City break in Bilbao with friends: ideas the whole group will love

City break with friends · 8 top picks · chosen from the best-rated activities
City break in Bilbao with friends: ideas the whole group will love

A city break in Bilbao with friends works because the city is compact: from the Guggenheim along the ria, it's a short stroll to the pintxo bars in the Casco Viejo. By day you can take a boat trip, cycle or have an artist explain the museum; in the evening you hop from bar to bar with a glass of txakoli in hand. That's already a cracking weekend.

The tricky bit comes in the group chat: one person wants to surf, another only wants to eat and someone says "I don't mind". So below you'll find ideas from every corner. With Flip 2 Trip, a free web app, you create a trip as the organiser, everyone swipes on their own phone and you get the top 3 and a day programme. No endless messaging back and forth.

Let the group decideEveryone swipes through these activities, and you get the top 3 and a day plan. Free.
Start the planner →

Our top picks for a city break with friends in Bilbao

Basque food tour with wine tasting
Food and drink

Basque food tour with wine tasting

A local guide takes you around the best pintxo bars, with wine, txakoli or cider to go with them, and it scores 4.8 from 1015 reviews.

★ 4.8 · 1,015 reviewsView ↗
Evening pintxo pub crawl with wine
Evening & nightlife

Evening pintxo pub crawl with wine

The perfect start to a night out: five bars in the old town, with a pintxo and a matching drink at every stop (4.9 from 213 reviews).

★ 4.9 · 213 reviewsView ↗
Guggenheim: art explained by artists
Culture

Guggenheim: art explained by artists

An artist as your guide makes the Guggenheim fun, even for that one friend who says he's not into art (4.9).

★ 4.9 · 124 reviewsView ↗
E-bike tour of the highlights
Active

E-bike tour of the highlights

On an e-bike you'll see the ria, the Guggenheim and the old centre in three hours: sporty, but without anyone dropping out.

★ 4.7 · 774 reviewsView ↗
Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka and Gernika with a wine stop
Sightseeing

Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka and Gernika with a wine stop

One full day on the Basque coast with Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka, Gernika and a wine stop, rated 4.7 from 3139 reviews.

★ 4.7 · 3,139 reviewsView ↗
Surf lesson on Sopelana beach
Active

Surf lesson on Sopelana beach

Laugh, fall off and get back up together on a surfboard in Sopelana, half an hour from the city.

★ 4.8 · 21 reviewsView ↗
San Mamés stadium tour with Athletic Bilbao
Sightseeing

San Mamés stadium tour of Athletic Bilbao

For the football fans in the group: the stadium and museum of Athletic Club, a club that only fields Basque players (4.8 from 1666 reviews).

★ 4.8 · 1,666 reviewsView ↗
Cruise along the Bilbao ría
On the water

Cruise along the Bilbao estuary

A relaxed boat cruise past the Guggenheim and the bridges, ideal as a first introduction or for recovering from the night before.

★ 4.2 · 3,314 reviewsView ↗
How it works

Let your group choose in Bilbao

  1. 1
    Start a trip to Bilbao

    Or put Bilbao up against a few other cities and let the group choose the destination too.

  2. 2
    Share the link

    Everyone swipes through the activities on their own phone. No app, no account and no peer pressure.

  3. 3
    Your match

    You instantly see the group's top 3 and a day plan, with booking links included.

Start the planner

What your day could look like

E-bike tour of the highlights
MorningE-bike tour of the highlightsStart on the e-bike along the ria and the old centre, so you know where everything is straight away.
Guggenheim: art explained by artists
AfternoonGuggenheim: art explained by artistsSee the Guggenheim from the inside, explained by an artist who tells the story behind the works.
Evening pintxo pub crawl with wine
EveningEvening pintxo crawl with winePintxos and wine across five bars in the old town, a great way to kick off the evening.

Tips

Where to stay in Bilbao with your group

Staying over? On Booking.com you choose your own dates, and the number of guests is already filled in. Tip: book early, especially for a big group at the weekend.

Whole house or apartmentTogether under one roof, for 8 peopleView ↗HotelsHighly rated, 4 rooms for 8 peopleView ↗Budget and hostelsAffordable stays, perfect for a weekend away with friends or a stag or hen doView ↗

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need for a city break in Bilbao with friends?

A long weekend of three days is ideal: one day in the city, one day on the coast or a day trip, and an evening of pintxos. Two days works too, you'll just have to be a bit choosier.

What can you do in Bilbao with a group?

Plenty: a pintxo crawl through the Casco Viejo, a visit to the Guggenheim, a boat trip or bike ride along the ría, surfing in Sopelana, or a day trip to Gaztelugatxe or San Sebastián.

When is the best time for a city break in Bilbao?

Late spring to early autumn is best for the coast and the outdoors. Bilbao is green because it rains here, so a raincoat is always a good idea.

How do I get my group of friends to choose easily?

Create a trip in Flip 2 Trip and share the link. Everyone swipes through the activities on their own phone, and you get the top 3 and a day programme the whole group is behind.

More inspiration

All group activities in Bilbao →Stag and hen do in Bilbao: ideas for a day or a weekend →City break in Barcelona with friends: sea, tapas and a night out →City break in Berlin with friends: choose together what you'll do →City break in Lisbon with friends: choose together what you'll do →City break in London with friends: choose together what you'll do →