Bilbao, which enjoys 17C temperatures in November, lacks the frenetic pace that characterizes many other European cities. There’s a truly laid-back vibe in the city
A Spanish city with beautiful buildings and a laid-back attitude is one of the hottest destinations this year.
A new study by Skyscanner has revealed a huge spike in interest in Bilbao, a port city, nestled amongst verdant hills in the Basque Country. It is the Spanish destination that has attracted the biggest bump in search traffic over the past 12 months.
Skyscanner reports that 84% of the 22,000 people we surveyed globally said they’d travel more in 2026. Not only is demand looking up, but spending is, too. 37% of travellers say they’ll spend more on flights, 31% will up their hotel budget, and 16% will put more into car hire.
Over the past year, interest in Bilbao among holidaymakers has spiked, and search results have risen 97%. And for good reason. Bilbao, which enjoys 17C temperatures in November, lacks the frenetic pace that characterizes many other European cities. There’s a truly laid-back vibe there. The city boasts its own regional version of tapas and an abundance of locally produced wines.
Bilbao is essentially two distinct cities in one – the new town and the Old Quarter or Casco Viejo, which lies across the river, linked by the San Antón arched bridge.
“The charm of a more compact city like Bilbao is that it’s entirely walkable. Having been captivated by it on our way into town, the Guggenheim Museum was at the top of our must-see list and just a short stroll away,” Dawn Collinson wrote of her trip to the city.
“Other cultural highlights we’d recommend include the Museum of Fine Arts. It’s currently open but undergoing a significant renovation/floating pavilion expansion, courtesy of British architect Norman Foster. This museum houses a few masterpieces by renowned artists such as Paul Gauguin and Francis Bacon.”
Designer Philippe Starck’s transformation of an old wine and oil warehouse into the Azkuna Zentroa is another stunningly regenerated complex. The 110-year-old building, renovated in 2010, now serves as a cultural centre featuring an exhibition space and cinema. It’s supported by 43 columns, each crafted from different materials, colours and styles.
Both the old and new towns have their unique charms.
“We meandered to the end of Gran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro and crossed the bridge into Casco Viejo. Here, we explored the narrow little streets buzzing with bars and restaurants. Our journey ended in the stunning Plaza Nueva, surrounded by grand neoclassical buildings and buzzing with a lively atmosphere. It was the perfect spot for pintxos – the Basque version of tapas,” Dawn continued.
“In fact, nearly every eatery in Bilbao, from the simplest to the more upmarket restaurants, is likely to have a selection of pintxos lined up on its bar.”
The pintxos tradition started in nearby San Sebastián in the 1930s when bars decided to serve mini versions of their main dishes for customers to sample instead of traditional tapas. Over the following decade, this trend spread across the Basque Country and became popular in other cities including Bilbao. You’ll often find little flags stuck in the pintxos listing the ingredients in both Spanish and English.
That’s how Bilbao spends its warm evenings – standing at bars with a plate of pintxos and a few glasses of incredibly affordable wine.
San Sebastián, just an hour-and-a-half away by bus, may be considered the culinary capital of Spain or even the world, but it’s hard to beat the Bilbao way.
