Has Spain been on your radar lately, but you’re not particularly keen on a jam-packed Barcelona?
We have an equally exciting alternative for you. It not only offers the same cultural wealth and amazing sights, but it will also be hosting nonstop flights from America starting in 2025!
As beautiful as Barcelona may be, with its Gaudí monuments, medieval Gothic Quarter, and sandy beaches running along the azure Mediterranean, it is probably Spain’s most crowded destination, and we doubt the surging prices and rising anti-tourist sentiment help its case.
Located in the north of Spain instead, Bilbao is a seriously underrated cultural gem in the north of Spain that’s now become far more accessible to U.S. travelers:
Nonstop Flights From America To The Basque Country For The First Time Ever!
For the first time, Americans will have the option to discover one of the most exciting cities in Spain that, up until now, had never hosted Transatlantic flights, despite its obvious appeal, vast cultural offer, and dare we say, mouth-watering food.
Starting May 31, in time for summer 2025, United Airlines will operate flights from Newark to Bilbao every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9:15 pm; flying home, passengers are scheduled to leave Bilbao at 12:30 pm, every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
The United Airline press release confirms a Boeing 757-20 will be deployed on this route, with a 176-seating layout, distributed between the well-loved United Polaris business (16 seats), Economy Plus (42), and Economy (118), at the lowest fare.
One-way tickets will start from $603 one-way, or 11 monthly installments of $53.75, when choosing Flexpay as a payment method, and the route will remain operational from its launch in late May 2025, through September 24, 2025 at first.
Why Go For Bilbao Of All Places In Spain?
The largest and most metropolitan city in Basque Country, an autonomous region famous for its millennia-old traditions and unique Euskara language, Bilbao is a thriving port city where over 775,000 people call home and one of Spain’s most culturally significant hubs.
Lining a scenic Nervión River, it is famous for its best known for its unique mix of Old World, European traditionalism, and innovative modern architecture:
The main landmark in town, the Guggenheim Museum is a titanium-sheathed contemporary art sanctuary housed in a former, redeveloped wharf, perched on a prominent curve of the Nervión, and boasting a vast collection of art by renowned names like Jeff Koons and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Though Basque Country is mostly rural in character, with quaint, small villages where you’re likely to hear Euskara being spoken as opposed to Spanish, Bilbao is much more outward-looking: Spanish is the prevailing language, the social scene is unmatched, and the tourist offer is immense.
21st-Century Cosmopolis And Medieval City Combined
A great way to experience Bilbao’s lively cosmopolitanism is strolling the shop-lined streets of Ensanche, dotted with mid-size skyscrapers and laid-back cafes and pintxo bars (the Basque equivalent to tapas), often frequented by locals who’ve just clocked out of work and are eager to socialize.
For culture, and beautiful architecture of the kind you’d expect to find in a bustling European city, the Casco Viejo (or Old Town) will tick all of your boxes, from the winding, narrow streets, to the picturesque squares and the odd, solitary medieval leftover.
The charm of Casco Viejo lies in its intermingling of old and new, best evidenced in the endless rows of colorful buildings with glassed-in balconies.
Beyond the vibrant eclecticism, there are a fair few monuments that have stood the test of time virtually untouched.
One of them is the 14th-century Bilboko Donejakue Cathedral, with a modest facade and a richly-decorated interior, with a sculpture-lined nave, stained glass windows and vivid frescoes––a true jewel of Old Spain.
San Antón Church is yet another landmark dating back to medieval times, combining elements of Gothic and Renaissance, while Plaza Nueva, in the heart of the Old Town, is surrounded by 16th-century, arcaded buildings, now host to casual restaurants and souvenir shops.
Can We Talk About All That Incredible Food?
Other than the stunning architecture and medieval charm, Bilbao is known all over Spain for its excellent cuisine: it is the largest city in Basque Country, after all, one of Europe’s oldest ethnic regions with traditions that date back millennia.
One of the most popular pintxo bars in Bilbao, La Viña del Ensanche offers $3 draft beer, Iberian ham on toasted bread, dipped in olive oil, and their magnum opus, a seven-dish tasting menu paired with local wine––the codfish a la Vizcaina tastes heavenly.
Your pintxo crawling continues in Pentxo, both a laptop-friendly cafe, for those of us who are always carrying work wherever we go, and a no-frills restaurant serving local food, from bloody sausage tortillas to roast lamb, in a cozy, authentic environment.
For a wide range of vegetarian options and fresh Mediterranean-style salads, Greek-Spanish fusion Kali Orexi by Labocatorio is the place to go; if you love your meat, they also have Basque pork bocadillas and veal burgers with fries, with prices ranging from only $3 to $11.
How Much Cheaper Is Bilbao Compared To Barcelona?
As a matter of fact, Bilbao is one of the most affordable cities with a sizable population in Spain: according to Budget Your Trip, the average tourist spends $49 on meals, $28 on transportation, and $158-a-night on accommodation.
That’s only an average: in reality, it can be much lower, with a superior one-bedroom apartment with a balcony managed by Inside Bilbao Apartments costing $76 to book per night, in the heart of the Ensanche district, within walking distance of all the restaurants and sights.
The cheapest private accommodation arrangement is Ibis Budget Bilbao City, where a single room will set you back by $53, though if you’re a budget traveler looking to save as much as possible, a dorm bed overnight at the All Iron Hostel costs a negligible 20 bucks.
Still in Ensanche, there is a five-star listing Hotel Carlton, housed in a historic, Belle époque-era building and with lush gardens, costing $136-a-night, or $162 if including a ‘superb’ breakfast––no pre-payment needed if booked through Booking.com!
In comparison, the average hotel price in Barcelona is a much more expensive $210, whereas the average cost of food is a daily $62, bringing the total cost of a one-week stay in the Catalonian capital to $1,396, on a conservative estimate for one person.
In Bilbao, you get the same for approximately $1,048, which means the Basque metropolis is around 33.2% cheaper to visit as an American.
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