There are many cool things to do in Bilbao, but after you’re done with those, there are several day trips from Bilbao that are just as interesting. Because it is a medium sized city, Bilbao has cheaper AirBnB and hotel options, and a big airport close to the city center. In this post, we suggest quick day trips from Bilbao and how to get there with or without a car, what to see, and what to do, in an effort to make your trip planning easier.

Trip map created with Wanderlog, a trip planner

Note: The places mentioned in this post are in Basque country. Basque is not just a region, it is its own culture and language. In fact, their language is the oldest in Spain, and it does NOT resemble Spanish, so be aware of that when you visit. Some towns will have Spanish and Basque phrases in public, but not always. The people here are fiercely proud of their Basque heritage.

Day Trips from Bilbao

Trip map created with Wanderlog, a trip planner

1. Vitoria-Gasteiz

No need to call it Vitoria-Gasteiz, most locals call it Vitoria. This city is the capital of the Basque Region and is a European Green City. While not many people visit this city, it’s well-worth a day trip from Bilbao to see the churches (there’s lots of them) and historic old town. Oh and pintxos, let us not forget the pintxos.

Getting To and Around Vitoria-Gasteiz

The capital of the region and a green city, this small city is within an hour bus (or a 45 minute drive) from Bilbao. The buses go at least once an hour on the weekend, and every 30 minutes on the weekdays. The bus terminal is not exactly in the historic area, but is easily walkable within 20 minutes, or within a 10-15 minute tram ride (without the waiting time, of course).

If you rented a car, you can park the car in one of the underground public parking garages near the cathedrals or near the shopping area, but note that these lots have different prices and can get expensive. My in-laws brought their car and parked for a few hours, which I believe is still cheaper than all of them taking the bus. We even hitched a ride back with them!

The historic city center is very walkable, and shaped like an almond, so make the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Vitoria

Things to do in Vitoria-Gasteiz

Cathedral of Santa Maria

The highlight of our trip to Vitoria. This is a beautiful 13th-century cathedral that has stood the test of time, even as it has gone through fires and minor collapses. It is currently being restored, but unlike many places which close those parts of the restoration to the public, this cathedral actually gives you a tour of the restoration and takes you to parts of the church that people don’t often get to see.

The tour costs around $10 USD, and that money goes directly to the restoration efforts. Since you will be going around construction areas in progress, you will be given construction helmets as you walk around the pulpit and the roof area. The church is quite famous, having been the inspiration for the cathedral that plays a major role in Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth.

Oh, and did we mention this cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Good for those who have a bucket list of wanting to visit a fair amount of UNESCO World Heritage Sites!

Cathedral de Maria Immaculada (aka “The New Cathedral” of Vitoria)

Most places in Europe have just one big church, but the good people of Vitoria decided to have two huge churches. This one is called the New Cathedral, while the Cathedral of Santa Maria is the Old Cathedral. The New Cathedral was built in the mid-20th century, and though most of it has been built, it is actually still unfinished. It is massive, bigger than the Old Cathedral, and in parts resembles Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. You can also take a guided tour (for an extra fee).

We got lucky that our new friend took us inside the cathedral and showed us an artist rendering of what the cathedral was supposed to look like, and what it looks like now, and what a difference does it make! Also, do walk outside and look at the carvings on the wall. See if you can also find the alligator living on the water fountain nearby.

The Old Town of Vitoria-Gasteiz

After you finish touring both cathedrals, you can enjoy strolling around the small, but lovely old town, which has a nice assortment of shops, cafes, and restaurants, and two huge public squares that you just don’t see in the U.S. The first is Plaza de la Virgen Blanca, which has a cool “Vitoria Gasteiz” sign which looks a bit touristy, but it’s actually made of green plants and shrubs, which is a testament to the city’s pride as being selected as a European “green city.”

The other square is Nuevo Plaza, which contains a giant City Council building with classic Greek columns, and stone facade, and a few cafes with a great view of the square, perfect for people watching. A few blocks from it is the shopping area of Vitoria-Gasteiz. Drop by the Copenhagen store – it’s a stationery addict’s dream come true!

2. San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Getting To San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

About an hour north of Bilbao is San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a small island which has a man-made bridge to a very unique place: an extraordinary, 1,000 year-old hermitage. The church lies on the very top of its own island, with incredible views of the Bay of Biscay. The easiest way to get there is by car, but if that is too expensive, then you can also take a combination of two buses. However, going the bus route takes so much longer instead of 45 minutes by car, so you’d have to weigh the cost-benefit analysis of time versus money.

Oh, and also, we took a car to Gaztelugatxe, so no idea how good the buses are – just saying.

Things to do in San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

Given that it sits in a remote island, you can’t just park close to the hermitage and start climbing the nearly 1,000 steps to get up there. You have to park in a small parking lot and then start a downward hike just to get to the foot of the bridge. The hike is about 2 miles, and it is quite strenuous (especially on the way up from the island to the parking area), even if you are in decent shape.

