Bilbao Tour: Culinary Journey Through History

Explore Bilbao’s transformation through its vibrant culinary scene on a full-day tour of historic and modern eateries.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • San Anton Bridge - Situated adjacent to the San Anton Nikolas Eliza Church, this bridge stands as one of the city’s iconic landmarks. It is celebrated for its historical importance and offers breathtaking views of the river and its surroundings.
  • Mercado de La Ribera - Although Ribera Market was mentioned, its architectural splendor deserves…
What's Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Snacks
  • Alcoholic beverages
What's Not Included
  • Private transportation
Additional Information

Europe’s greatest comeback city, Bilbao is a place reborn. Until a few decades ago a postindustrial metropolis plagued by pollution and economic decline, Bilbao today is a buzzing cultural and culinary capital. On this full-day tour, we’ll trace Bilbao’s history and rebirth through the exceptional eateries – old and new – that call the Basque city home….

Location
San Anton eliza
Erribera Kalea
The square between San Anton Nikolas Eliza Church and Ribera Market
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(39 Ratings)
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Williamsw5742yg
Feb 20, 2026
Culinary Backstreets in Bilbao - We had the best time with Gonzalo. Every spot he took us to was special and every bite we ate was exceptional. Could not recommend more.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M1229pymichaelc
Feb 9, 2026
Excellent tour for those interested in food and history - We had an excellent tour with Kaya as our guide. She tailored the tour to our interest, giving us a great history tour of Bilbao and the Basque region on top of an already-excellent food tour. We loved each of the stops on the tour, getting a nice spread of classic pintxos and modern cooking. Kaya was also very helpful with making sure one of our group members' nut allergy was taken care of. I would 100% recommend this tour for anyone visiting Bilbao!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Domingosg729
Feb 5, 2026
Absolutely Delicious and Authentic Bilbao Experience - Our Culinary Backstreets tour in Bilbao was absolutely delicious and one of the highlights of our trip. We had the chance to try all kinds of typical dishes, from the famous Basque cheesecake to torrija — which were two of my favorite desserts on the tour. We also tasted kokotxas and visited two of the best pintxo spots in Bilbao, enjoying an incredible variety of flavors. Beyond the food, the tour gave us a wonderful cultural experience. We explored the Casco Viejo and learned a bit about the city’s history, and we also visited Bilbao’s covered market, which has existed for more than 200 years. What made this tour truly special was that it didn’t focus only on the typical tourist areas. We discovered neighbourhoods that are off the usual tourist path, which allowed us to understand local life better. We met chefs who cook in a traditional way, using traditional techniques but with absolutely local, top-quality products. Gonzalo did a spectacular job as a guide — knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the food and the city. The people who joined us on the tour were also wonderful, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to taste real Bilbao and experience the city like a local.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ikcw
Nov 13, 2025
A Great Introduction to Bilbao - We have taken many Culinary Backstreets food tours and a couple of trips too, and we actually look for a Culinary Backstreets food tour when we visit a new city. Their food tours and are always fun and we learn a lot. Gonzalo was an excellent guide - very knowledgeable, thoughtful, accommodating and charming. We learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed every dish and sampling the txakoli and the sidra. We highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
319tracys
Nov 6, 2025
Perfect bites in Bilbao! - Gonzalo (aka Gorgonzola!) was a fabulous tour guide! He listened to our interests and food likes and then crafted a tour that we would enjoy. What a wonderful way to begin our stay in Bilbao!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mjgaines
Oct 10, 2025
Storytelling through food - I always find that one of the best ways to get to know a city and its culture is through food. Our guide, Gonzalo, was very knowledgeable, and great fun!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michaelgk391np
Oct 3, 2025
A++ - Perfectly curated. Gonzo is solid & his knowledge & warmth was 2nd to none! I highly recommended this tour…………………………!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
858cathyl
Oct 2, 2025
Basking in the Flavours of the Basque Country - We joined Gonzalo for the Bilbao Reborn tour on Wednesday, September 11, 2025. This is our second Culinary Backstreets tour, and once again it did not disappoint. We had a very extensive wander through Bilbao and made numerous stops for food and drink, all of which was explained in great detail and with much delight by our host. We ended the tour at the Guggenheim, where we bid farewell to Gonzalo and the other couple on our tour, following which we enjoyed our desserts on a bench outside the museum while being serenaded by a wonderful guitar player. If you ever get a chance to do a food tour with this company, do it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisate334by
Sep 27, 2025
Wonderful Bilbao Experience - A stellar experience as we always expect from Culinary Backstreets. Our guide Gonzalo was very personable and informative. Many delicious stops and miles of walking. Looking forward to our next tour in Porto!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eben_van_heerden123
Sep 26, 2025
Not just fun, but also an amazing way to get to experience the town, it’s people and it’s good. - Kaya really made this trip a fun filled worthwhile experience. Apart from her extensive knowledge of Bilbao, its history and food scene, her ability to engage with every member in our group made this a highlight of our family holiday.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $175
up to 7 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).