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Art & History Abroad Tours

Bilbao & The Guggenheim Effect Tour

Bilbao is a city reborn, thanks largely to a single building that kickstarted the revival: Frank Gehry’s 1997 Guggenheim Museum, built in a rundown port area, that was hailed as a masterpiece of the 20th century. 

It has led to a series of buildings by world-famous architects, some of which we will see on this superb tour in the company of Dr Peter Higginson, not forgetting the city’s older artistic, architectural and culinary heritage.

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what’s included

At A Glance

  • The Travel Editions Experience
    Our tours are thoughtfully crafted and meticulously planned, with every destination, hotel, excursion and stop along the way having been selected to form a truly memorable experience.
  • Meals Included
    All breakfasts, one lunch and two dinners.
  • Handpicked Accommodation
    Four nights at the four-star Catalonia Gran Via Hotel, Bilbao, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room.
  • Discover the Authentic Bilbao
    From Gehry’s iconic Guggenheim and Bilbao’s stunning roll-call of architectural giants to the charming old town, its excellent Museum of Fine Arts, and a lively pinxtos tour of its famous bars, discover a city that delights in equal measure.
  • Your Expert Guide
    Dr Peter Higginson and Tour Manager throughout.     All transfers and entrances as per the itinerary.
  • Flights from the UK
    Return flights from London Gatwick to Bilbao.
Meet Your Expert Guide

Dr Peter Higginson

Peter is a highly respected lecturer specialising in the art and culture of early modern Europe and the modern period. His publications include work on art and society in seventeenth-century Baroque Rome and the patronage of Caravaggio, a particular focus of his research.

He has taught numerous university courses abroad and leads cultural programmes across Europe, including Rome, Venice, Florence, Paris, Madrid and Barcelona. Peter’s enthusiasm, knowledge and commitment have earned consistently strong reviews from Travel Editions travellers, making his tours both scholarly and highly enjoyable.

Meet Our Expert Guides
itinerary & excursions

Your Itinerary

Explore this incredible tour in detail and discover what makes each day so special. Below, you’ll find a full day-by-day breakdown of your journey, from the moment you arrive to your final farewell. Learn more about the highlights you’ll experience, the unforgettable places you’ll visit, and the unique moments that bring each destination to life. Whether you’re drawn by rich history, stunning landscapes or unforgettable cultural encounters, this itinerary gives you everything you need to picture your adventure and look forward to every step of the way.

Day 1: Arrival in Bilbao and the Guggenheim Effect

Fly from London Gatwick to Bilbao and transfer by coach to the hotel for check-in for four-night stay. Afternoon at leisure. Evening welcome drink at the hotel followed by our first lecture from Dr Peter Higginson: ‘Bilbao: from its origins to the Guggenheim Effect’, followed by dinner with wine. 

Day 2: Casco Viejo, La Ribera Market & the Guggenheim 

We start our day with a guided walking tour to see the Casco Viejo (old town) and La Ribera food market. Walk along the Bilbao Art District area to the shimmering Guggenheim Museum. Designed by architect Frank Gehry the museum was opened in 1997 by King Juan Carlos I, made of titanium, glass and limestone at its opening it was hailed as the most important building of its time.

The museum hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions of 250 contemporary works of art, though the building is the star attraction for most visitors. During our visit, we take an exclusive guided tour to explore areas of the building not normally open to the public (subject to museum scheduling). Evening at leisure. 

Day 3: Fine Arts, Abandoibarra & Modern Bilbao

A morning visit to the excellent Museum of Fine Arts which includes works by El Greco, Goya and Gauguin. In the afternoon we have a guided architecture tour of the 19th century Ensanch-Abandoibarra neighbourhood which shows the urban development of the area, followed by a visit to Azkuna Zentroa, a striking blend of historic industrial design and bold contemporary creativity. Evening free at leisure.

Day 4: Maritime Bilbao & Pintxos in the Old Town

This morning we visit the Maritime Museum for a guided tour which puts Bilbao’s history into context. We continue the day with a guided walking tour of the old town including pintxos and drinks enroute. Pintxos are the Basque form of tapas and the bars a Bilbao institution that no visit to the city is complete without experiencing.

The rest of the afternoon is at leisure for you to explore the city independently. This evening we will have a second lecture from Dr Peter Higginson, ‘Picasso’s Guernica and its legacy’ , followed by a farewell dinner with wine.

Day 5: Guernica, the Peace Museum & Return Home

This morning we visit the town of Guernica, destroyed by relentless bombing in the Spanish Civil War, which inspired Picasso’s renowned painting of the same name. We will have a guided tour of the town and the Peace Museum. After free time for lunch (own expense) we transfer to Bilbao Airport for the return flight to London Gatwick.