After you arrive at the foot of the bridge, there is a bathroom and a water fountain for you to utilize. We went there in May, and it was pretty busy, so as you walk up the long, winding steps, be aware of others who are coming down, and of course – drink lots of water: you’ll need it.

One of the things we like about the hike up is that you can stop several times and get great pictures of your progress upward. The entire climb up, without any breaks, would take maybe thirty minutes, but you should definitely take your time and enjoy the magnificent views and the clean air. Take photos as you go down too, the angles are amazing, and the views from both sides are spectacular.

Once you arrive on top, you can ring the bell of the hermitage and walk around to get a feel of how it must have felt for monks to live in this place centuries ago.

Note: Gaztelugatxe was used as one of the filming locations of the popular TV show Game of Thrones!

3. Zumaia/Getaria

Getting To and Around Zumaia and Getaria

About 55 minutes northeast of Bilbao lie two small towns that have plenty to offer. Zumaia has a natural wonder: the Flysch Cliffs, while Getaria is a classic Spanish fishing village. Since these are small towns, your only best bet to get here is to drive. You can use a combination of buses, but it would take nearly 2.5 hours, but again, we took a car so not much of an experience in actually taking public transportation.

Things To Do in Zumaia and Getaria

Flysch Cliffs, Zumaia

The town of Zumaia has a beach that contains a very unique geological rock formation, called the Flysch Cliffs. These are rock formations that have been pounded with waves over hundreds of years, and have been molded and broken down into some really unique shapes. Nature truly is the best sculptor.

To get to the cliffs, you can park anywhere in town (street parking is plentiful), and walk about 10-15 minutes, some of it uphill, to get to the Church of San Telmo. From the lookout point, you will have a great view of the cliffs, as well as walk along the edge of the cliff itself. You can also go down to the beach, of course, if you want to get up close (and wet if it’s high tide) and look at the rocks from the ground, but the best view is definitely from the top.

Getaria

Walk to the beach, where you’ll find some nice cafes and picturesque views of the water. Since it’s a fishing village, you will find great seafood restaurants here. It’s a very walkable town, and there are some great shops in the center of town selling ice cream, local cheeses, meats, and the Basque white wine called Txakoli.

Gothic Church of Getaria is an interesting church which has a tunnel that will lead you underneath it and connects with one of the town’s streets. Not something you usually see in a church. It’s also home to a Black Nazarene (essentially a darker Jesus), which is not a common site to see in Catholic churches.

Getaria is super small, you can literally just spend an hour walking up and down the streets. Allocate extra time if you wish to climb up the hill to get views, but we skipped that part as we spent a few hours in Zumaia already and it was already getting late.

4. San Sebastian

Getting To and Around San Sebastian

If you choose to drive, it will take you about 1hr and 15 minutes from Bilbao, while a direct bus connection would be about 1hr and 30 minutes, so I’d suggest the bus route if you want to skip the car rental fees.

Things To Do in San Sebastian

San Sebastian is one of the most beautiful small cities we have seen. It has mountains and sits on the water, so when you combine that natural splendor plus one of the greatest food scenes in not just Spain, but in all of Europe, it’s hard to top. To be honest, a day trip from Bilbao to San Sebastian is a nice experience, but San Sebastian is a destination on its own, so you can certainly spend another day without getting bored.

If you do manage to get to San Sebastian, spend a few days there. Embrace the city. It is super worth it.

Food in Old Town

San Sebastian has the most Michelin star restaurants per capita of any city in the world! It is truly a foodie’s paradise, and there are tons of great places to eat pintxos and delicious seafood. Most restaurants at lunch will offer a 3-course menu, ranging from $15-30 per person, which is a great deal considering you get a satisfying meal + a bottle of wine of your choice (usually rose/white/red) included in the price.

La Concha Beach

A nice beach with good restaurants and always a lively, happy atmosphere from the mix of locals and tourists. Of course, you can also go sunbathing or just chill out on the sand.

Igueldo Funicular

We love funiculars and we have seen extremely modern ones (Chamonix) as well as older ones, and this one falls into the category of ‘old but charming.’ It’s a 5-minute ride to the top of Mount Igueldo, which actually contains an amusement park, though it’s not open all year. You will get fantastic views of San Sebastian, and especially of the Concha beach.

San Sebastian Cathedral

A massive Gothic structure, beautifully built and preserved. Well worth a look from the outside. If you want to go inside, an extra fee applies. We didn’t go inside though.

Day Trip Ideas from Bilbao – Which ones are you going to visit?

Now that you have an idea of where to go as a day trip from Bilbao – which ones are you going to visit? We would recommend going to all of them when you have the time, but if not, then you can always go back to Spain and travel back to these amazing places.

If you have any questions about these lovely places, feel free to leave them below, we’d love to help you plan your itinerary!