the afternoon on weekdays; sources differ, confirm locally
Sunday collectors' market (Arenal)
A weekly Sunday market for books, records, coins, stamps and minerals, moved from Plaza Nueva to the Arenal promenade.
Where: Arenal, Casco Viejo
Hours: Sundays, about 10:00-14:00 (some listings say from 09:00; confirm locally)
Shopping districts
Neighbourhoods known for retail.
Gran Via de Don Diego Lopez de Haro (Plaza Circular to Plaza Moyua)
Casco Viejo and the Seven Streets (Zazpi Kaleak)
Indautxu (Calle Ercilla and Plaza Indautxu)
Abandoibarra and Zubiarte
Mercado de la Ribera and the riverside
Malls & modern shopping
Air-conditioned, international brands, and food courts.
Zubiarte
A modern shopping centre beside the Guggenheim Museum and the Deusto Bridge.
Hours: Typically Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00 (shop hours vary; confirm at zubiarte.com)
Max Center
A large shopping and leisure centre in Barakaldo, across the river from Bilbao.
Hours: Typically Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sunday hours not confirmed
Bargaining tips
Negotiate like a local.
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Customs & restrictions
What you can and can't take home.
Items:
- Custom
- VAT Refund (Tax-Free Shopping)
- Detail
- Visitors resident outside the EU can claim a refund of Spanish VAT (21%) on eligible goods; ask the shop for the tax-free form at purchase and bring a passport. Check the current minimum purchase and procedure before travelling.
- Custom
- Siesta and shop hours
- Detail
- Smaller shops in the Casco Viejo and neighbourhoods close for a midday break, roughly 14:00 to 16:30, and most are closed on Sundays; large stores and shopping centres stay open through the day.
- Custom
- Card and cash
- Detail
- Cards and contactless payment are accepted in most shops; carry some cash for markets and small stalls.