Down in the Casco Viejo of Bilbao, where the old streets run in a tight grid beside the Nervión, the cathedral of Santiago stands at the heart of the Siete Calles, the seven original streets of the medieval town. It is a Gothic church, rebuilt after a fire in the sixteenth century, with a neo-Gothic façade and spire added later, and it sits so snugly among the tall houses that you often see it only when you are standing right in front of it.
Its dedication to Saint James is no accident. Bilbao lies on the Camino del Norte, the coastal route to Santiago de Compostela, and pilgrims have passed through the city for centuries. The cathedral's cloister and its southern porch are quiet refuges from the busy streets. Around it, the old town is a labyrinth of bars, shops and markets, and the nearby Ribera market, on the riverbank, is one of the largest covered markets in Europe.
Riding into Bilbao is a city experience: busy roads, tunnels, steep streets and a lot of traffic, especially at rush hour. The surrounding hills are another matter. Within twenty minutes you can be climbing into the mountains of Biscay, with roads like the climb to Artxanda above the city, the coast road towards Bakio and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, or the inland routes towards Urkiola and Durango. The Basque roads are generally well surfaced and full of bends, but rain is frequent and can make the corners treacherous.
Bilbao has fuel and services everywhere. The old town is pedestrian, so park on its edge and walk in. The pintxo culture here is legendary: small bites on bread, served at the bar and eaten standing, with a glass of txakoli, the slightly sparkling local white wine. A visit to the Guggenheim Museum, Frank Gehry's titanium building on the riverbank, is almost obligatory, and the walk along the river from the old town to the museum is pleasant. In the evening the streets fill with people, and the city has a warm, lively atmosphere that is hard to resist.