1. The Englishmen’s' Camp

The park of the “Campa de los Ingleses” occupies the green space between the vicinity of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Deusto Bridge. 

This area, which was once a British cemetery and Athletic's soccer field, has 25,000 square meters and is the work of the landscape designer Diana Balmori, also the author of the “Plaza de Euskadi”.

A popular legend tells that the term "alirón" or the expression "cantar el alirón" used in soccer comes from the English workers who came to work in Bilbao and, when they found rich iron, they shouted "All iron". The locals, not knowing how to pronounce it, read "alirón" on the containers.

2. The Guggenheim Museum and Puppy

The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao was designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry and opened in 1997.

It is shaped like a ship and is built with titanium plates, glass and limestone in the image of the city.

Its peculiar staircases give visitors a sense of discomfort that prepares them to separate the busy city life from the experience of visiting a contemporary art museum.

Its guard dog is named Puppy. He was created by Jeff Koons and is a puppy of the west highland terrier breed. 

He is over 12 meters tall and weighs 15 tons.

His flowers are replaced twice a year.

At first it was going to be only for a temporary exhibition and given the acceptance of the public it stayed permanently.

3. Exterior artwork at the Guggenheim Museum

On the terrace of the museum you can see the colorful work called Tulips by the author Jeff Koons, creator of the Puppy.

Above the pond is The Big Tree and the Eye, a creation of the Indian artist Anish Kapoor composed of 80 spheres of reflective stainless steel.

This work expresses the fleeting nature of the appearance of things and makes us think about the instability of the visible world.

Also striking is the nearly 9-meter-high Mama chandelier by French sculptor Louise Bourgeois.

There are 6 more copies scattered around the world (UK, Canada, Japan, USA and South Korea).

This work was dedicated to her weaver mother and hence the appearance of being constructed of silk.

Motherhood embodies strength and fragility. Her mother was abused by her father who was very aggressive and the eggs represent her siblings whom she protected.

During the day, in the pond during the day you can see the fog sculpture by Japanese artist Fujiko Nakaya. It is put into operation every hour on the hour for eight minutes.

In the evening, you can see the fire fountain by the French artist Yves Klein, who is very interested in the 4 natural elements. It is lit for an hour every four minutes, and remains burning for one minute.

4. “La Salve” Bridge

“La Salve” Bridge is so called because when the ships arrived at the port of Bilbao is the first place where the Virgin of Begoña is seen and there the sailors sang the Salve.

It was designed at the end of the sixties, to solve the traffic problem.

It was also the first in Spain with a tie-rod system and one of the few with a metal deck. 

In 2007 the "Red Arches" structure was installed, designed by the French artist Daniel Buren, winner of the ideas competition to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the museum.

This structure covers the bridge with a red "skin", like a sculpture, and integrates light effects at night.

On the “Campo Volantín” side there are several elevators that allow one of the best views of both the museum and the city.

Under the bridge you can see the graffiti Giltza bat - A Key developed for the celebration of the School Day of Nonviolence and Peace, on the occasion of the commemoration of the death of Mahatma Gandhi.

It was created by two artists from Vitoria belonging to Muralismo Público.

In it, two women, one young and the other older, with an interesting pendant, which gives the work its title, converse in a relaxed way; it is the image of harmony, of the reflection of dialogue.

5. Ibaigane Palace

It is a magnificent building from the early twentieth century that houses the offices and headquarters of Athletic Club since 1988.

The work was designed by the architect Gregorio Ibarreche and its promoter was the shipowner and industrialist Ramón de la Sota.

The Franco dictatorship ordered the seizure of this family mansion and it became military barracks until it was returned to its rightful owners who reached an agreement with the soccer club for its purchase and restoration.

6. The "Euskalduna Jauregia" Conference Center and Concert Hall

It was inaugurated in 1999. Its architects are Federico Soriano and Dolores Palacios.

It occupies part of the land where the Euskalduna shipyards were located, from which it takes its name.

Its main function is to host congresses and it also has an extensive program of concerts, opera and theater. 

It is the headquarters of the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra.

Its main auditorium has a capacity for 2,200 people. It also has 18 other independent halls.

Next to the palace there are several works of urban art, such as the well-known Metallic Forest designed by the architects.

At the entrance we can find the Dodecathlos or the Works of Hercules by the Biscayan sculptor Vicente Larrea as a tribute to the hard work of the shipyard workers that was installed in 2001.

The muse of the dance or the Terpsichore is located in the area of the pond on a reinforced concrete footing of 12 tons. 

It was made by Salvador Dalí in 1971 and it is the only one of the two pieces of this muse that is preserved in Spain and that remained in the hands of the Diputación after a donation in payment of taxes.

7. The Carola Crane

The Carola Crane is the only survivor of the many that once lined the docks of Bilbao. 

It is located opposite the Maritime Museum, 

This powerful crane was placed at the head of the No. 1 slipway and its work consisted of lifting, moving and turning the elements of the hull or machinery that had been made in the workshops in order to attach them to the ship.

