BilbaoCruise Port Guide
Your ship ties up in Getxo, not in Bilbao. Work out the ride into the city first, then pick a plan that fits the hours you have left.
Welcome to Bilbao
Pro Picks
Food tour · 3 hrsPintxos food tour with wine tasting
A three-hour guided walk through Bilbao's old-town bars, eating pintxos (small Basque snacks served on bread) with local wine. It meets on Gran Vía in the city centre, about 8.5 miles from the terminal, so allow the ride in and back.
From $106.51/ person
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Museum tour · 2.5 hrsGuggenheim small-group tour
A guide takes a small group through the outside and inside of Frank Gehry's titanium museum, with tickets and skip-the-line entry included. It starts in central Bilbao, and the listing gives a 2.5-hour duration, so count the ride from Getxo on top.
From $106.77/ person
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Coast day trip · 6 hrsGaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika day trip
A six-hour bus trip to the islet chapel of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe (the Game of Thrones Dragonstone, with 241 steps), then the fishing village of Bermeo and the town of Gernika. The bus leaves Bilbao's tourist office at 9:00 am, so only early arrivals can make it.
From $67.26/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Bilbao in 4 hours
Museum tour
Guggenheim guided visit and admission
A one-hour guided look at Gehry's building and the sculptures around it, with admission included. It meets beside the giant flower-covered Puppy at the museum entrance, and the listing is marked likely to sell out.
From$50.47
Time required1 hour
Museum tour
Guggenheim art tour with an artist guide
A small-group tour of the museum's architecture, outdoor sculptures and collection, led by artists. It starts in front of the Puppy sculpture, so be there before the start time and keep your ship's all-aboard in mind.
From$100.37
Time required1.5 hours
Bike tour
City highlights by bike
Two hours on a classic or electric bike past the Guggenheim, the old town and the riverbanks, returning to where you started. It begins at a bike shop near the Casco Viejo, and the e-bike costs 16 euros extra.
From$43.74
Time required2 hours
Bilbao in 6 hours
Food tour
Pintxos and drinks with a local
A small-group walk of up to 12 with four or more stops, drinks included and an English-speaking guide. It meets at the Church of San Nikolas, and the listing warns of 10 to 15 minutes of continuous walking at times.
From$99.93
Time required3.5 hours
Bike tour
Bilbao by e-bike
A guided electric-bike ride past the main landmarks, with short stops for photos. It needs at least two adults, and the operator tells you three days ahead if it falls short, which a ship passenger can't use.
From$55.06
Time required2.5 hours
Cooking class
Pintxos cooking class
Cook a set of Basque pintxos and tapas with a chef, from the ingredients to the plate. The menu changes with the market, and check-in is at the venue's gourmet shop.
From$89.91
Time required2.5 hours
Walking tour
Old town walking tour (tip-based)
A local guide walks you through the Arriaga Theatre, the Arenal Gardens and the Seven Streets of the old town. The tour is tip-based and the booking shows $3.35; look for the orange umbrella in Arriaga Square.
From$3.35
Time required2.5 hours
Bilbao in 8 hours
Coast day trip
Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika
A six-hour coach trip to the Dragonstone islet with two free hours, then a fishing village and the town of Gernika. Pickup is at 8:50 am at the tourist office by the Guggenheim, so check your arrival time first.
From$67.26
Time required6 hours
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Bilbao.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Bilbao?
Cruise ships dock alongside at the cruise terminal in Getxo, on the Arriluze quay, about 8.5 miles from the centre of Bilbao itself. There is one terminal, so every line uses it, and CruiseMapper's October 2026 schedule shows Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, Cunard, P&O Cruises, Viking, Oceania and Silversea, among others, calling there. Which berth your ship gets isn't published, so check your daily program.
How far is Bilbao from the cruise terminal?
Bilbao's city centre is about 8.5 miles (14 km) from the Getxo cruise terminal. Fred Olsen puts the trip at about 25 minutes, and Basque Tourism says about 20 minutes by car; CruiseMapper gives 20 to 30 minutes by taxi. It is too far to walk, so you need a ship shuttle, a taxi or the Metro.
