10 Best Food Tours of Bilbao

Bilbao is a well-known municipality located in the north of Spain and its traditional gastronomy is characterised by its great variety. You can try the famous pintxos accompanied by a glass of wine or craft beer. You will also have the chance to try the popular cod and hake dishes, among others.

In fact, if you want to learn about the city's culinary culture, you should connect with a gastronomic tour, an activity that stands out among the best things to do in Bilbao. This way, you'll learn about the history behind each of the preparations as you taste them, stroll through the traditional Ribera market, take part in a cooking class and much more.

Whether you plan to be in Bilbao for 1 day or a longer period of time, a walking tour of the city to discover its gastronomy and history is usually a good option.

You will meet the guide in charge of the activity at a pre-arranged location in the city centre. This will be the start of a culinary experience lasting approximately three hours, which will take you to some of Bilbao's main tapas bars, visited daily by the locals.

During the activity you will enjoy a wide range of culinary delights, including different versions of pintxos and other local dishes such as rabas, Txampis, Bacalao al pil, Callos a la vizcaína, etc. You can also accompany these tastings with a glass of wine, craft beer or any other non-alcoholic beverage offered on the tour.

As the tour progresses, the guide in charge will tell you the history of the restaurants, the origin of each of the dishes and some interesting facts about the city. He will also answer your questions and suggest new routes to enjoy the flavours of Bilbao.

Details of interest

• Price: from 99€ per person.
• Duration: 3 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you will enjoy the traditional gastronomy of Bilbao and, at the same time, learn about the history of this beautiful city.
• Disadvantages of this option: this activity usually includes a limited number of tastings.

During your stay in Bilbao you can join a different kind of gastronomic tour, where with the help of a professional chef you will learn how to prepare some traditional meals. In addition, you will explore Castro Urdiales, considered one of the 10 best villages in Bilbao.

Once you connect with this culinary adventure, you'll hop into a private car and travel approximately 25 minutes to the fishing village of Castro Urdiales, where you'll stroll through the streets of the village, admire the scenery and have a drink. All this while the chef-guide tells you the history of the place.

Next, you will go to a traditional Basque village where the chef's house is located. You will see his vegetable garden and begin to prepare the dishes, which vary according to the season, the most popular being marmitako de bonito (tuna stew), gilda, pintxo and panchineta. Afterwards, you will enjoy each meal accompanied by a glass of wine.

This type of tour usually starts and ends in the area around the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Therefore, when you return you will have enough time to incorporate the visit to this important site.

Details of interest

• Price: from 218€ per person.
• Duration: 5 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: car or minibus.
• Advantages of this option: not only will you be able to taste the food, but you will also learn how to prepare some traditional recipes, thus obtaining a more personalised experience.
• Disadvantages of this option: this activity is not suitable for wheelchair users.

If you are a wine culture enthusiast and you visit Bilbao in summer or any other time of the year, then you will find it appropriate to take part in a tour of the city's wine cellars. You will also have the opportunity to taste some traditional products.

The route of this type of day trip from Bilbao can vary, as there are several wine cellars in the city. For example, you can visit the Gorka Izagirre Winery and the Uriarte Winery, which are located 14 and 23 minutes from the city respectively and the distance between them is just 15 minutes.

Also, approximately 35 minutes from Bilbao there are other options:

• The Berroja Winery.
• The Itsasmendi Winery.
• The Gure Ahaleginak Winery.
• The Virgen De Lorea Winery.

Whichever route you choose for your tour, you will enjoy the best wine tasting in Bilbao, visit the vineyards in the company of an oenologist-guide and learn about the process of making the famous txakoli. In addition, you will taste a variety of pintxos made with local seasonal products.

Details of interest

• Price: from 135€ per person.
• Duration: 4 hours (approx.)
• Means of transport: private car or minibus.
• Advantages of this option: you will get to know the city's wine cellars, taste wines and try delicious locally produced pintxos.
• Disadvantages of this option: although this activity can be done all year round, during the winter season you won't be able to enjoy the colourful vineyards.

The Mercado de la Ribera is another destination to include in your gastronomic tour of the city. There you can sample a wide variety of Basque gastronomic delicacies and buy fresh seasonal produce.

You can visit the market on your own from 8:00 am until at least a couple of hours before midnight, when the building closes its doors. You also have the option of connecting with a gastronomic tour and taking advantage of the commentary of the specialised guide while you take the tour.

In either case, you can visit the market's old fishmongers with the freshest local fish and seafood. You will also have access to the butchers, bakers, greengrocers and shops selling cheese, mushrooms, pickles, frozen foods and other products.

You will also find gastrobars on the first floor of the market. These are bar-restaurants with various high-level culinary proposals, including the widest selection of pintxos in Bilbao. All of this is accompanied by exquisite drinks, a pleasant musical atmosphere and a privileged view of the Bilbao Estuary, depending on which gastrobar you are in.

Interesting details

• Price: from 54€ per person.
• Duration: 3 hours (approx.).
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you will get to know the oldest market in Bilbao and, at the same time, you will enjoy the delicious Basque gastronomy in the local gastrobars.
• Disadvantages of this option: this tour does not usually include a transfer service to and from the hotel.

Visiting the city's main bars to experience the pintxo culture up close is a great activity to do in Bilbao at night. You will delight your palate and learn how to order the best Basque tapas.

