​How to get around Bilbao with kids

What to do in Bilbao with kids

We’ll split into two sections here: the traditional tourist activities that you’re probably going to do with the kids, and the cool stuff that’s really all about ensuring the kids enjoy Bilbao

Traditional tourist activities 

Guggenheim Museum

⭐️ It’s actually a great museum to take little ones to, too, as there are hidden corners with kids’ books, there are toilets on every floor and the weird exhibitions will hopefully entertain everyone.

Casco Viejo (Old Town)

Bilbao’s Casco Vijeo isn’t large but it’s a nice place to explore with the kids of all ages.

Head to the Plaza Nueva for an ice cream and a run around with kids of any age!

🔎 My kids had zero interest in the Archaeological Museum here (but they had just been to the one in Vitoria so it didn’t matter too much) but if you can persuade you’re kids in, it’s a very good museum. It’s also very openly and proudly supportive of the entire queer community (🏳️‍⚧️ 🏳️‍🌈), which is obviously a wonderful thing.

💩 And just for shits’n’giggles, take them to Caganer, a shop I don’t love but my kids really, really do. They sell pooping figurines (sorry I’ve never taken photos) that are meant to go in Christmas nativity scene. It’s a mostly Catalan tradition but is also found in other areas of Spain. You’ll find the traditional style pooping farmer figurines as well as modern celebrities (both famous & infamous). My kids can spend hours in here giggling at Trump pooping.

Funicular de Artxanda

We really enjoyed taking the funicular de Artxanda up Mount Artxanda, both for the ride itself and for the short walk there is up there with excellent views over the city (the photo of the Bilbao sign above was taken up there).

⭐️ Yes, there’s space for pushchairs in the funicular.

⭐️ You can pay for the ride with your Barik card, which is great as it makes it significantly cheaper. However, you must absolutely ensure your card is topped up enough to pay for both journeys as there’s no re-charging machine at the top, which is most definitely, obnoxious.

❌ There are no stalls selling water or snacks up on the top. It’s a residential area but there’s nothing especially close to where you’ll be. 🚾 Yes, there are toilets, which is very useful.

➕ If your family enjoys good views then the Mirador at the top of the Iberdrola Tower could be another winning activity in Bilbao.

Mercado de la Ribera

The main Bilbao market is touted as being an excellent place to grab pintxos. I have to admit that we didn’t go, purely because we live in Spain so Spanish markets aren’t always high on our list of places to visit.

Enjoy the Nervión River

I really like the river in Bilbao. As you stroll along its banks you get a really good feel for the city. It’s light & spacious and you really feel as if you can breathe freely. Because there are such large pathways away from the roads, the kids can have a lovely time running and playing along here, too.

You can enjoy the river in a variety of ways: on the tour boats that sail along it, on jet skis or water bikes (with older kids only), or by walking alongside it. There are playgrounds at happy intervals along the banks, the Vizcaya Bridge is a cool suspension bridge that is nice to look at or even cross if you feel so inclined. And we even found lounger chairs at one point during our walk.

Vizcaya Bridge

Just outside of town is the Vizcaya Bridge (sometimes referred to as the Puente Colgante. This is a World Heritage suspension bridge that people like visit. You can either walk across or take the hanging gondola car (that some people refer to as a cable car – don’t get confused, there isn’t a proper cable car in Bilbao).

Basque Cheese Cake

Of course you need to let the kids (and adult-kids) eat a lot of Basque cheese cake while you’re in town. It might be originally from San Sebastián but that doesn’t have to ruin the fun.

🍔 Use the MexicoCassie guide to feeding kids in Spain to figure out how to keep your kids healthy and fed while exploring

Fun for the kids

Bilbao has a surprising number of playgrounds. It feels as if practically every plaza has something for the kids. Mine had a lovely time wandering around the plazas plotting whatever it is kids of their age plot while we poor, tired adults rested on the benches. It was great.