The reason for its reprieve is the beautiful story that gives it its name. In front of the shipyard there was a jetty to cross the estuary. Every afternoon, a beautiful young woman from Deusto called Carola crossed the estuary by boat to go to work in the Plaza del Sagrado Corazón, and to do so she had to cross the Euskalduna facilities. 

The workers awaited her arrival and, sounding the factory sirens, accompanied her as she passed. 

In homage to this beautiful woman, the crane was named after her. 

The Carola crane remained in operation until the Euskalduna Shipyard closed in 1987.

8. The new "San Mamés"

San Mamés was inaugurated in 2013 and is the home stadium of Athletic Club de Bilbao.

It also includes a sports innovation centre and a sports medicine centre, an underground athletics track and a municipal sports centre, and can host large-scale concerts.

In 2015, it was awarded at the World Architecture Festival in Singapore as the world's best new sports building.

It replaces the old San Mamés, the Cathedral, of which only its famous arch remains in the team's facilities in Lezama.

The stadium has a capacity of 53,000 seats and has the status of elite category stadium, the maximum granted by UEFA.

9. The Tiger Building

The Tiger Building is a building constructed in 1940 for the Correas el Tigre company on the Ribera de Deusto.

In 1942 a concrete statue of a tiger by the artist Joaquín Lucarini from Alava was placed on it.

It is curious that one of his sculptures, dedicated to the Virgin, is submerged at a depth of 10 metres off the coast of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.

Initially the building was much more modest but nowadays they are luxury homes.

10. The Walk of Basque Sculptors

The Walk of Basque Sculptors runs along the Campo Volantín.

Opposite the steps of the Zubizuri bridge and in the shadow of the Isozaki towers, we find the "Hombre de Hierro. Tuercebarras" by the artist Jesús Lizaso. This character was born in 2006, inspired by the history of the estuary, closely related to the physical work carried out by the shipyard workers.

A little further towards the Town Hall is the "Mascarón de proa" (figurehead) by Néstor Basterretxea from Bermeo. This sculpture was created in 1986.

On the banks of the estuary and opposite the Town Hall, the imposing Ovoid Variant has stood since 2002. Popularly known as the "txapela a medio lado", the sculpture was created by Jorge Oteiza as an exercise in emptiness, specifically the result of the unoccupation of a sphere. 

11. The Calatrava footbridge and Isozaki towers

The Zubizuri Bridge - The Calatrava footbridge

The Zubizuri Bridge, also known as the Calatrava footbridge, was inaugurated in 1997.

It was designed by the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, who also designed La Paloma, Bilbao Airport.

From the beginning it has been surrounded by controversy; very slippery tiles that were finally solved with a carpet, annual maintenance of more than 6000 euros for the tiles that broke due to temperature changes and lack of connection with the Isozaki towers. 

Calatrava denounced the Consistory and in 2007 a judge ruled in his favour.  The city council had to compensate him with 30,000 euros for the moral rights, which he finally donated to the Casa de la Misericordia in Bilbao, which is dedicated to the residential care of the elderly.

Isozaki door - The Isozaki Towers

This complex of seven buildings was designed by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki.

The proposal was to design a Gateway connecting the city's Ensanche and the Estuary. 

Its Grand Staircase is inspired by the Spanish Steps in Rome.

Parts of the front of the old Franco Depósito Franco, located on the Uribitarte Quay, have been respected.

The building is home to the headquarters of Eusko Ikaskuntza, the Unesco House and the Europe of the Peoples Institute.

12. Artxanda Funicular Railway

It was inaugurated in 1915 and built by the Swiss company Von Ron on the initiative of Evaristo San Martín from San Sebastian.

It was built to provide access to the casino, which was located on Mount Artxanda. 

During the Civil War, during the siege of Bilbao, the tracks and the upper station were bombed and the service was interrupted until 1938.

It was completely refurbished in 1983.

From its viewing platform there is an unmissable view of the city and the surrounding area. 

Carriages leave every quarter of an hour and the journey takes just a few minutes.

It is an ideal place to enjoy relaxing walks and sample the local cuisine.

In the upper station there is a series of photographs showing all the construction and assembly work, as well as the state of the old installations.

13. Bilbao City Council

Bilbao City Hall occupies the site of the former convent of San Agustín, destroyed during the First Carlist War. 

It was built at the end of the 19th century (1892) by the municipal architect Joaquín Rucoba, also the architect of the Arriaga Theatre. It is built in the French Second Empire style.

The luxurious interiors combine the neo-Renaissance inspiration of the plenary hall, the foyer and the staircase, with the exquisite neo-Arabic style of the reception hall, the work of local craftsman José Soler.

In the Plaza Ernesto Erkoreka, the only republican mayor of the town, where the municipal flag can be seen, you can also see the Beteluri bench.

This swearing-in bench was the seat where in medieval times the representatives of the four "artigas", buya, orcecauco, severeche and beteluri, swore to be faithful to the mayor. 

The work of Juan de Urigüen, from 1742, has a magnificent coat of arms of Bilbao.

14. Arriaga Theatre

Arriaga Theatre is inspired by the Paris Opera House.

