Bilbao By Bike: Urban Routes And Riverside Rides of Conde Duque Bilbao in Bilbao. Official Website.

Some cities are best understood on foot. Then there’s Bilbao, which happens to feel especially good on two wheels.

You don’t need to be a professional cyclist or turn up dressed for the Tour de France. In fact, the less rushed you are, the better. Exploring Bilbao by bike has far more to do with stopping to admire the river, spontaneously sitting down at a terrace café or turning into an interesting side street than with counting kilometres.

The city has spent years investing in more comfortable and sustainable mobility, and it shows. Bilbao’s cycle lanes connect many of its most pleasant areas and allow you to discover the city in a different way: more relaxed, more scenic and considerably more practical than trying to park a car.

And if you stay at Hotel Conde Duque Bilbao, you already have an advantage. Its location beside the Bilbao Estuary and the Campo Volantín promenade makes it a perfect starting point for exploring the city by bike in complete comfort.

Why Bilbao is perfect for exploring by bike

Bilbao has one thing very much in its favour: distances. Many of the city’s most interesting areas are relatively close together and easily connected by the riverside promenade.

That means you can head out calmly in the morning, explore a good part of the city, stop for a few pintxos, continue towards another neighbourhood and return to the hotel without feeling as though you need a week to recover afterwards.

Bilbao’s cycle lane network has also improved enormously in recent years. You’ll find comfortable, intuitive routes that are ideal for moving around at a relaxed pace, especially during spring and summer, when the city constantly encourages you to stay outdoors.

And no, Bilbao’s hills are not quite as terrifying as people sometimes claim. There are areas where you’ll need to pedal a little harder, of course, but that’s exactly why electric bikes exist, isn’t it?

Campo Volantín: the route that begins almost outside the hotel

If there’s one comfortable and beautiful place to begin exploring Bilbao by bike, it’s Campo Volantín.

You leave Hotel Conde Duque and within moments you’re already cycling alongside the river. The promenade is wide, pleasant and perfect for slipping into “urban getaway mode” from the very beginning. The pace naturally slows down here.

On one side, the river reflects the modern buildings; on the other, terraces, trees and some of the city’s most enjoyable walks appear one after another. It’s an easy, almost completely flat route suitable for everyone, even if it’s been years since you last sat on a bicycle.

The distance between Campo Volantín and the Guggenheim area is only around 2 kilometres, so there’s absolutely no pressure. In fact, you’ll probably spend more time stopping for photos or deciding where to have coffee than actually cycling.

Guggenheim Bilbao: an essential stop beside the river

Talking about what to see in Bilbao by bike without mentioning the Guggenheim would probably be considered illegal somewhere within the unofficial Basque tourism rulebook.

Reaching the Museo Guggenheim Bilbao by bike makes perfect sense. The entire Abandoibarra area is wonderfully adapted for getting around on two wheels, and the surroundings are probably among the most pleasant places in the city for relaxed cycling.

And honestly, this is where it’s worth slowing down for a while. Seeing Puppy, cycling around the museum or simply sitting beside the river is part of the experience.

Abandoibarra and Deusto: modern Bilbao on two wheels

From the Guggenheim, the route can continue easily towards Abandoibarra and Deusto, two ideal areas for discovering Bilbao’s more modern and open side.

During June and July especially, the riverside promenade becomes even more enjoyable. There’s space, greenery and a calm atmosphere that makes cycling through Bilbao feel effortless.

The route between the Guggenheim and Deusto is short and comfortable, roughly 15 minutes at an easy pace. The best approach is not to look at the clock too often and simply leave room for spontaneous stops along the way.

Casco Viejo: slow down and get pleasantly lost

At some point during every cycling route through Bilbao, something important happens: you get off the bike.

And it usually happens when you reach the Casco Viejo.

The famous Siete Calles are made for wandering slowly and almost without direction. This is the place to walk, browse small shop windows, discover hidden squares and let the city lead the way.

That said, arriving there by bike is still a great idea. The connection from the riverside is simple and comfortable, and it allows you to combine urban cycling with a serious gastronomic stop. Because cycling is all very well, but doing it knowing there’s a gilda and a glass of txakoli waiting at the end is deeply motivating.

Active tourism in Bilbao… without the suffering

Very often, when people talk about active tourism in Bilbao, it sounds as though everything has to involve technical clothing, suspiciously early mornings or unnecessary physical suffering.

But really, it doesn’t.

Exploring Bilbao by bike can simply be a pleasant way to discover the city while staying active. No pressure. No impossible routes. No need to turn your holiday into a sporting challenge.

One of Bilbao’s greatest strengths is precisely that balance between culture and comfort. You can cycle along the river, visit a museum, stop somewhere good for lunch and end the afternoon watching the sunset over the Nervión without ever feeling rushed.

Where to hire bikes in Bilbao

If you’re travelling without a bike, that’s not a problem. Bilbao has several bike hire options, including both urban bicycles and electric bikes. Bilbaobizi is the municipal option. If you’d like to use it, you’ll need to register using this form. 

Electric bikes are especially recommended if you want to explore more areas without worrying too much about the effort involved. And yes, you’ll probably appreciate them when an unexpected hill appears. Bilbao has charm, but it also has opinions about gravity.

The most practical option is usually to hire a bike for half a day or a full day and focus mainly on the riverside routes, which are the easiest and most enjoyable for visitors.

Bilbao in summer: a different way to discover the city

There’s something special about cycling through Bilbao in summer. The river becomes full of life.

Moving around on two wheels allows you to discover areas that might go unnoticed on foot. It also means relying less on public transport and gives the whole trip a much freer rhythm.

And that’s where the location of Hotel Conde Duque Bilbao once again makes a difference. Being beside the river means you can begin your route practically from the hotel door, without crossing half the city before the enjoyable part even starts.

Because in the end, seeing Bilbao by bike isn’t really about covering huge distances. It’s about discovering the city differently. More calmly. More closely. More authentically.

And honestly, there are very few better ways to discover Bilbao than simply letting the river guide the route.