There's always something going on in the neoclassical Plaza Nueva in the Casco Viejo district. The bars and restaurants lining the shady colonnades provide a lively atmosphere all day long. This is where the people of Bilbao meet with their friends and guests to drink wine, enjoy some pintxos (the northern Spanish tapas), or visit the flea market on Sundays. The craziest story the place has ever experienced happened in 1872, when Italian monarch Amadeus I of Savoy, then King of Spain, visited Bilbao. A Venetian festival was organised in his honour where the Plaza Nueva was flooded so that gondolas could sail around on it.

Santiago's three-nave cathedral in the old town was built on the remains of a 13th-century pilgrimage chapel devoted to Saint James. With the exception of the neo-Gothic portal facade, it dates from the end of the 14th to the beginning of the 16th century and is the oldest building in the city. The present façade and tower were built in the 19th century. The choir and the late Gothic cloister are of particular beauty, and the harmonious proportions of the building are also considered exceptional. On the last Saturday of every month, there are Basque dances performances on the square in front of the cathedral.

Cathedral Bilbao

In the middle of Bilbao, the French industrial designer Philippe Starck has created a spectacular cultural centre: the Azkuna Zentroa on the Plaza de Indautxu. The former wine storehouse, an Art Nouveau industrial building, was expanded with three structures that stand on 43 differently designed columns. The centre is named after the former mayor Iñaki Azkuna (1943-2014), a supporter of the ‘new Bilbao’. The numerous halls, multi-purpose rooms, and cinemas host exhibitions, film series, and events. Apart from the excellent Yandiola restaurant, you should also visit the centre's roof terrace for a spectacular view!

Cultural Centre: the Azkuna Zentroa