Bilbao Dining and Entertainment

Bilbao Hotels

Dining in Bilbao

At this stage nobody could doubt the cosmopolitan character that Bilbao has been gaining over the last few years. This globalization reaches out to all areas of Bilbao society, from culture and communications to leisure activities and gastronomy. And focusing on the latter two, free time and food, let us make it clear that the capital of Biscay is open to all new currents and trends, being a city that has always faced towards Europe. This is not to say that Bilbao has abandoned its own way of doing things; on the contrary, its a city that has always known how to blend the most modern of outside influences with the deeply-rooted local customs.

If we can say that the Basque Lands in general are known for their culinary traditions, then it must be pointed out that the region of Biscay, and therefore its capital Bilbao, are the absolute masters in the art of Basque cuisine. Thanks to the citys proximity to the sea, fish are the ubiquitous stars of the local restaurants. Specifically codfish, called "bacalao," is the most typical dish in restaurants which offer traditional Basque cuisine (which is the majority). Made in Biscayan style or "pil-pil," this fish will win the heart of anyone who tries it. Fresh vegetables are held in high esteem as well. For the best in traditional Basque cuisine based on good seafood and excellent meat, try restaurants such as Amboto, Zortziko, or Urrejola.Or for some excellent home-made pastries as well, try Víctor, located on the legendary Plaza Nueva. And of course, Basque cuisine isn't always enjoyed sitting down. In fact, the majority of eating establishments are probably devoted to that ancient Basque pastime, the "tapeo," which means going from place to place trying special tapas along with their best house wine. The "poteo" is another version, where one does the route of bars drinking "potes," wine served in little glasses. The area of "poteo" par excellence is the Casco Viejo and its Seven Streets, although you could just as easily try the area Pozas, which is made up of the street Licenciado Pozas and the surrounding neighborhood. Some places to try on your evening of poteo are Urrejola, Farketa, Lekeitio, and the legendary Iruña, a bar dating from 1903 decorated in a curious Mudejar Arab style.

Another important part of the Basque culinary scene has been the increasing number of restaurants that offer international cuisine, thanks to the aforementioned growing cosmopolitan nature of the city. So there are establishments whose decoration and ambiance show a marked English influence, such as Atlanta, or restaurants specializing in German food, such as Ein Prosit Bilbao. And then there are the Asian restaurants which are becoming more and more popular with the locals, as well as restaurants with cuisines from other parts of the world which have brought some exotic ambiance to Bilbao, such as the Peruvian restaurant Ají Colorado or the Mexican Charro Loco, where you will be delighted with authentic Mexican music as well. And we mustn't forget places such as the spectacular Moana Beach or the exotic Al Jordán, which offer magnificent shows that are sure to leave the guests dazzled.

The restaurants outside of Bilbao, aside from rivaling the quality of the cuisine found in the capital, have the extra advantage of offering their patrons some exquisite views of the sea or of the interior of the province. We could name some of the coastal restaurants like Cubita, Jolastokior Gaminiz, while inland we find places such as Andra Mari, Aretxondoor Baserri Maitea. There can be no doubt that Bilbao and nearby towns have a culinary tradition that will satisfy even the most demanding of gourmets.

Entertainment in Bilbao

Both Bilbao and its inhabitants are associated with a number of stereotypes, more or less positive. Its well known that the people are big talkers, and their hard-working nature is as famous as is the seriousness with which they go about their duties. A hard city, squeezed in by the mountains, with a rough urban landscape, which, thanks to industry, has developed (along with the surrounding towns that make up Greater Bilbao) into a sprawl of almost one million people. But its not all hard work and industriousness. On the contrary, having a good time is very much up on the list of important activities among the citizens of the "Villa."