The approximately three-hour tour starts at dusk. You will walk in search of the best traditional and modern bars in this town. Such is the case of Baste in the old town, Charly, in Plaza Nueva, among others.

Without a doubt, you will visit the best places to eat pintxos in Bilbao and you will try in each of them the different versions of this famous Basque tapa. For example: the delicious onion, tomato and cheese sandwiches, cod, mushrooms, lamb, txaka, stuffed mussels, among other tapas.

You'll also eat the special pintxos made by the chef on the spot, which often turn out to be award-winning preparations in culinary competitions. The guide will also show you how to choose the best drink to accompany your pintxo. You will taste cider, white wine, red wine, beer, etc.

Details of interest

• Price: from 100€ per person.
• Duration: 3 hours (approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you will experience the culture of pintxos with a local guide, who will teach you how to choose them and what drink to accompany them with.
• Disadvantages of this option: generally, this tour does not allow pets.

A guided gastronomic tour that incorporates a photographic experience is another of the best tours of Bilbao that you can take part in during your stay.

The activity usually lasts a maximum of three hours, during which you will walk around the city with a local guide-photographer. You will discover some hidden bars and restaurants, where you will taste different versions of pintxos, cod, anchovies, foie, octopus, local cheese and traditional desserts. In addition, you will drink some wines, ciders and beers.

Throughout the tour, the guide in charge will put you in context with respect to the history of the food and places visited. He or she will also help you take professional gastronomic photographs of each preparation, indicating the best angles to enhance the attractiveness of the food and create suggestive images.

At the end of the experience, you will have visited at least five bar-restaurants, on a route that will take you through Plaza Moyua, Santiago Cathedral, the Ribera Market, the Fuente del Perro and the Old Town. However, these destinations are only approximate, as the route varies from tour to tour.

Details of interest

• Price: from 125€ per person.
• Duration: 3 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you will get professional gastronomic photographs and, at the same time, you will get to know and taste the traditional preparations of the city of Bilbao.
• Disadvantages of this option: sometimes drinks are not included in the tastings, so you will have to pay an additional cost for them.

Make the most of your stay of at least 2 days in Bilbao and include in your itinerary a route to discover the city's street food. This is an activity that you can do on your own, although it is best to connect with a tour to save time and gain culinary knowledge.

During the tour you can visit Plaza Venezuela. There you will find the Popemobile with potatoes stuffed with chorizo, salad or octopus. Also, during Bilbao's Semana Grande (the nine days from 15 August), you will find the Hambroneta with hot dogs and hamburgers on the City Hall Bridge.

You can also try international street food, savoury, sweet and some vegan preparations. For example:

• On Calle Berástegui, you'll find a salchichauto with delicious classic hot dogs with German sausage.
• Afew steps from the Old Town, you'll find Pizza Via with artisanal Italian preparations.
• On Calle Ercilla, you'll try cream and chocolate waffles, among other desserts.
• In the Old Town you'll enjoy organic vegetable sushi, craft beer and other vegan food at La Camelia.

Interesting details

• Price: from 50€ per person.
• Duration: 3 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you will discover a range of different flavours and aromas, sampling Bilbao's street food options.
• Disadvantages of this option: the tour is not suitable for people with mobility difficulties, as it takes place on foot through different parts of the city.

If you plan to be in Bilbao for about 3 days, you might consider escaping the city for a day and visiting the town of San Sebastian. You will visit the traditional market of the region and the Cheese Interpretation Centre. You will also do some cheese tasting.

The tour starts with a pick-up at the door of the hotel (optional). You will then travel approximately one and a half hours to the town of Gipuzkoa in San Sebastian. There, the guide will take you directly to the colourful Ordizia Market, where you will see and taste a range of local products: fruits, cheeses, vegetables, among others.

Afterwards, you will go to the Idiazabal Cheese Interpretation and Tasting Centre, to take a tour of the cheese factory, learn about the history of the place and admire the scenery. Afterwards, you will go to the Old Quarter of this town to explore the area and visit some bars and restaurants.

This way, you will be able to try some pintxos accompanied by a couple of glasses of wine or craft beers. If you wish, you can also go up to Monte Igeldo by car or by funicular, to enjoy a privileged view of San Sebastian before returning to Bilbao.

Details of interest

• Price: from 90€ per person.
• Duration: 10 hours (approx.)
• Means of transport: car or minibus.
• Advantages of this option: the tour includes admission to each of the attractions.
• Disadvantages of this option: food and drink tastings are usually limited.

Taking a gastronomic tour of Bilbao is a highly recommended option, as this is a city with a great culinary variety. Therefore, by taking part in this type of tour you will be able to discover all the flavours that characterise this town in northern Spain.

Furthermore, as the gastronomic tours are accompanied by an experienced local guide, you will be able to learn about the history behind each of the dishes tasted. This person will also give you some interesting facts about the restaurants visited and the city in general.

To take part in a gastronomic tour of Bilbao you need to take into consideration the following basic tips:

• Do not eat before the tour, as you could lose your appetite during the tastings.
• Wear shoes that allow you to move around comfortably, as this type of gastronomic experience is carried out on foot through the streets of the city.
• Take cash with you, as you may need to give a tip.