Day-by-day eating plans for Bilbao. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Bilbao weekend: the classic pintxo crawl and Casa Rufo grill ★ 4.7

First-time visitor, two days2 days

A weekend built around the pintxo crawl in Casco Viejo and Indautxu, an old-school txuleta lunch at Casa Rufo, and one Michelin dinner at Mina or Nerua.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: Casco Viejo pintxo crawl, txuleta lunch, Michelin dinner

    Morning
    Cafe con leche and a tortilla at Cafe Bar Bilbao on Plaza Nueva from 09:30, then walk into the Mercado de la Ribera for the morning produce.
    Afternoon
    Long lunch at Casa Rufo on Hurtado de Amezaga from 14:00: txuleta over the open flame, bacalao al pil pil, pimientos del piquillo.
    Evening
    Pre-dinner pintxos at Bar El Globo on Diputacion (the txangurro gratin) from 19:30, then dinner at Mina on Calle Ercilla in Indautxu by 21:30.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: belle epoque morning, Plaza Nueva pintxos, Etxebarri lunch option

    Morning
    Breakfast at Cafe Bar Bilbao on Plaza Nueva from 09:00, then over to Cafe Iruna on Jardines de Albia (a 1903 belle epoque room) once it opens at 11:00.
    Afternoon
    Either drive to Axpe for an Asador Etxebarri lunch reservation at 13:00 (book 6-12 months ahead, lunch only), or stay in Bilbao for the Plaza Nueva pintxo crawl: gildas at Bar Charly, tortilla at Sorginzulo, Idiazabal cheese soup at Gure Toki, oxtail croquettes from 13:00.
    Evening
    Light dinner at Berton on Calle Jardines from 20:00: hand-cut Iberian ham, bacalao, and a glass of Rioja in the Casco Viejo dining room.

Bilbao Michelin weekend: Nerua, Azurmendi, Etxebarri ★ 4.9

Michelin-chasing eater, three days3 days

A Michelin-led three days through Bilbao and Bizkaia: Nerua at the Guggenheim, the three-star Azurmendi day-trip in Larrabetzu, and the World's 50 Best Etxebarri grill in Axpe.

  1. Day 1: Friday: arrival, Casco Viejo pintxos, Nerua dinner

    Morning
    Land midday. Pintxo lunch on Plaza Nueva: Gure Toki's Idiazabal soup, Bar Charly's gildas, Cafe Bar Bilbao's rabas.
    Afternoon
    Visit the Guggenheim Bilbao itself, then wine at Cork on Licenciado Pozas from 18:00.
    Evening
    Dinner at Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao at 21:00, Josean Alija's one-Michelin-star tasting menu.

  2. Day 2: Saturday: Azurmendi day-trip

    Morning
    Easy morning at Arvo Specialty Coffee near the Guggenheim from 09:00.
    Afternoon
    Drive 20 minutes to Larrabetzu. Lunch at Azurmendi (three Michelin stars) at 13:30: Eneko Atxa's full sustainable-Basque tasting menu with the kitchen-garden visit.
    Evening
    Return to Bilbao. Pintxos and txakoli on Calle Licenciado Pozas: La Vina del Ensanche, Cork.

  3. Day 3: Sunday: Etxebarri in Axpe

    Morning
    Coffee and pastry at Pasteleria Suiza on Marques del Puerto from 09:00.
    Afternoon
    Drive 50 minutes to Axpe. Lunch at Asador Etxebarri at 13:00: Bittor Arginzoniz's wood-fire tasting menu (book 6-12 months ahead).
    Evening
    Back in Bilbao, light pintxos at Xukela on Calle del Perro in Casco Viejo: creative pintxos and wines by the glass.

Bilbao on a budget: txikiteo, market lunch, no-reservation pintxos ★ 4.4

On a budget, two days2 days

A two-day Bilbao weekend on the txikiteo (pintxo crawl) budget, with the Ribera market, the canonical 2-euro pintxos, and a Sunday brunch at Bihotz across the river.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: txikiteo crawl, Ribera lunch, La Vina del Ensanche dinner

    Morning
    Coffee and tortilla at Sorginzulo on Plaza Nueva from 09:30, the city's championship tortilla at 2-3 euros a slice.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at La Ribera Gastro Plaza inside the Mercado de la Ribera: pintxos and bocadillos at 3-8 euros under the vaulted hall.
    Evening
    Txikiteo from 19:00: Bar Charly's gilda, Cafe Bar Bilbao's rabas, Berton's Iberian ham, La Vina del Ensanche's Joselito tosta to close.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: south-bank brunch, Ribera market lunch, late pintxos

    Morning
    Brunch at Bihotz across the river in Bilbao La Vieja from 11:00 (the weekend open): specialty coffee, sourdough toast, cake of the week.
    Afternoon
    Lunch back at La Ribera Gastro Plaza inside the Mercado de la Ribera: bocadillos and pintxos at 3-8 euros under the vaulted hall.
    Evening
    Pintxo crawl around Plaza Nueva and Casco Viejo: Gure Toki's oxtail croquettes, Berton's Iberian ham, Xukela's mushrooms with rooster crests.
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