Going for a walk in Casco Viejo is the best way to discover Bilbao through its monuments, museums, legends, shops, bars, and restaurants.

The Bridge and Church of San Antón. The history of Bilbao began here, when the city was founded around an already-existing harbour in 1300. Throughout the years, several floods have washed away the bridges which, at this spot, connected the most historic neighbourhoods of the Biscayan capital:  Siete Calles and Atxuri on the right bank, and Bilbao la Vieja and San Francisco on the left. The Church of San Antón has also been here since before the city was founded, and the remains of the old wall can still be seen inside. On its facade, facing the Mercado de La Ribera, the balcony from which the local authorities watched the shows held in the former square catches our eye. Such was the importance of the location of the Bridge and Church of San Antón that they can be found in the crests of Bilbao and its football team Athletic Club.

Mercado de la Ribera. Located between the quays of the Estuary of Bilbao and the former city hall at San Antón, there was once a square where markets were held to sell the goods brought by ships from all over Europe, the fish caught at our coasts, and the produce of our baserris (local farms). The current market, which has made it into the book of Guinness World Records for being the largest covered market in Europe, was built on that square in 1929. Behind its recently renewed and monumental façade, the secret of the renowned Basque cuisine is revealed: the use of the best quality ingredients. The market stalls are filled with fish, vegetables, legumes, meat, fruit, luncheon meat, or cheese–a true delight for the palate and the eyes. Apart from selling top-quality products, the Mercado de la Ribera has got a dining area where you can enjoy eating pintxos or more elaborate dishes.

Santiago Cathedral. The main church of Bilbao has stood in the middle of Casco Viejo since the late 14th century. Dedicated to the Apostle James, it preserves the Gothic style of the nave and its aisles, the ambulatory, the Main Chapel, and the silent cloister, where the pilgrims of the Northern Way of St James entered through the Angel Door. On the outside, the bell tower and its spire rise towards the sky up to a height of 64 metres, and the Gothic portal on the south façade can be observed under an immense portico supported by a set of huge columns that compensate for uneven terrain.

The Siete Calles (Seven Streets). This once medieval settlement grew around the seven streets that initially sat within the city walls. Belostikale, Carnicería Vieja, Barrenkale and Barrenkale Barrena were added to the three streets that already existed by the Estuary before 1300–Somera, Artekale and Tendería–to give shape to Bilbao’s heart. Although Casco Viejo expanded rapidly later, it is these narrow streets and alleyways lined with palaces, bars and shops that guard the true essence of Bilbao. The Siete Calles are perfect for wandering around, always full of life, and in them you can find thousands of legends and hidden corners, have tasty pintxos and drink txakoli wine.

Unamuno. This is one of the accesses to the Siete Calles. This small square placed in the middle of the historic centre of Bilbao is also one of the most popular meeting places in the city. The entrance to Metro Bilbao opens to a square-shaped plaza from which you can get to the Basilica of Begoña by walking up the Mallona Steps. The Archaeological Museum is there too, housing an interesting exhibition of archaeological Biscayan remains. Right opposite it, we can see the Basque Museum, with an ample collection of items that teaches visitors about Basque history, commerce, navigation, and ethnography.  The square is also connected to lively streets such as Iturribide and María Muñoz, and shopping streets like Sombrerería, Ascao and De La Cruz. In the middle of the square, surrounded by wonderful terraces where you can relax and have a snack at any time you want, we can see the bust of late writer Miguel de Unamuno–born in the nearby Calle Ronda–and a curious fountain dedicated to the four elements: sua (fire), lurra (earth), ura (water) and haizea (air).

Plaza Nueva. The growth of the first narrow medieval streets resulted in the creation of this large open space, one of the major leisure areas in 19th-century Bilbao. It was called ‘new’ in opposition to the ‘old’ square located next to the Mercado de la Ribera, which had already disappeared when the Plaza Nueva was built. Legend has it that, for one of the many celebrations held in the square, the Plaza Nueva was filled with water to turn Bilbao into Venice for a few hours. Even gondolas were seen in it! Every Sunday, this Neoclassical square-shaped plaza and its porticoes accommodate a lively antique market. Any day of the week is a good day to have lunch or enjoy eating pintxos at any of its restaurants and bars.

Arriaga Theatre. Inspired by the Paris Opera, the Arriaga Theatre majestically stands between Bilbao’s historic centre and The Estuary, at the foot of the bridge that connects the medieval part of the city to the modern 19th-century Ensanche. It was the main theatre in Bilbao for more than a century, and its striking decoration does not cease to amaze those who come to see any of the performances it puts on. During the guided visits that show you around this iconic cultural building, you can have a glimpse at the monumental Hall and the Foyer, enter several rooms that are not generally open to the public, such as the lavishly decorated Orient Express Room or the Sala Isabelina, admire its collection of opera costumes, and see the spectacular auditorium.

Paseo del Arenal. Once a bustling commercial and fishing port, the neighbouring areas of the walled city were transformed into the garden with views over the Estuary we can see today. The Arenal is not only one of the entrances to Casco Viejo, but also its major recreational area and its gateway to the new Bilbao. Stretching from the City Hall to the Arriaga Theatre, this esplanade decked with gardens is the perfect place for strolling under the shade of tall trees, feasting your eyes with the Baroque façade of the Church of San Nicolás, or listening to the concerts given by the community band at their beautiful shell-shaped bandstand. The Arenal usually accommodates many of the events organised in the city–book fairs, Christmas markets, or children’s activities, for example, without forgetting the flower market that is held every Sunday under the Tinglados. However, its major transformation takes place during the Aste Nagusia, when the Arenal gets ready for a week of festivities and fun, and on Santo Tomás market, a festival celebrated on 21st December that brings the products grown on our baserris to the city year after year.

Pintxos and potes. Thanks to the wide variety of bars and restaurants in the city and que quality of their creations, Casco Viejo is without a doubt a real mecca for food lovers. There are always groups of friends walking up and down its lively streets, going form one bar to the next to have some of the delicious pintxos the pubs offer, accompanied by potes or txikitos–typical wine glasses that weigh over 600 grams but whose capacity is quite small. Pintxos come in all sizes, shapes, and flavours; they fill the counters of almost all the bars and pubs in Somera, Santa María, Jardines, Pelota, and Calle del Perro and they can also be paired with txakoli wine or zuritos.

Shops for everyone. From the moment it was founded, Casco Viejo has chiefly been a shopping area–so much so that even today some of its streets keep the names of the trades that were once present in them: Sombrerería (hat shop), Carnicería Vieja (old butchery), Cinturería (belt maker) o Tendería (shopkeeper’s). Nowadays, Bilbao’s historic centre continues to be the primary commercial hub of the city, housing hundreds of businesses, among which we can find either long-established stores–those who sell the most traditional products and where you can find regional artisan items and typical foods–or fashionable shops with the latest trends in clothes or food, and the best Basque design.