Basque cuisine is the finest in Spain, featuring pintxos (pronounced "peen-chohs") -- tapas. The best place for tapas bars is Calle Licenciado Poza, between Alameda del Doctor Areilza and Calle Iparraguirre. Favorites include Atlanta, Calle Rodríguez Arias 28 (tel. 94-427-64-72), famous locally for its jamón Serrano (cured ham) sandwiches; and Busterri, Calle Licenciado Poza 43 (tel. 94-441-50-67), well known locally for its grilled anchovies and jamón Jabugo (a regional ham).
Café Bar Bilbao, Plaza Nueva 6 (tel. 94-415-16-71), has two tapas we delight in: silky anchovies (fresh, of course) wrapped around green olives, and bacalao al pil-pil (salt cod with garlic emulsion).
During your nights in Bilbao, you can wander through the Old Town's narrow alleyways, two of which (Calle Pozas and Calle Barrencalle) are dotted with all manner of bars, tascas, and bodegas. After a drink or two, you might opt to go out dancing, or at least visit any of three popular discos to watch how it's done in the Basque country. Favorites include Disco-Pub Crystal, Calle Buenos Aires 5 (no phone); and El Palladium, Calle Iparraguirre 11 (no phone). If you're looking for a gay bar, you'll find a scattering along Calle Barrencalle, where the most popular of several nearby competitors includes Bar Consorcio (tel. 94-416-99-04).
On Friday and Saturday nights from 6:30pm to 6:30am, the bar that's jumping is Cotton Club, Calle Gregorio de la Revilla 25 (tel. 94-410-49-51), named after its early ancestor in New York's Harlem. More than 30,000 beer caps form part of the decor. A DJ spins the latest tunes for the mingling throngs in their 20s and 30s. The atmosphere is less hectic when the club is open Sunday from 6:30pm to 3am and Monday and Thursday from 4:30pm to 3am. Beer begins at 3€ ($3.90), whisky at 5.50€ ($7.15), and there's no cover.
The major cultural venue in Bilbao is the Teatro Arriaga, Plaza Arriaga s/n (tel. 94-416-35-33), on the banks of the Nervión River. This is the setting for world-class opera, classical music concerts, ballet, and even zarzuelas (comic operas). Announcements of cultural events at the time of your visit are available at the tourist office.