Just a few of the parks in this city worth visiting include: República de Abando Park, Casilda Iturrizar Parkea, Europa Parkea, Botikazar Parkea, Areatzako Parkea, and along the Areatzako Pasealekuna (riverside path) there are playgrounds.

Azkuna Zentroa – the old Alhóndiga

This community centre is a massive win for everyone. It was the old wine store for the city and now it’s a very cool space that locals & visitors can enjoy. The ground floor is a joy of weird columns, floor lights and space to play as well as a good artisan store and a great cafe. The basement floor has a cinema and a large exhibition space. Upstairs there’s a library, a gym and a very good roof space. Big win.

➕ Just over the road is one of the coolest buildings I saw in Bilbao, the ministry for local health. Don’t forget to check it out.

Visit San Mamés Stadium

This is one for the football fans. Home to the team Athletic Bilbao (apparently) this stadium is one of the biggest and newest in Spain. It’s also known as Nuevo San Mamés or San Mames Barria and apparently is fun to visit if you’re into football. Handily for me, as a non-football person, no one in my family cares about the sport much so we didn’t visit. However, we did see the stadium from the outside as we wandered around.

👣 Book your tickets to visit San Mamés here, now

Itsasmuseum Bilbao/ Bilbao Maritime Museum

Right by the San Mamés stadium is the Maritime Museum, located in a former shipyard. If your family is interested in learning about the city’s maritime past then this is a great place to visit. (Everything is available in English).

Day trip options around the Basque Country

Check out the full MexicoCassie guide to taking day trips from Bilbao

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe 

This has become one of the most popular sites to visit in the Basque Country thanks to it having been used in the popular tv show, Game of Thrones as Dragonstone.

⚠️ This is not a trip for everyone – it involves a decent amount of walking up & down cliff paths and probably isn’t great for tiny kids (no pushchairs possible). I’d have taken my kids when they were small-ish but we all know I’ve always been a mean parent 😉.

Essentially, you walk a cliff-side trail down to the narrow stone bridge/stairway you can see in the photo above. Then you walk up the 241 steps to the small church on the rocky island.

⭐️ There is a nice view point about half way down from the carpark if you don’t think you can make it all the way up the steps.

⭐️ It’s free to walk here BUT at during peak season you are required to have pre-booked and to show your ticket when you arrive. I went on a weekday during off-season and we didn’t need tickets but you should always check this for yourself. → Reserve your ticket here

👣 MexicoCassie recommended tour – this 6 hour, small group, tour gives you the chance to explore Gaztelugatxe, Guernica & the lovely beach town of Mundaka – a true 3-fer.

→ Check details & book now

Vitoria

→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to exploring Vitoria-Gasteiz

The region’s capital city makes a great day out from Bilbao.

For the older kids starting to learn about the world, the Memorial to the Victims of Terrorism Museum in Vitoria would be a great option. My kids went at 11 & 13 and learned a lot. We talked about what we saw, the realities of terrorism and also about what was missing in the museum – all in all, a great place to initiate some very important learning for the kids.

We also enjoyed the street art and murals here. There are a few good playgrounds to be found.

San Sebastián-Donostia

→ Read the full MexicoCassie guide to exploring San-Sebastián with kids

San Sebastián-Donostia is the most famous of all the Basque cities, it’s also the most popular thanks to its cute old town (casco viejo) with its winding narrow streets, its amazing culinary reputation (deserved) and the three beautiful beaches, the most famous being La Concha Bay. With kids, be sure to take the funicular all the way to the top of Mt Igeldo to the fun fair up there.

There are plenty of playgrounds all around the city (in front of the San Telmo Museum, on the beach, on the promenade)

And, of course, eat the cake!

👣 MexicoCassie recommended tour: this tour visits not only San Sebastián but also Getaria & Hondarribia. The tour includes both guided and free time in each place.

→ Check details & reserve now

Beaches