Bilbao

Eco-friendly travel guide to Bilbao advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Bilbao, Spain.

City view of Bilbao

Air quality: 3 / 5

Exploring by foot: 4.5 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 4 / 5

Public transportation: 3.5 / 5

Parks: 2.5 / 5

Outdoor activities: 3 / 5

Locals' English level: 3 / 5

Safety: 4.5 / 5

Accommodation: US$10 - $100

Budget per day: US$200 - $350

Responsible Travel

Bilbao is a major city located in northern Spain. The city is surrounded by greenery. These local businesses offer the same services as the big business chains at a lower rate and better quality. Doing so will help you maintain your budget and support these local businesses to grow. While exploring the local culture and food in Bilbao, I prefer local businesses over big business chains as they serve better quality dishes that are sourced locally.

While booking your flight, make sure that you take a direct flight. Avoid booking transfer flights as they cause a lot of harm to the environment and take more time to reach the final destination.

The winter, fall, and early spring seasons are ideal for visiting the city as tourism is less, and you will enjoy it. I prefer visiting the city during the low season as over-tourism is a significant problem in Bilbao. You will not be able to get the best experience out of your travel in the peak season.

As a tourist, you will feel that using mineral water bottles and disposable items is a better choice, but they are not. These items create a lot of pollution that uses a lot of natural resources to dispose-off properly. You can carry your refillable water bottle and a cloth bag while traveling to the city of Bilbao.

To avoid such places, always see to it if the property is registered for tourism or not. I always prefer staying at green hotels, hostels, and guesthouses as they use eco-friendly measures to minimize their impact on the environment and are also quite affordable. With high tourism rates, the demand for accommodation is relatively high, which has resulted in many unregistered accommodation properties.

Air Quality and Pollution

The country of Spain is marked as one of the worst ozone polluters in the world. Spain's major cities like Madrid, Seville, Valencia, and Barcelona are the worst offenders that exceed the government's guidelines and limits of air pollution. Unlike other European cities, the pollution levels in Bilbao are astonishingly lower. The locals focus on changing their lifestyles into a healthier one, which has led them to start using bicycles instead of motor vehicles and organic food than preserved and frozen food.

Because of such changes in the people's activities, the pollution levels remain low, and people can live a better life. The city has witnessed a rapid increase in heart problems, cancer, asthma, allergies, and many other cardiovascular complications in the locals. The city of Bilbao is the most significant contributor to the alarming figures of air pollution. The pollution levels are so bad that the city became a host of a jellyfish plague, resulting in the closing of many beaches in Bilbao. You will find that the government and even the locals are promoting and supporting environmentally friendly practices.

Respect the Culture

The city has a rich history and cultural heritage that attracts a large number of tourists. Everyone loves to travel, but most people always forget the essential thing while traveling, respecting the culture. Most travelers only focus on getting the most out of their trip and often not getting the best experience. While traveling, you can get the most out of your trip only if you respect the culture. You can pay your respects by following the rules, not indulging in illegal activities, prefer local businesses, and avoiding any action that harms the local environment. By paying respect to the culture, you can make your trip more meaningful and memorable. While visiting the city and exploring it, you need to be respectful towards the local people, environment, and sites to be responsible tourists. By doing this, you will be able to get a good Barcelona experience.

Top 10 Places to Visit

Guggenheim Museum: Guggenheim Museum is situated in Abandoibarra Etorb, Bilbao, Spain. The museum is designed in modern and contemporary styles. The museum was founded on 18 October 1997. This museum is the largest in the country.

Museum of fine arts of Bilbao: The Museum of fine arts of Bilbao is situated in Museo Plaza, Bizkaia, Bilbao, Spain. The museum was established in the year 1914.

Plaza Nueva: Plaza Nueva is one of the tourist attractions in the city of Bilbao. It is located in Kale Barria, Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain. It was constructed in the year 1890.

Bilbao Cathedral: Bilbao Cathedral is a Roman styled Catholic church in the city of Bilbao. It is located in Done Jakue Plazatxoa, Bizkaia, Bilbao, Spain. This church is a type of temple that was built in the 14th-15th century.

Puente Zubizuri: It is a tied-arch bridge in the city of Bilbao, Spain. It is located in Zubizuri, Bilbao, Spain. This footbridge in the city of Bilbao was designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava.

Azkuna Zentro: An event management company in the city of Bilbao, Spain. It is located in Arrquibar Plaza, Bizkaia, Spain. It was constructed by an architect named Ricardo Bastida. The floor area of the company is 43000-meter square.

Basilica of Begonia: A Spanish monument that was dedicated to the patron saint of Biscay. It is situated in Begonako Andra Maria, Bizkaia, Bilbao, Spain.

Museo Maritimo Ria de Bilbao: The Maritime Museum in the city of Bilbao, Spain. This museum was built above the shipbuilding that is linked to the sea.

Dona Casilda Iturrizar Park: It is located in Biscay, Bilbao, Spain. It was constructed in the year 1907. This park is becoming a tourist attraction.

Museo Arqueológico, Etnográfico e Histórico Vasco: It is the Ethnographic museum in the city of Bilbao. It is located in Unamuno Miguel Plaza, Bilbao, Spain. This museum was built in the 17th century.

