Before this, my first trip to Bilbao, I assumed, like many people, that its extraordinary Guggenheim art museum was the major reason to visit.
Other vague notions included its history as an industrial port, its location in the fiercely independent Basque country and a reputation for food, surpassed only by nearby San Sebastián.
Oh, and being on Spain’s Atlantic coast, it was meant to rain here often.
Day one
My 48 hours actually begin on a radiant, sunny spring morning. It’s only a 20-minute taxi ride, threading between the surrounding green hills, to my lovely, central hotel on Gran Via Bilbao, and I’m soon relaxing in my outdoor spa on my suite’s terrace, overlooking the busy streets below.
From the hotel it is a leisurely stroll across the Nervion River to reach the Old Town, passing the baroque Arriaga Theatre and the C15th-century cathedral before arriving in Plaza Nueva, which is ringed by bars serving traditional pintxos.
These small tapas-like dishes include local favourites such as gildas, an anchovy, olive and chilli combo, and stuffed mussels, best accompanied by txakoli, a Basque white wine.
In the afternoon, I walk through riverside parklands before taking the Artxanda cable car up to wide-angled views of Bilbao, and the Guggenheim, its titanium exterior glinting gold in the sunshine.
In the evening I return to the Radisson to try the new restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Eneko Atxa. Our meal begins with an aperitif at the rooftop bar, then we head inside for an unforgettable six-course tasting menu.
The cuisine in Eneko Basque derives its flavours and textures from traditional Basque cooking and draws on dishes like Atxa’s grandmother’s stews.
Every dish here opens up a deeper connection with Bilbao, from the grilled asparagus entree with Idiazabal cheese (smoky and made from sheep’s milk) through a main of grilled beef fillet with zingy pesto, to the dreamy Goxua dessert, like a rich, custardy creme caramel.
Day two
The opening of the Guggenheim Museum, in 1997, on the site of its derelict inner-city port, redefined Bilbao as a city of art and culture.
As I walk through the compact city on another sunny morning, I’m struck by the city’s riverside transformation, from industrial wasteland to sculpture strewn open-air gallery.
Even the bridges crossing the river, notably La Salve, with its look-at-me red arches, and the curved Zubizuri footbridge, designed by Santiago Calatrava, are an artistic statement.
Then, there it looms, appearing like giant Cubist ships, Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry’s outlandishly beautiful Guggenheim Museum. I could gaze at it all day, and once inside its glass-encased entrance happily spend my whole weekend exploring its 21 galleries.
What’s most remarkable is the cavernous space here, allowing the museum to exhibit large-scale works like Richard Serra’s magnificent metal installations, in the “The Matter of Time” gallery. Like wandering through an indoor maze delineated by giant weathered steel sculptures, including the wavy, central Snake and the illusory Blind Spot, Serra’s works have magnetic appeal.
Also unmissable are Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirrored Room installation, which leaves me feeling giddy, and original works by Rothko, Warhol and Louise Bourgeois, including her enormous Maman spider sculpture beside the river.
In the afternoon I take the tram to San Mames stadium, home of Athletic Club de Bilbao.
Even if football is not your thing, the museum here reveals much about Bilbao’s history and explains why Athletic Club, which fields only players from the Basque region, is so important here. During Spain’s right-wing dictatorship, under Franco, between 1936 and 1975, this team became a symbol of Basque resistance.
Around the stadium, in the Indautxu area, there are also countless pintxos bars, where Athletic supporters throng before home games. This afternoon I join them, grazing on smoked sardines and felipada, a spicy triangular sandwich with anchovies, lettuce and mayonnaise.
I’m almost too full for dinner, but manage a late meal of Iberian chorizo followed by roasted hake on a squid marmitako (Basque stew), at Café Iruña, with its Islamic-style interior design, near my hotel.
The Guggenheim Museum is worth a day on its own. Photo: Getty
Day three
It’s my final morning and finally raining, so I descend through a distinctive glass entrance canopy, designed by architect Norman Foster, into Bilbao’s modern metro, to head to the World Heritage-listed Vizcaya suspension bridge, at the mouth of the Nervion River.
Opened in 1893, this was the world’s first transporter bridge, its gondola carrying cars and passengers across the estuary, between the seaside towns of Portugalete and Getxo.
An extraordinary feat of engineering, designed by Basque architect Alberto Palacio, a disciple of Gustave Eiffel, this iron bridge bears a strong resemblance to the latter’s iconic Paris tower.
With its striking combination of innovation and industry, the Vizcaya bridge is the perfect place to end 48 packed hours in Bilbao, during which I’ve feasted on Basque cuisine and culture.
The writer was a guest of Turespana and Radisson Collection Bilbao