Exact order of excursions may vary according to local conditions and tour manager’s discretion.

our guests say

Recent reviews

Please note: This holiday last ran in 2023 and a new and improved version has been brought back by our team due to popular demand.

“I think my “excellent” choices couldn’t be any better! It was such a privilege to be accompanied by Peter Higginson. A real bonus to an excellent tour overall.”
Anonymous March 2023

“Peter Higginson was an excellent leader, and the local guides were very good too. The visit to Guernica was rather long, possibly due to the long film show in the Peace Museum. We would have liked more planned time at the Guggenheim. Maritime Museum was surprisingly interesting. We enjoyed the Pintxos bar crawl! Overall, it was a fun and informative trip.”
Anonymous, March 2023

“A very enjoyable holiday. The tour manager Peter was very knowledgeable and pleasant and the city of Bilbao was an absolute delight to explore: so much to see.”
Morris, March 2023

Availability

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Date
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26/04/2027
London Gatwick
£2,995
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Solo Traveller Supplement From: £540
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HOTELS

Tour Accommodation

Hotel Catalonia Gran Via, Bilbao
Opened in 2021 the four-star Hotel Catalonia Gran Via Bilbao is located in the centre of the city opposite Dona Casilda Park and very close to the Guggenheim Museum plus in a great location for a wide range of local bars and restaurants. The hotel offers an indoor and outdoor swimming pool and terrace, urban garden, wellness and spa and gastrobar. Bedrooms are comfortable with all modern amenities including TV, telephone, wifi and a hairdryer.

Hotel Website

our regular tours

Mobility Information

This tour has a demanding fitness rating and is designed for travellers who enjoy a more active pace of exploration. While it is not a walking holiday, you should expect busy days with extended periods on your feet and visits where conditions may be more varied. These may include uneven terrain, cobbled streets, archaeological sites, steep paths, steps, stairs, limited handrails or fewer opportunities to sit and rest.
 
A good level of fitness and mobility will help you enjoy the full experience of the itinerary. Please read the day-by-day itinerary carefully, as we highlight specific practical details wherever possible. This may include notes about ground conditions, stairs, walking distances, coach access or sites where lifts are not available.
 
If you have any questions about whether this tour is suitable for you, please contact our team before booking. We are always happy to talk through the itinerary and help you make the right choice.

Mobility Information
Your questions answered

Tour FAQ

If you have a question, we are more than happy to answer it via email or phone, but you may find your answer below more quickly.

Simply complete our online booking form or give us a call on 020 7251 0045 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday where you can speak to a real person. A 20% deposit per person is required at the time of booking, to book your place. Payments by debit card or credit card incur no charge. 

You must pay for the balance of your holiday at least 12 weeks before departure. Please note: no reminder for balance payments is sent to you and are not receipted unless requested. If you book your holiday within 12 weeks of departure, full payment is required at time of booking. Please note that some tours may require final payment to be paid earlier than 12 weeks, due to financial commitment with suppliers. The exact date will be notified to you at the time of booking. Final joining instructions and documentation will be dispatched approximately 10 days before travel.

In almost all cases, the price includes your accommodation, meals as described in the itinerary, all excursions shown in the programme, and travel arrangements from the UK. Excursions are taken by private coach exclusively for Travel Editions guests. If anything is ever excluded from the price, it will be clearly marked as optional and payable locally, you won’t find any hidden extras on your final bill. Travel Editions operates a firm no-surcharge policy, so the price you are quoted is the price you pay.

The specifics vary by tour and are set out in your individual itinerary, but most of our tours depart from London, either by Eurostar from St Pancras International or by air. For rail tours, we advise allowing at least one hour before the Eurostar departure when planning your journey to London. For flights, all costs are based on economy class unless otherwise stated, and all times shown are local time. For tours in the UK, these often start at the hotel in question.

Flight upgrades and connections from regional airports are available on request and subject to availability, contact us on 020 7251 0045 or at tours@traveleditions.co.uk for details. We strongly recommend not booking non-refundable connecting travel until you have received your final joining instructions, which are sent around 10 days before departure and confirm all timings and meeting points.

Yes, and you’re very welcome. Single room supplements apply on most tours, reflecting the fact that single and double rooms are generally priced similarly by hotels. If you would prefer to share with another solo traveller of the same gender, we are happy to arrange this, simply let us know at the time of booking. Sharing is subject to another traveller in the same situation being booked on the same tour.

Each tour is accompanied by a dedicated tour manager, who in most cases will travel out from the UK with the group. On some tours, the tour manager will meet you at your destination station or airport, with full details being confirmed in your joining instructions 10 days before travel. Many of our tours are also led by expert lecturers or specialist guides whose knowledge brings each destination to life; details of who will be accompanying your particular tour are included in the individual tour pages and itineraries.

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