If you want medieval streets combined with world class futuristic architecure, amazing food, incredible art, a stone's throw from some gorgeous beaches and bundles of history, then this little city in ticks all the boxes.

Unlike or , Bilbao has never been overrun with tourists. It's a place that still feels local, authentic, and deeply Basque - and that's exactly what makes it so special. The citizens of Bilbao, the 10th largest city in Spain, see themselves as basque first, Spanish second.

The weather, especially in the summer months, is slightly cooler than Barcelona and Madrid as it enjoys a more oceanic climate with mild summers, making sightseeing more comfortable.

Bilbao was officially founded in 1300. This makes it approximately 725 years old in 2025 and its history is steeped in shipbuilding and mining. The city today is a perfect mix of old and new but it wasn't always the case. In the last three decades it has been transformed from a gritty industrial port into one of the most exciting cities in Spain.

The city is currently preparing for a 'colonisation' of 80,000 Brits for the Europa League final as Manchester United and Tottenham fans prepare to head to Bilbao for showpiece event on Wednesday. In fact one of the major tourist attractions in this city is a visit to the San Mamés Stadium.

For football fans, a visit to Athletic Bilbao's stadium is an experience in itself. The club is a significant symbol for Basque nationalism due to its promotion of only Basque players and being one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football history.

However if the beautiful game isn't your thing then the beauitful city definitely will be. The factories of old have made way for cutting-edge architecture, a thriving cultural scene and many urban renewal projects. Today Bilbao is an art and food lover's paradise but without the crowds that swamp Madrid and Barcelona every summer.

World-class museums include the Guggenheim Museum: The museum's iconic building is a major draw, and the art collection within is also excellent.

Bustling pintxos bars (Basque tapas bars) and where the wild Basque coastline, which is just a short drive away, help to give the city a truly local, authentic, and deeply Basque feel which exactly what makes it so special.

Bilbao is great for couples with its fantastic bars and restaurants and buzzing nightlife but there are plenty of options for families too. The beaches are a 30 minute train ride away, or ten miles by car or there is the beautiful Doña Casilda Park and its surrounding hills.

Casco Viejo (Old Town) is made up charming narrow streets, and includes the Santiago Cathedral, or you could take the cable car up to Artxanda Hill for panoramic views of the city and the estuary.

In 2010 the city of Bilbao was recognised with the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize awarded by the city state of Singapore and considered the Nobel Prize for Urbanism. In 2017 Bilbao was chosen the Best European City 2018 at The Urbanism Awards 2018, awarded by the international organisation The Academy of Urbanism.

Its urban renewal became with the opening of the Guggenheim and continued with the Euskalduna Conference Centre and VCocnert Hall and the metro network by Norman Foster, the tram and the Iberdrola Tower (pictured)

Flights to Bilbao from the UK to Bilbao leave from London, Manchester and Bristol with British Airways, Vueling, easyjet and Norweigan starting from £52.