Plunge into Bilbao's atmospheric medieval quarter with a private expert food guide, bar-hopping through the Siete Calles (Seven Streets) for the city's finest pintxos — the Basque answer to tapas — paired with local Txakoli, cider, and aged Rioja.
What to expect
The tour begins at the ornate iron-and-glass La Ribera Market, the largest covered market in Europe, where your guide introduces you to the ingredients that define Basque cuisine: salt cod, Idiazabal cheese, Gernika peppers, and anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea. You then weave through the Casco Viejo's medieval lanes, stopping at four to six hand-picked bars for a pintxo and a glass at each — the variety is extraordinary, from classic tortilla to avant-garde foie with Pedro Ximénez reduction. The guide contextualises every bite with Basque cultural history, finishing at a terrace on Plaza Nueva for a final Txakoli toast.
Good to know
The Casco Viejo is a 15-min taxi from the port. Tours run late morning or at midday to coincide with the Basque pintxos culture (bars are at their best 12:00–15:00). Confirm dietary requirements when booking. Allow 3 hrs; easily combined with a Guggenheim visit in the afternoon before all-aboard.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Bilbao — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Bilbao
- Guggenheim Bilbao: Private Guided Tour + Puppy & Titan Access
- Dragonstone, Mundaka & Guernica: Private Day in the Basque Heartland
- La Rioja Alavesa: Private Winery Tour & Laguardia Medieval Village
- Vizcaya Bridge + Txakoli Wine Tasting: Basque Icons in Half a Day
- San Sebastián, Hondarribia & Getaria: Private Coastal Grand Tour