The City of Bilbao, situated in the north of spain, is the largest city in the region as well as being the capital of the basque province. boasting around 350,000 inhabitants, Bilbao is the center of financial and industrial activity in the entire basque region. fiercely independent, the almost one million population generate considerable income from a variety of industrial and agricultural enterprises.
Bilbao is home to the beautiful yet controversial museo guggenheim de arte contemporaneo which sits in the very center of the city. designed by the famous us architect frank gehry, the museum's design is modeled on the shape of a fish and a ship works of art from such artists as pablo picasso and andy warhol are on display there and earn the admiration of the many thousands who pass through the museum's doors each year.

For a city with such a heritage as Bilbao, the casco viejo or old city is well worth spending some time visiting. with certain areas being around 700-years old, visitors can visit one or more of the several important churches to be found there. these include the catedral de santiago, inglesia de san nicolas and the basilica de begona.

Bilbao citizens love to eat and have a good time. in the casco viejo there are so many small and intimate bars and restaurants serving local fare. one of the more popular modern day tourist attractions is to throw down the gauntlet of visiting each of the many bars in the old city and sip a cognac in each one.

If touring is more your thing there is much to see in an around the basque country outside of bilbao, although to get the best out of your trip you would be advised to hire a car. There are many beautiful sites to visit, especially some of the smaller villages where some real bargains can be had in local handicrafts and mementos.
There are a few car hire offices in the city, with the usual offerings of discounts for rentals of three days and over. Car hire in Bilbao usually comes as a ‘fully inclusive' package which includes unlimited mileage, collision damage waiver, passenger indemnity insurance and cover for third party, fire and theft and an optional insurance excess protection.

To rent a car, you must show a full driver's licence and a credit card in the driver's name. The center of Bilbao can get congested and parking a problem. Hiring a car is a great idea if you want to use Bilbao as your base for a three day minimum travel experience around the greater region.