What the citys got to offer in terms of culture has been improving over the last years, with the inauguration of the Guggenheim having been the impetus for a marked revitalization of the cultural life of Bilbao. The magnificent architecture of the building and its constantly changing exhibitions give the tourist the perfect excuse to come to the banks of the Nervión. Nearby we find the Museo de Bellas Artes(Museum of Fine Arts), one of the most important art galleries in Spain, which has been able to avail itself of the success of the Guggenheim. Another museum which is in the process of gaining new life and which could be considered the third point in this museum triangle is the Palacio de Congresos Euskalduna, headquarters of the Abao (Bilbao Association of Friends of the Opera) opera season. The choice of museums is completed by the Museo Vasco (the Basque Museum) and the museo de Reproducciones Artísticas. In the world of theater we must mention the Teatro Arriaga, an architecturally impressive building situated in the Casco Viejo and where all the most important works can be seen when they come to Bilbao.

And then there are all the activities that don't belong to the world of high culture, but which have a long tradition among the Basques. Perhaps the customs of our forefathers and foremothers have changed with the passing generations, but their spirit remains the same over the years. There is the "cuadrilla," the group of friends, the omnipresent social unit for those moments of recreation. The popular pastime of strolling through a city which, thanks to its dimensions, allows one to get around using nothing but the feet. The "poteo" or "txikiteo," a pilgrimage from bar to bar where good wine or beer and good conversation are the required fellow travelers. And dining -- eating well and copiously, a long tradition based on quality cuisine. All of these are the core elements of leisure time spent in the Bilbao way.

Like in any other city, how leisure time is spent depends a lot on how well the populace is doing economically. Happiness in the wallet leads to happiness among the people and a greater tendency to go out and have a good time. In the last few years there has been a certain feeling of renewal in the air and although the people are still going about their diversions in the same old way, one does notice a certain richness and all-pervasiveness to the cultural life that wasn't quite there before. The Casco Viejo continues to be the area par excellence for an evening of traditional "poteo." The quaint bars found in this area offer all kinds of tasty pinchos, or Basque-style tapas, to go with the excellent wine. The multitudes going from bar to bar create a rather curious mix of ages and types found all mixed together in the same bars. The perfect place for the noon-time apéritif or the evening "txikiteo."

But thats not the end to the ways you can have fun in the old neighborhood. A wide range of restaurants offering traditional food let you try some of the more typical dishes of the famous cuisine of Bilbao. It must be pointed out that bacalao, or codfish, receives excellent treatment in the restaurants in this neighborhood and should definitely be tried, especially prepared in the local style known as "pil-pil." Its past midnight, but the Casco Viejo is by no means slowing down. At these hours the streets get taken over by a younger crowd who do their own hopping from bar to bar, normally along the streets Barrenkale, Barrenkale Barrena, Somera and the other nearby streets. Some of the more popular bars in this part of town worth checking out are K2, La Granja, Celtics and el Consorcio.

You can change the direction of your feet and within ten minutes have arrived in the more modern area of the city. Around Plaza Circular and nearby streets like Ledesma, Ripa and jardines de Albia, the "poteo," again, is a popular pastime, and theres plenty to choose from. A little bit further along, in Mazarredo, the night is king and in pubs like Mutua and Pas Pas the people come to dance it up and have a great time. When the early hours come, its often the time to make the pilgrimage from the Casco Viejo to some of the disco-bars in Albia, Ripa and Uribitarte, where people get in the last few drinks before the sun comes up.

And a bit further along, near Plaza Indautxu, theres another very popular bar zone around the street Licenciado Poza, the area known as Pozas. Here the choice is almost as good as in the old neighborhood. Theres Bar Ona, Bar Poza 40, Serantes and Oker, among many others. This is the get-together area for the young people of the city and sometimes the streets are positively overflowing with people. And on the days when the Athletic de Bilbao plays in San Mamés, near Pozas, the crowds are unimaginable, with supporters of both teams sharing the same bars. A lot of bars have sprung up in the nearby streets to avail themselves of the growing popularity of the area.

And if you've been out all night in Pozas, the traditional way of ending the night is by taking advantage of the pubs found in Galerías de Urquijo, where bars like Miel y Moscas, Crack or General Store, are the place to take the last drinks.