Bilbao is easily seen in a day, with the Guggenheim as the big draw and an unbeatable old town for pintxos. The city went from industrial grey to design icon, and it's walked on foot following the river. This route covers the essentials.
Getting there
By train and bus from the north; the airport is 12 minutes from the centre. The city has metro, tram and the Artxanda funicular. It pairs beautifully with San Sebastián and the Basque coast.
The one-day route
Start at Gehry's Guggenheim Museum (with 'Puppy' and the spider 'Maman' outside) and stroll along the river. Cross to the Old Town and its Seven Streets, step into La Ribera Market and save time for pintxos (Plaza Nueva and around). Ride the Artxanda funicular for the best panorama of Bilbao and the mountains.
Around
Half an hour away, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe (the Game of Thrones one) and the Basque coast; the Bizkaia Bridge in Portugalete, a UNESCO site, is on the estuary.
Where to eat
Pintxos in Plaza Nueva and the Old Town, and cod, txuleta or marmitako in the grill houses. Bilbao is one of Europe's gastronomic capitals: go hungry.
In one sentence
Bilbao in a day is Guggenheim, river and pintxos: cutting-edge architecture and the best bar food in the north. With more time, Gaztelugatxe and San Sebastián round off the trip.