A Local Guide to Bilbao, Spain: Home of the Guggenheim - and More

Bilbao is probably not the ideal city for vegetarians, as we eat a lot of meat, especially the famous chuletón or sirloin steak. The meat is cured dry for 40-60 days and then served with your own mini barbecue on the table, so you can cook it to your liking. For a particularly good chuletón, head to Sugarra in the Old Town. Those who prefer fish should head to La Lonja de Olabeaga on the banks of the Nervión River.

But for something a bit special, do a short taxi ride out of the center to Restaurante Kate Zaharra on the slopes of Mount Artxanda for great food and fabulous city views. Be sure to order the delicious zamburiñas (small scallops) – they are the house specialty.

Bilbao has undergone a enormous transformation: from an industrial city built on the iron trade to a city where art and culture – and tourism too – have taken center stage. The inauguration of the Guggenheim Museum in 1997 had a huge impact, but in addition to more traditional centers, alternative arts and cultural organizations are now moving into former industrial buildings, where landlords charge low rents rather than see their properties degrade. For example, IED Kunsthal Bilbao, the school where I teach, is a former paint factory. Plus, there are some cool new galleries in the San Francisco area, like SC Gallery and Espacio Marzana.

Years of neglect have left the San Francisco neighborhood very discouraged, but now thanks to the low rents of the premises, young entrepreneurs, artists and designers can settle there. Be warned, though: gentrification is just beginning, and at night the neighborhood might seem a bit too edgy for some people.

I grew up on the other next to the river street, in the old quarter of town, Casco Viejo, and for my money this is still the most attractive and stimulating part, with its cobbled streets and countless bars. The temptation to eat is everywhere, from pintxos restaurants and bars to delicatessens like Ultramarinos Gregorio Martín and La Queseria. When you feel the need to breathe a little in the narrow and busy streets, stop for a coffee or a beer in the sunny Plaza Nueva, which has bars on all four sides.

The Nervión River is the heart of the city. Bilbao has gone from being an industrial and gray city, although with a certain charm, to a place where people like to walk and cycle,...