You’ve probably seen the photos of the titanium curves at the Guggenheim. Everyone has. But honestly, if you skip the Old Town Bilbao Spain—known locally as the Casco Viejo or the Siete Calles—you’re basically eating the icing and throwing away the cake. It’s the city’s beating heart, and it’s a lot more than just a cluster of old buildings for tourists to photograph.
Most people think "Old Town" means a museum-like district frozen in time. Not here. In Bilbao, the Casco Viejo is a living, breathing machine. It’s where grandmas haggle over hake at Europe’s largest indoor market in the morning and where twenty-somethings crowd the streets with craft beers and pintxos until the early hours. It’s gritty, it’s beautiful, and it’s surprisingly easy to get lost in—which is exactly what you should do.
The Mystery of the Seven Streets (Zazpikaleak)
People talk about the "Seven Streets" like it’s just a catchy nickname. It isn't. Back in the 1300s, when Don Diego López de Haro founded the city, there were only three streets: Somera, Artekale, and Tendería. They were packed onto the right bank of the Nervión river, protected by a wall that eventually had to be torn down because the city was bursting at the seams.
By the 15th century, they added four more. This created the iconic grid we see today.
What’s in a name?
Each street tells you exactly what used to happen there if you know a bit of Basque or Spanish.
- Somera is the "upper street." It’s the oldest.
- Carnicería Vieja literally means "Old Butchery." This is where the city’s first slaughterhouse stood.
- Tendería was the street of the shopkeepers.
- Belostikale was traditionally the "fishing street."
Walking these today, you’ll notice the buildings are tall and skinny. Why? Because space inside the old city walls was expensive. People built up, not out. Look up and you'll see those iconic wooden balconies (miradores) that look like they’re leaning over to eavesdrop on your conversation.
Why Plaza Nueva Isn’t Just a Square
If you walk into Plaza Nueva on a Sunday morning, you might think you’ve stumbled into a weird backyard sale. It’s the weekly flea market. People trade everything from rare coins and stamps to actual birds and flowers. It’s chaotic and wonderful.
The square itself is a Neoclassical masterpiece finished in 1851. It took forever to build—nearly 65 years—because of wars and funding issues. It was originally supposed to have a statue of King Fernando VII in the middle, but he died before it was finished. Now, it’s just a wide-open space framed by 64 arches.
Under those arches is where the real magic happens. This is the ground zero of pintxo culture.
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Pro Tip: Don’t just sit at one bar. The locals do a txikiteo—a bar crawl where you have one small glass of wine (a txikito) or a beer (zurito) and one pintxo, then move to the next place. If you stay at the same table for two hours, you’re doing it wrong.
The Church That’s Actually a Cathedral
Right in the middle of the maze sits the Santiago Cathedral. It’s dedicated to St. James, the patron saint of Bilbao. A lot of travelers don't realize that Bilbao is a key stop on the Camino de Santiago (the Northern Way). Look for the scallop shells carved into the stone or embedded in the pavement—they guide the pilgrims through the narrow alleys.
It’s Gothic, it’s quiet, and the cloister is one of the most peaceful spots in the entire city. It actually became a cathedral quite recently, in 1949, even though the building has been there since the 14th century. It’s built on the site of an even older shrine that predates the city itself.
The Mercado de la Ribera: Europe’s Giant
At the edge of the Old Town, right against the river, sits the Mercado de la Ribera. It looks like a giant Art Deco ship docked at the pier.
Forget what you know about sterile supermarkets. This place is 10,000 square meters of sensory overload.
- The Ground Floor: This is for the fish. The proximity to the Bay of Biscay means the seafood here is terrifyingly fresh.
- The First Floor: Meat and charcuterie. This is where you find the serious Basque sausages and hams.
- The Top Floor: Fruit and vegetables, mostly from local baserris (farmhouses).
What makes it unique is the light. The architect, Pedro Ispizua, used massive stained-glass windows and translucent floors to flood the place with natural light. It doesn't feel like a basement; it feels like an atrium. There’s also a jazz bar in the basement now, because why not?
What Most People Get Wrong About the 1983 Floods
You can't talk about Old Town Bilbao Spain without mentioning the water. In August 1983, the Nervión river turned into a monster. After record-breaking rainfall, the river burst its banks and buried the Casco Viejo under meters of mud and debris.
It was a total disaster. People lost everything. If you look closely at some of the walls in the Siete Calles, you’ll see small plaques or lines marking how high the water reached. It’s chilling.
But here’s the thing: the flood is actually what saved the Old Town. Before 1983, the area was decaying and neglected. The massive reconstruction effort forced the city to modernize the infrastructure while meticulously restoring the historical facades. It turned a crumbling district into the polished (but still soulful) neighborhood it is today.
Surviving the Old Town Like a Local
If you want to blend in, there are a few unwritten rules.
The "Gilda" Test
The most famous pintxo is the Gilda—an olive, an anchovy, and a spicy guindilla pepper on a toothpick. It’s named after Rita Hayworth’s character because it’s "salty, spicy, and green." If you like this, you’re halfway to being a local.
The Language
You’ll see signs in Euskara (Basque) everywhere. "Old Town" is Alde Zaharra. "Seven Streets" is Zazpikaleak. You don't need to be fluent, but saying Agur (goodbye) instead of Adiós goes a long way.
The Timing
Don't show up for dinner at 6:00 PM. You'll be eating alone with the cleaning staff. The Old Town wakes up for the "aperitivo" around 1:00 PM and gets a second wind for the evening crawl around 8:00 PM.
Hidden Gems You’ll Probably Miss
Most tourists stick to the main drag, but you should look for the Portal de Zamudio. It was one of the original gates to the walled city.
Nearby, find the Steps of Mallona (Calzadas de Mallona). There are 213 of them starting from Plaza Unamuno. They lead up to the Basilica of Begoña. It’s a workout, but the view of the tiled roofs of the Casco Viejo from halfway up is better than any postcard.
Another weird one? Calle del Perro (Dog Street). It has a fountain with three lion heads that locals insist look like dogs. It’s a great spot to cool off when the Basque humidity hits.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
To get the most out of the Old Town Bilbao Spain, don't just "visit" it. Live it for a day.
- Start at the Arriaga Theatre at 10:00 AM. It’s the gateway to the old quarter.
- Walk to the Mercado de la Ribera immediately. The best fish is gone by noon.
- Hit Plaza Nueva for lunch, but stay on your feet. Order a bacalao (cod) pintxo at Gure Toki.
- Wander the Siete Calles without a map for an hour. If you find the Cathedral, you’re on the right track.
- End your afternoon at the Basque Museum (Euskal Museoa). It’s housed in an old Jesuit college and explains why the people here are so fiercely proud of their identity.
The Casco Viejo isn't a place you check off a list. It’s a place you feel in your feet and taste in the salt of an anchovy. It’s the soul of Bilbao, wrapped in stone and soaked in history.
To experience the true transition of the city, walk from the San Antón Bridge in the Old Town all the way down the riverside promenade to the Guggenheim. You’ll see 700 years of history collapse into a twenty-minute stroll.