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Bilbao: when your ship stops here

A titanium art museum by Frank Gehry, the oldest transporter bridge in the world, and the old town.

Facts checked Nov 5, 2026, each with its source. No prices on this page.

Bilbao is the largest city of Biscay, in the Basque Country of Spain, with 347,342 people in 2024. A cruise port guide says ships use cruise berths in Getxo, beside the marina and Ereaga Beach, and that the cruise terminals are about 12 to 15 km (9 miles) from downtown Bilbao.

Sources: Wikipedia: Bilbao; CruiseMapper (a cruise port guide site): Bilbao-Getxo

Top 3 things to do

  1. 1. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

    A museum opened on 18 October 1997 and designed by the architect Frank Gehry. Its outside is covered in titanium plates arranged in scales, over a base of limestone, and the sculpture Puppy by Jeff Koons stands in front of it. It has 11,000 square metres (120,000 square feet) of exhibition space.

    Tip: Check opening days on the museum's own page; our sources do not give them.

    Source: Wikipedia: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

  2. 2. The Vizcaya Bridge

    Built in 1893 and called the world's oldest transporter bridge. A gondola hangs from it and carries six cars and several dozen passengers across the mouth of the Nervion in about one and a half minutes. It joins Portugalete and Las Arenas, which is part of Getxo, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

    Tip: Las Arenas is in Getxo, the same town as the cruise berths, so this is the sight closest to your ship.

    Sources: Wikipedia: Vizcaya Bridge; CruiseMapper (a cruise port guide site): Bilbao-Getxo

  3. 3. The Casco Viejo and the Zubizuri

    The Casco Viejo is the old town, where the city began. The Arriaga Theatre is among the buildings added in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the Zubizuri is a bridge by Santiago Calatrava, part of the city's renewal.

    Tip: The old town is in the city itself, so allow the transfer time in and out.

    Source: Wikipedia: Bilbao

What to skip

  • Walking into the city

    A cruise port guide says walking into Bilbao is not practical. It gives 20 to 30 minutes by taxi, or roughly 45 to 60 minutes each way with the port shuttle and Metro Line 1, so leave in good time before all aboard.

    Source: CruiseMapper (a cruise port guide site): Bilbao-Getxo

Before you go ashore

You do not have to book a tour: you are free to go ashore on your own. Royal Caribbean sets the all aboard time about 30 minutes before the ship sails, posts it near the gangway, and says the ship does not wait for guests touring on their own.

Source: Royal Caribbean FAQ: Do I need to book a shore excursion?

Back-to-backs that stop in Bilbao

Back-to-back cruises from these home ports have a stop in Bilbao, from the Royal Caribbean sailings we track:

Sources

Read on Nov 5, 2026. Opening days, hours and rules change: check with the place itself before you go. legtolegcruises.com is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Royal Caribbean International or any place named here.

Find back-to-backs that stop in Bilbao

Two or more Royal Caribbean cruises in a row, with a day in Bilbao on the way.

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