Bilbao report

Thank you for your report.

I will be in Bilbao for a several hours on October 19th as one of my ports. I have an excursion which includes a visit to the Guggenheim.

And I went to NCL and copied the excursion that I will be going on.

Guggenheim Museum and Bilbao
DETAILS
5 hours
This tour gives a great overview of Bilbao and includes a visit to the architecturally stunning Guggenheim Museum, located in the area of Abadoibarra.

Starting off from the pier, you will enjoy a scenic drive through Bilbao as you make your way towards the Guggenheim Museum. En route, your guide will introduce you to this Basque city as you pass through the older industrial district. You will next pass the new palace of Congresses and the Plaza Elptica, where the old Carlton Hotel and the old Hacienda Floral are located. From here, you will cross the Deusto Bridge to reach the Guggenheim Museum.

The Guggenheim building is truly a work of art in itself, designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry. The Museum's collection focuses on postwar works and the inaugural exhibition places a strong emphasis on the art of the past four decades, including major examples of Pop Art, Minimalism, Arte Povera, Conceptual Art and the respective developments of each successive generation. Featured artists include Carl Andre, Joseph Beuys, Gilbert and George, Yves Klein, Roy Lichtenstein, Agnes Martin, Mario Merz, Robert Morris, Bruce Nauman, Claes Oldenburg and Andy Warhol. The exhibition also highlights contemporary Basque and Spanish art, including the work of Cristina Iglesias, Susana Solano and Francesc Torres. After the guided visit of the museum, you will take a short tour of Bilbao.

Following an approximately 2 1/2 hour visit at the Guggenheim Museum, you will rejoin your coach and continue back into the heart of Bilbao. This charming city is both modern and dynamic while at the same time, quite traditional with its 700 years of history adding to the ambiance. Leaving your coach behind, you'll enjoy a guided walk around the Old Quarter, the most popular area of the city. Here, you will see the Teatro Arriaga, el Arenal, the old stevedoring port and today one of the favorite promenades of the citizens of Bilbao, the San Nicholas Church, the Cathedral of Santiago along with its cloister, and Plaza Nueva. After approximately 1 hour, your coach will transfer you back to the pier where your tour concluded.

Edit and Update: Under the description of the excursion, there are notes. This is one of the notes:

The museum will not allow larger handbags or other day-packs inside; these should be left on the coach. Photography inside the museum is not permitted

Is that correct? Is no photography inside the museum allowed? And are you allowed a small handbag. How about a sling bag?

Is there a cafeteria inside the museum?

Photography inside the museum is totally permitted, but if you have a large backpack or purse you will have to leave it in the coatroom next to the ticket office. Yes, there´s a cafeteria in the museum, right outside main entrance.

Thank you MikeBasqueGuide

You have been a very big help to me in planning this trip. I plan to do reviews in the appropriate countries after my visits.

In London and Lisbon, I will have wif fi from my hotels and maybe other places but it will be limited when on the ship.

I get some free wi fi on the ship but not very much. Norwegian wants us to have to buy it so while I am on the ship, it is mostly posting some pictures to facebook and emails.

However once in Lisbon, I hope to be able to post some reviews. If not, I will do it when back home in Austin. Reviews will get posted!

EDIT I also want to mention that this is not the first time that the information on the Norwegian excursion was wrong. I am talking about taking pictures in the museum.

I have asked this forum about a previous excursion and the notes at the bottom of the excursion were wrong.

There´s free wifi (public) in most Bilbao areas, https://www.bilbaoturismo.net/BilbaoTurismo/en/zonas-wifi, no password needed. Hope you have a good excursion of the city, big groups are sometimes scary!