Can you walk into Bilbao from a cruise ship?
No: the Getxo cruise terminal is about 8.5 miles from Bilbao's centre, so the city is a ride away, not a walk. What you can walk is about 1 km to Gobela, the nearest Metro Line 1 stop (Neguri is about 1.5 km), then ride the Metro in. Otherwise take a cruise-line shuttle or a taxi from the stand at the terminal.
How do I get from the Bilbao cruise port to the city centre?
Take a cruise-line shuttle if your ship runs one, a taxi, or the Metro. Some lines run their own shuttle and charge for it. Taxis wait at a stand at the terminal when ships are in, and the drive is 20 to 30 minutes. The Metro (Line 1, from Gobela or Neguri, about 1 km away on foot) costs about 1.50 to 2 euros one way. Basque Tourism also lists Bizkaibus lines 3411 and 3413.
Can I take the Metro from the Bilbao cruise port to the Guggenheim?
Yes, but not from the ship's door: walk about 1 km to Gobela or 1.5 km to Neguri, both on Metro Line 1, which reaches Moyúa in the city centre in about 23 minutes from Neguri. A one-way ticket is roughly 1.50 to 2 euros. CruiseMapper puts the whole trip with the port shuttle at 45 to 60 minutes each way, and the return train is Line 1 toward Plentzia.
Is there a shuttle from the Bilbao cruise port?
Only on some ships: Fred Olsen says its shuttle goes to central Getxo, where you take the Metro on to Bilbao, and the fare is added to your cabin account. CruiseMapper says the same for shuttles generally, that some lines run them and you should check routes and prices onboard. If yours doesn't, use the taxi stand at the terminal.
Your time ashore
Is there anything to do at the Bilbao cruise port?
Not at the terminal itself: Basque Tourism lists a tourist office, toilets, a car park and a taxi stand there, and no source we read lists any shops, cafés or sights within walking distance. Everything worth doing is in Bilbao, about 8.5 miles away, so the day depends on the ride in. The 4-hour plans are the shortest options that make the trip worth it.
How much time do I need in Bilbao from a cruise ship?
Allow 4 hours at the very least, because getting there takes up a lot of it. CruiseMapper puts the port shuttle plus Metro at 45 to 60 minutes each way including waiting, and a taxi takes 20 to 30 minutes. That leaves about two hours in the city on a 4-hour call, enough for one guided museum visit; the 6-hour plans give you room for a food tour.
Can I visit Gaztelugatxe on a Bilbao cruise stop?
Only if you reach the city early: the 6-hour Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo and Gernika tour on GetYourGuide leaves from the tourist office by the Guggenheim at 9:00 am, with pickup at 8:50. With 45 to 60 minutes each way from the terminal, you'd leave the ship about 8:00 and still need a ride back, so it suits only a long call. It includes two free hours and 241 steps.
Can you walk to a beach from the Bilbao cruise port?
No source we read describes a beach within a walk of the Bilbao cruise terminal. The beaches are elsewhere in Getxo, such as Ereaga in Algorta, but we found no confirmed walking route from the terminal, so don't count on one. If a beach matters, plan a taxi from the stand at the terminal.
Money, documents and safety
Do I need euros in Bilbao?
Yes: Spain uses the euro, and two 2026 guides say cards are widely accepted and ATMs are easy to find. We found no source on whether US dollars are accepted in Bilbao, so plan to pay in euros, with a little cash for the Metro ticket.
Do I need a passport for a Bilbao cruise stop?
Bring your passport: US Customs and Border Protection says US citizens on a closed-loop cruise (one that starts and ends at the same US port) can re-enter the US with a birth certificate and photo ID, but may still need a passport to enter the countries the ship visits. For Spain and the Schengen area, a passport should be valid for at least 3 months after you leave and issued within the last 10 years.
Is Bilbao safe for cruise passengers?
The US State Department rates Spain Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, in an advisory issued 2026-07-31, and does not single out Bilbao. That rating covers the whole country. Check the advisory's current text before you sail.