Bilbao Authentic Food Tour with 9 Pintxos and Local Drinks
Description
Bilbao bold architecture, riverside charm and a vibrant food scene. What more could you ask for?! Imagine a city where industrial heritage meets cutting-edge design, set along the Nervión River, lively yet authentic, and full of Basque character. Bilbao is renowned across Spain for its innovative cuisine and talented chefs, who blend tradition with modern techniques, and for its pintxos culture — a creative take on tapas from the Basque Country, served in individual portions and displayed along the bar for you to choose as they’re freshly prepared. If you’re passionate about gastronomic experiences with a contemporary twist, Bilbao will not disappoint.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Welcome to the start of the culinary journey at Mercado de la Ribera, one of Europe’s largest covered markets. Setting the stage for an unforgettable food adventure.
Step into history at Catedral de Santiago de Bilbao, a Gothic-style cathedral that has stood as a spiritual and architectural landmark since the 14th century. With its stunning façade, intricate stonework, and peaceful interior, the cathedral offers a glimpse into Bilbao’s rich cultural and religious heritage.
Next, we arrive at Plaza Nueva, the heart of Bilbao’s social life. This neoclassical square, surrounded by elegant arcades, is the perfect place to soak in the city’s lively atmosphere. Locals gather here for coffee, pintxos, and conversation, making it an essential stop to experience Bilbao like a true insider.
Cross the iconic Puente del Arenal, a historic bridge linking the bustling old town with the riverside. This vantage point offers stunning views of the Nervión River and the surrounding architecture, perfectly illustrating Bilbao’s blend of tradition and modernity.
Finally, we’ll pause at the Palacio de la Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, a magnificent 19th-century palace that serves as the administrative heart of the province. Its grand architecture, ornate façades, and elegant interiors reflect Bilbao’s historical significance and civic pride, rounding out the exploration of the city’s cultural and culinary landmarks.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please note: the itinerary and menu is subject to change, based on the locations’ availability, weather, and other circumstances.
- Please ensure to contact us in advance of the tour for any dietary requirement, to ensure we can cater for them the best we can.
- This tour involves a fair amount of walking; comfortable shoes are recommended.
Reviews(13)
We have done secret food tours all over the world and this one was as brilliant as the usual standard. Andrea our guide was informative, knowledgeable and just lovely . We went to many pinxto bars and had delicious food and drinks. As usual we were stuffed at the end! She told us so much about the city, region and local life. It is really such a good thing to do when you arrive in a city. If you get on the mailing list, they often do 20% off specials which is when I book all our upcoming tours. Great value for money too.
Thank you for letting us be part of your visit. Every guest brings a different perspective, and yours was a pleasure to read. We hope your next Secret Food Tours experience is just around the corner!
We have done secret food tours in many cities and countries and this was once again excellent. Andrea was lovely, informative and interactive. She chose delicious pinxtos and took us to lovely bars and cafes. We had a sweet at our final stop which was also yummy but I was going to explode. Do NOT eat before this tour ! We learnt so much about the Basque region, people and food. Don’t miss this one !
We're delighted to read your comments! It's wonderful to hear the experience gave you a chance to see another side of the city. We hope you'll join Secret Food Tours again soon.
The tour was a wonderful way to start my 12 day trip in Bilbao. Andrea was very knowledgeable and accommodating. I don't eat fish and she made sure that I was given alternatives. She also follow up with a list of places to go and things to do while in Bilbao that was wonderful. I strongly recommend her tour...but go hungry!!
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! We’re glad the day gave you the chance to slow down a bit and really enjoy everything around you. Secret Food Tours would be happy to host you again.
Wonderful food tour with Jon Rees. Jon was extremely knowledgeable and shared lots of nuggets about both the culture of Bilbao as well as the cuisine. We thoroughly enjoyed all the stops and revisited several of them during the rest of our stay. Jon was so helpful and a real credit to Secret Food Tours. Thank you very much
We’re so pleased you joined us and shared this feedback. The balance between food and local insight is something we aim to get just right. We’d love to have you back on another Secret Food Tours!
Jon Rees was amazing. We could not have asked for anything better! He was so knowledgeable and gave us so much history along with the food. I highly recommend him. I have to say this was honestly one of the best tours we have ever took and we travel quite often
Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re glad our tour offered a good balance of flavors and local insight. We’d be happy to have you back on another Secret Food Tours!
My wife and I shared a wonderful and engaging food tour with Jon Rees in Bilbao, Basque Country. It was our good fortune to have Jon all to ourselves for the tour because he was engaging, knowledgeable and answered our questions about food, the Basque culture/history, how the Basque people have changed throughout their history and his perspectives on his own Basque experience -- all fascinating. It was also our good fortune to learn that Jon took the leadership in developing this tour from his personal favorite food establishments. All of the food was marvelous and we were more than satisfied at the end of the afternoon. After our tour, Jon provided recommendations for other Basque Country excursions which were very helpful. Jon Rees has our highest and most sincere recommendation.
We appreciate you taking the time to write this! It’s nice to know the tour delivered a good balance of food and local perspective. We’d love to have you back on another Secret Food Tours!
We had a marvelous time on this tour with Jon Rees, it was a perfect way to see the city and eat some great food! Jon was so nice and provided us with great insight into the city, culture and food, and also answered any other questions we had. The tour is very walkable and relaxing, with plenty of time at each stop. We loved all the food and learning about the businesses we visited. We almost always do a food tour at the beginning of our trip to any city, because it gives you such great insight into the city, its customs, and helps us learn our way around and learn how to order food at restaurants...and this tour did not disappoint in any of those. I also love that the group size is not too big, so we had a great opportunity to meet some other people on the tour while also being able to talk with Jon as much as we wanted. Highly recommend this tour!
Thank you for the feedback! It’s great to hear the mix of food stops and local stories made the experience stand out. We’d be glad to have you join us again on another Secret Food Tours.
Great food well informed and pleasant host Jon. Really enjoyed the entire tour and informative guideǰ
Thank you for sharing your impressions with us. A well-paced walk often makes the experience easier to enjoy as a whole. You’re invited anytime to explore another Secret Food Tours!
Great tour with not only a superb selection of authentic and creative pintxos, but also lots of information about Bilbao and the Basque Country. Even got some valuable tips for the rest of my stay. Enjoyed all of it! Special thanks to Andrea, the very knowledgeable tour guide who answered all our questions about Bilbao, it's people and culture.
Thank you for taking the time to write this. We’re pleased the experience felt balanced and enjoyable as a whole. You’re welcome anytime to join another Secret Food Tours worldwide!
Excellent pintxos expertly paired with different local drinks. Jon, our local host, was really helpful - giving us history and culture on the area, the bars and each pintxo. Great vale for money!
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re glad the guide helped frame the city in an approachable and informative way. You’re always welcome to join another Secret Food Tours!