It was designed by the municipal architect Joaquín Rucoba and opened in 1890. 

In 1902 it was given the name Arriaga in honour of the Bilbao musician Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga, known as the Spanish Mozart.

It has undergone several reconstructions and reforms after the fire of 1914 and the floods of 1983.

As a curiosity we can say that the first sessions of the Bilbao Stock Exchange were held on its ground floor.

There is a box for authorities with decoration inspired by the Orient Express. 

15. Old Town and the Seven Streets

The Old Town, or better known as the Seven Streets, is the heart of Bilbao.

In the 15th century the area was walled and guarded from the church of San Antón.

Each of the streets is named after the type of trade that was established there.

Worth a visit are Bilbao Cathedral, the Bidebarrieta library, Unamuno Square where the archaeological museums and the Euskal Museoa are located.

Of special interest are the paintings on the riverside arches in front of the market.

Also interesting is the neoclassical Dog Fountain in the street of the same name, which recreates a sarcophagus whose spouts are three lions. As none had been seen at the time, they were said to be dogs.

The pintxos of the Casco Viejo and the txikiteros who go from bar to bar singing the famous bilbainadas are popular.

At the crossroads between Pelota, Perro and Santa María streets there is a star from where you can see the Basilica of Begoña. On the wall there is an image of the patron saint of Biscay and a money box where the txikiteros make their offering to the amatxu of Begoña.

16. Ribera Market

Bilbao's first market was located in the Plaza Mayor in the 14th century.

It was in the 19th century, 1870, when a stable iron structure in the modernist style was built for the first time.

In 1929 the current market was inaugurated under a project by the architect Pedro de Ispizua.

In 1990 it was awarded the Guinness World Record as the most complete Municipal Food Market.

In 2008, serious structural problems were detected in the building due to the use of beach sand in the concrete. 

In 2012, the refurbishment led by architect Emilio Puertas was inaugurated.

The stained glass windows are striking and are the original ones that have been restored.

17. The church and bridge of San Antón

The church of San Antón and the bridge of the same name are closely linked to the history of the town. In fact, both are reflected in the coat of arms of Bilbao.

300 years before it was built, the site was the site of a fish market or warehouse for river goods.

In the 14th century, Alfonso XI of Castile built a fortress and a defensive wall on the site, which also served as a dyke against flooding. 

The foundations of this wall were located in archaeological excavations carried out in 2002 and can now be seen behind the altar of the church.

The interior of the church was used as a cemetery until the 19th century.

The current church was built in the 16th century in Gothic style, although its portico is Renaissance and the bell tower is Baroque.

18. The Palace of the Provincial Council

Also known as the Palacio Foral, it was designed by the Aragonese architect Luis Aladrén.

It is a building designed at the end of the 19th century in the eclectic style.

It was inaugurated in 1900 as the headquarters of the Vizcaya Provincial Council.

The project fulfilled the expectations of the bourgeoisie of Bizkaia, who wanted to express in their new headquarters the boom and strength of the region's economy.

The interior of the palace responds to the same decorative reloading of the exterior.

The General Assemblies of Bizkaia (based in Gernika) are the highest representative body in Bizkaia. They have regulatory or legislative powers. They approve the general budget and elect the General Councillor.

The Provincial Council is the executive body.

19. Jado Square

Jado Square was designed by the municipal architect Germán Aguirre in 1948. 

It was completely refurbished in 2007.

Laureano de Jado, after whom the square is named, was a great patron of culture and the arts and financed a large number of social works such as the Basurto Hospital and the Gorliz health centre.

It stands out for its spectacular ornamental fountain embellished with three lions. 

The central part represents the trophy of the Coronation Cup won by Athletic in 1902.

The Federation does not recognise it as the first cup triumph as, at that time, there were two teams in Vizcaya that later joined forces.

20. Azkuna Zentroa - La Alhóndiga

The Azkuna Centre, formerly Alhóndiga Bilbao, is a former wine warehouse converted into a leisure and cultural centre.

The original building dates from 1909 by the architect Ricardo Bastida. It was one of the first examples of public architecture in reinforced concrete.

After a fire in 1919, it underwent restoration and remained closed for many years.

There have been many projects up to the current definitive one. It opened in 2010 and was commissioned to the French designer Philippe Starck.

The interior was emptied as if it were a bottle.

Three cubes were built, supported by 43 columns designed by the Italian Lorenzo Baraldi. All of them are different and made of different materials.

Inside there are cinemas, a municipal swimming pool and gymnasium, a media library, several restaurants and a roof terrace.

Its current name is due to Iñaki Azkuna in recognition of his work as mayor of Bilbao for more than three terms.

21. Doña Casilda Park

The Doña Casilda Park is the largest park in the city.

The land was donated by the benefactor Casilda Iturrizar, widow of José Epalza.

The architect was Ricardo Bastida and the engineer was Juan de Eguiraun. 

It is a French-style garden built in 1920.

It has a duck pond, a pergola designed by Pedro Ispizua and a cybernetic fountain.

In the 1940s the Fine Arts Museum was built in the park.