A Dog-Friendly Guide to Bilbao

Bilbao is the most dog-friendly European city I have ever visited. We travel with our dog, Moose, whenever we can, even to cities. And Bilbao in the Basque Country of Spain turned out to be a perfect dog-friendly place to visit. We had heard from friends that there were dogs everywhere, but we weren’t quite prepared for the level of dog-ownership and provisions for pets in Bilbao. With help from Moose, here’s my dog-friendly guide to Bilbao.

Dog-friendly hotels in Bilbao

We stayed at Bilbao City Rooms (Alameda de Recalde). This small apart-hotel style accommodation is really modern, the staff are friendly, and the location is absolutely brilliant – only 2 blocks from the Guggenheim! The best part is that there are NO additional charges for bringing your dog.

Other well-regarded dog-friendly hotels in Bilbao include:

• Hotel Ercilla (Ercilla Kalea) – this 4-star hotel has a roof-terrace where you can relax with your pup and look out over Bilbao.
• Hotel Meliá Bilbao (Lehendakari Leizaola) – Hotel Meliá couldn’t be better suited to people travelling with dogs, as it is right next to the off-leash dog area in Doña Casilda Iturrizar park.
• For a luxury option, try Hotel Carlton (Plaza de Federico Moyúa) – This grand hotel has a great spot right on Plaza Moyúa (pictured).
• Ibis Bilbao Centro (General Concha) – Ibis is known for being a really dog-friendly chain, and Ibis Bilbao Centro is a well-priced lower-mid-range hotel option.

Dog-Friendly Restaurants in Bilbao

Thankfully we found DogVivant.com before we travelled, which is the Spanish equivalent of Dugs in Pubs in the UK. Whilst it was lovely weather, which meant we spent much of the time sitting in dog-friendly outdoor areas, Dog Vivant allowed us to find the places that allowed dogs inside. Here are some of our tried and tested favourites:

• Mr Marvellous (Heros Kalea) – We loved this place so much we went back twice. This bar serves a small selection of larger plates on top of the usual pintxos, and their house white Rioja is divine! It’s not huge, but there are some tables out the back where you can have a bit more space with your pup. They provide water and cuddles.
• Morrocotuda (Heros Kalea) – This lovely café comes with its own house-dogs who inhabit an area at the back of the place. With delicious sandwiches, meats and a good beer selection, this is a good option for lunch. Their Dalmatian is boss-dog and loves a bit of attention.

• La Roca (Ercilla Kalea) – This bar and restaurant has a great separate bar area, perfect for dogs. We stopped by for a pre-dinner gin & tonic (which was made with absolute love and conscientiousness); and had some top-quality pintxos too.
  
• Culmen (Plaza Nueva) – This tiny bar on Plaza Nueva doesn’t have any indoor seating, but I’ve added it to the list because the outdoor plaza seating is wonderful; and the staff brought Moose water and cuddles.

Things to do with your dog in Bilbao

While the obvious places (museums etc) don’t allow dogs, there is much to do and see with your pooch. We often visit museums in turns if we are travelling with the dog. One of us goes in while the other sits and has a coffee (or wine) and goes for a walk; then we swap. The joy of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is the extent of the outdoor art and beauty of the building from the outside.

Artxanda Funicular

I was really happy to discover that the funicular up to Mount Artxanda has a dog-friendly compartment. This long funicular takes you up to the Mount Artxanda lookout, which allows you to see the whole of Bilbao. It is an instagrammers paradise too, with helpful ‘Bilbao / Bilbo’ signs along the perimeter. Moose made friends with another dog on his way up and played in a park at the top.

Riverfront Walk

Bilbao has developed the waterfront along the Nervión River & Bilbao Estuary, making it a gorgeous place to walk. Perfect for a jog or morning walk with your pup, there is lots of public art and seating areas too. The Zubizuri pedestrian bridge is a lovely feature too.

Sadly, the famous walkway on the Bizkaia Hanging Bridge is not accessible with dogs; unless you go over in your car on the moving platform.

Shopping

We found that many non-food shops allowed us in with the dog. We just popped our heads in the door, pointed at the dog, and asked “con perro?” (with dog?). Many let us in. With a small pick-up-able dog, I think you’d likely be allowed most places, as Bilbao seems very flexible on this.

Visiting the UK and Ireland with your dog? My guide to visiting Giant’s Causeway with a dog might come in handy!

Dog Parks in Bilbao

My favourite central dog park in Bilbao is Doña Casilda Iturrizar. The north-eastern corner of the park is the designated dog area, where your pup can run around off-leash. I did see dogs playing off leash all over the park, but it’s always good to pay attention to the official rules.

Public Transport with your dog in Bilbao

Luckily Bilbao is an incredibly easy city to walk around, and unless you are staying in the outer suburbs, you can mostly walk everywhere.

• Trains & Trams – Dogs of any size can ride the trams and local commuter trains, provided they are on a leash or in a transporter bag. I did read that muzzles are required, but didn’t see any being used.
• Bilbo Bus – Only dogs in carriers or bags are allowed.
• Bilbao Metro – No dogs over 8kgs are allowed, and they must not touch the floor or use up a seat on the metro.
• Taxis – Aitziber Taxis proudly offer dog-friendly taxis, but it is best to book in advance to ensure you can be accommodated.

Car parking in Bilbao – I was really impressed by the amazing carparks in Bilbao, and the relatively cheap price of these. We parked our car in the Plaza Euskadi underground lot for 3.5 days and only paid €40. This modern lot is large, clean and safe, and has good amenities.

A dog-friendly guide to Bilbao

Travelling to a city with a dog can be a little stressful – where can you eat, shop, visit? But we found Bilbao so relaxed and welcoming with our dog. The warm weather helped, so we could sit outside a lot; but even without this, there are enough dog-friendly bars and restaurants to enjoy yourself. We loved the dog-friendly attitude of the locals, who often stopped to give Moose a cuddle. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the very dog-friendly Bilbao to anyone (with or without dog). A gorgeous city!

If you love travelling with your dog around Europe, you might like to read about how the dog-friendliness of Paris, and dog-friendly restaurants in Edinburgh!

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhone.