Earlier this month, I went on a last-minute getaway with a friend to Bilbao, Spain. In this blog, I will share my experience and photos in the hopes of giving you an idea of what to expect if you were to go there too.

The main reason for choosing Bilbao was because I wanted to photograph the Guggenheim Museum. I’ve seen some photos from Mark Fearnley who visited not long ago, and I had to visit for myself. Also, this is a very short and affordable trip from London.

We visited in December, and the weather was a mixed bag. The first two days were warm and sunny with temperatures around 18°C. Day three and four, however, were a washout with gale-force winds and temperatures around 10°C.

All the photos in this blog were taken on a Leica Q3 43, which is a 43mm focal length. I found that in most cases, it was the perfect focal length for this city. At times, I wish I could go down to 35mm, especially for the establishing shots of the museum; however, I still managed to get what I wanted by crossing to the other side of the river and shooting from there.

We were there for two full days with a travel day on either side. I thought this was a perfect duration, and any longer would have felt somewhat repetitive. We stayed around the corner from the Guggenheim and found that location to be ideal. It’s only a 15-minute walk to the train station and 20 minutes to the old town. By staying near the Guggenheim, it meant we didn’t have to start early in order to get there for the opening. More on that later.

The first day was spent exploring the old town and then following the river down to the Guggenheim, crossing over and exploring the more modern part. The old town is just like any other you’d expect to find— plenty of small streets flooded with light, loads of details, old churches, bars, and amazing architecture. You will also find the main market in this part of town, which is great to explore and grab a bite in.

We then followed the river down to the modern bit, and while it isn’t as characterful, there are plenty of clean lines and compositions for more minimal shots. The river was also really nice. Towards the end of the day, we spent some time exploring outside the Guggenheim.

On day two, we got up early and made sure we made it to the Guggenheim for 10 a.m. when it opens. During peak times or when it rains, the museum can get packed out. The first thing you’d notice is the steam being pumped across the walkway outside. I am not sure exactly at what time they do it or how often, but it’s worth investigating.

From a photography standpoint, most of your time will be spent in the main exhibition area where you can play around with all the shapes and patterns.

After that, don’t forget to explore the rest of the artwork and installations, which I found fascinating.

Depending on what time you finish, you might find you still have a free afternoon. This is where you can grab a bus to Getxo to see one of the oldest bridge types in existence called Vizcaya Bridge. It’s a transporter-style bridge where you get on a platform suspended by cables, and it moves to the other side of the river. I’ve never seen one before, so this was pretty cool.

Getxo is a nice little seaside town; however, on that day, the weather was horrific to say the least, so after the bridge, we got a bus back to Bilbao and hid away in a wine bar till late into the night.

In short, I would recommend Bilbao as a nice little weekend away if you’re in Europe already. I would say, however, that it’s also a great starting point to explore the whole region, including places like San Sebastián. This is on my to-do list for next year.