Bilbao: A Self-Guided Tour from Old Town to the Guggenheim Museum
On this self-guided walking tour, you'll chart Bilbao's transformation from an ugly duckling to an art and culture icon.
Today, Bilbao is a culture and contemporary art hub, with the Guggenheim Museum as its icon. But just 800 years ago, it was little more than a whaling village. On this walking tour with Basque local and Context Travel expert Maria Martinez, you’ll take in the city’s most impressive sites and discover its history.
As you walk through the Old Town, Maria will tell you about the city’s humble river-port beginnings. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how a new industrial and bourgeois Bilbao flourished after 1850, during several civil wars.
You’ll also dive into Franco’s dictatorship and the economic crisis in the 1970s when the city became a grey, polluted, and sad shell of what it once was. You’ll also hear how the Guggenheim became the great economic driver of the city, contributing to the extraordinary urban, economic, and social regeneration.
Options
Bilbao: A Self-Guided Tour from Old Town to the Guggenheim Museum
What's included in Bilbao: A Self-Guided Tour from Old Town to the Guggenheim Museum
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
Mercado De La RiberaPass-by Only
Begin your journey in front of the Ribera Market, Bilbao's bustling marketplace where you'll delve into the city's vibrant culinary scene and learn about its historical significance as a hub of trade and commerce.
Explore the charming streets of the Siete Calles, or Seven Streets, as you navigate through Bilbao's historic port area, tracing the footsteps of pilgrims, soldiers, and merchants who once traversed these ancient thoroughfares.
Discover the awe-inspiring beauty of Santiago Cathedral, a monumental Gothic masterpiece that serves as a symbol of Bilbao's enduring spiritual and cultural heritage, offering a glimpse into the city's storied past.
Inclusions
- Get unlimited, lifetime use of this tour, before your booking date and after it
- The virtual playback option, so you can listen to this tour like an audiobook from anywhere
- Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
- Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
- Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
- Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please bring your own smartphone and headphones
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting Points
- The tour starts in front of the main entrance of Mercado de la Ribera on Calle de la Ribera.
End Points
- The tour ends at the Puppy Statue.
Redeem
Ticket Redemption
VOICEMAP CODE ─── Please check your email at the address you provided when you made this booking. You've been sent an eight character code you'll need to redeem your tour. This code can be used by every member of your party. If you've booked for three people, for example, three people can download this tour using the same code. DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS ─── 1. Once you've received your code, please follow these steps: 2. Install the VoiceMap Audio Tours mobile app 3. Create an account 4. Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes 5. Enter your code then select Download Now PLEASE NOTE ─── You can download the tour at any time, before or after your booking date. It’s best to download the tour before you set off for the starting point. This tour follows a set route and includes turn-by-turn directions. It works best if you start it in the right place and follow the directions from one location to the next. When the download completes, you’ll see a screen with a photo of the starting point and directions to it. The red start button will become active when you are at the starting point. Remember to bring your own headphones, unless you have booked a driving tour. SUPPORT ─── For technical support and other queries, please email [email protected]
