Bilbao car hire

Bilbao is littered with famous tourist attractions such as the Guggenheim, St James Cathedral and the Bullfighting Museum. Car hire in Bilbao is the best way to see the entire city, taking in all eight districts of sprawling Bilbao.

Language: Spanish | Currency: Euros (€) | Avg. Flight time: 1 hr 54 mins

As well as helping you to explore the city, Bilbao car rental gives you the freedom to see more of northern Spain...

Bilbao is the largest city in the Basque area and the capital of the province of Biscay. The city is located on the estuary of Bilbao and is spread along the Nervion River. The banks of the river are home to numerous businesses, cafes, bars and restaurants.

The ideal time to visit Bilbao is during the summer when the Aste Nagusia is on. This nine-day festival starts on the first weekend after August 15. Expect to see spectacular fireworks, street theatre, live music performances and much more.

Being a coastal city, Bilbao is easily accessible by air or sea. It is wise to arrange car rental before you go, especially during peak times like August to ensure the cheapest deal.

Bilbao car hire is widely available but it’s wise to book ahead to ensure you get the vehicle that best suits your needs. It may help to plan your route ahead as some of the roads can be tricky to navigate if they are unfamiliar to you.

Booking car hire in advance of your visit is the best way to secure a cheap deal. By pre-booking, you can also choose the most convenient place to pick up your car rental, whether that’s at Bilbao Airport (BIO) or one of the locations in downtown Bilbao.

Use the search tool on TravelSupermarket to compare a host of great-value deals.

When you book car hire, Bilbao makes a great base for further sightseeing around this under-rated part of Spain...

The beaches of Spain’s south are obvious draws to holidaymakers, sun-kissed and beautiful as they are. And the country’s major cities lure tourists like kids to an ice-cream van on a hot summer day: the architectural beauty and nightlife of Barcelona; the shops and museums of Madrid; Seville’s fiery flamenco dancers and agile bullfighters; and who can resist a portion of tummy-busting paella in Valencia? But look to the north-west of Spain for a different angle on this hot-blooded beast of a nation.

From Bilbao, which is at the heart of the Basque Country, it’s easy to reach much of this spell-binding area.

When you’ve enjoyed the urban highlights of Bilbao, pack up the car with your beach gear and travel to the nearby city of San Sebastian. It takes an hour to get there, but in return your jaw will drop to the floor as you approach the sublime Concha Beach. It’s ranked as one of the best city beaches in the world – just one look at that shimmering sea, just minutes of bare feet in soft golden sand, just a few snaps of the city and tree-clad mountain backdrop… you’ll soon discover what makes people smile when soaking up the sun in this devastatingly attractive bay.

Strike out west from San Sebastian and spend some time discovering the villages and beauty spots of the coast. Take a little detour from the ocean and visit the pretty town of Guernica (also known as Gernika). Bombed during the second world war, the town was immortalised by Pablo Picasso in his painting of the same name.

Bilbao is also a great place to fly into if you are planning to see the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. The historic city is around two hours by road from Bilbao.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.