Puente Zubizuri

Explore

People say that all work and no play would make one dull. This city ensures that it has places that play roles in calming and relaxing the mind. Thus, it is not surprising that people always want to visit this city. The city is trendy amongst tourists, and the number of visitors trickling into the city annually is a testament to this fact, with a good mix of venues to explore. The city has many things to offer apart from the many historical and culturally renowned places packed with tourists. The various parks, beaches, museums, and landmarks will help you get deep insights into the local culture and its beauty.

City Parks

The city is big, and it has a big collection of parks and other such places. It has big open spaces and greeneries where you can spend time with your children and other family members. The views are one thing you cannot take away from parks.

Here are some famous city parks in the city:

Ametzola Park
Parque Etxebarria
Uribarri Park
Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park (Parque de Doña Casilda de Iturrizar)

Ametzola Park

National Parks

The country has always been famous for its beautiful and graceful natural resources, and so that this city has a wonderful collection of national parks and a zoo. We are listing down a few of them that may not exactly be located in and around the city but are not very far away from the city.

Urkiola Natural Park
Urdaibai
Natural Reserve Basaula

Urkiola Natural Park

Beaches

The nearest beach is a few hours’ drive away, and you shall have to wander into territory that doesn’t come within the city limits. Those tourists who are beach lovers shall be disappointed in the city of Bilbao. Though the city hosts some of the world's craziest parties, there is always the lack of a good beach. Some of the beaches that are worth visiting near the city are:

Barinatxe
Playa Gorrondatxe
Las Arenas beach
Plentzia
Arrigunaga

Playa de Barinatxe

Landmarks

The city of Bilbao also has its share of memorable landmarks and monuments. You must try and visit as many as you possibly can. While the list is quite long, we are mentioning a few of them for our readers' benefit.

Mount Artxanda
Moyúa
Church of Saint Anthony the Great
San Antón Bridge

Mount Artxanda in the background

Museums

Visiting museums would be the icing on your holiday package, especially if you are in this city, as it shows that you have adequately explored the city.

Here are some of these museums given are as follows:

Museum of Fine Arts of Bilbao: This museum has an eye-catching bathtub-shaped exterior, and the traffic is comparatively less than other museums and galleries in the city of Bilbao. Visiting here is worth all your time and money.

Azkuna Zentroa: This museum building is constructed across the city. It is a multi-purpose building situated in the city of Bilbao. In this museum, you will find the collections of different movies and cinemas and short films and coverage. This museum allows doing well in the cinemas' career to perform well in the industry and achieve the Aim in the film industry.

Museo Arqueológico, Etnográfico e Histórico Vasco: Most of the galleries represent the time without technology and the struggles the locals faced. This museum is famous for its one-stop-shop for art and history buffs, with everything from ancient sculptures and handicrafts.

Igarkizun: This museum got its name from the famous event where many photographers can submit their art and get their work represented in the museum's gallery if they win.

Azkuna Zentroa

Eat

By exploring Bilbao’s food and drink culture, you will be able to get a piece of in-depth knowledge about the history, culture, and traditions prevailing in the city. If you want to explore Spanish cuisine and Bilbao's food culture, you can find many restaurants, cafes, and eateries where you can indulge in mouth-watering Spanish food items. You can also find many local restaurants that serve American, Indian, Greek, Italian, English, Indonesian, and Chinese cuisines. Many traditional and modern restaurants serve a wide variety of dishes of many international cuisines. Many traditional restaurants serve mouth-watering local food items that are made using standard practices.

Traditional Local Restaurants

Here are some famous local restaurants which serve their authentic traditional foods are given below:

Rio-Oja Restaurant
Restaurante Kirol
Restaurante Trueba
Ametza
Kasko Restaurante

Vegetarian and Vegan

If you are a vegetarian, you do not need to worry when you are in this city as there are many restaurants to attend to your needs. With these places, you will get to enjoy traditional meals properly with your regular choices. Some of these vegan restaurants are:

With these places, you will get to enjoy traditional meals properly with your regular choices. Sometimes the habits of two people are different. Thus, everyone does not have the same eating habit or love the same pattern when it concerns food choices. Some of these vegan restaurants are:

La Camelia Vegan Bar
TxuKruT Vegan Bar
Cafe Obrador Okapi
Rest Vegano

Street Food

Bilbao's street vendors serve many unique and delicious foods that are part of Spain's cultural heritage. These food items are must-eat ones to get proper exposure to the city's culture.

The street food in the city is renowned worldwide, and some of the most popular dishes were mentioned in the sections above. Nonetheless, a couple of sellers have become an ace at their exchange, who have spent a lifetime sharpening ages-old skills and recipes flawlessly.

Rice-Cake Matriarch in Seoul
Suya in Lagos
Florence’s Sandwiches
Bangkok’s Chicken and Rice

Drink

People in Bilbao love to drink, especially at gatherings and special occasions. Spain is the largest producer of wine in the world. Bilbao offers a wide variety of wines from the different areas of Spain. The locals are simple and laid-back ones that prefer enjoying the time they have. You also will be able to come across many fruit juice stalls where you can enjoy almost all types of fruits that keep your body cool and in good health. If you are a teetotaller and would like to restrict yourself to only soft drinks, Bilbao's city offers options for the best of coffee, tea, and other beverages apart from branded soft drinks.

Tap-water

Bilbao's tap water meets all international standards, even E.U. and WHO, and is considered perfectly safe to drink. The city also has a desalinization plant set up to reduce the level of salts in the water but can only meet 15% of the city's demand. Drinking water is also available in plastic bottles and is considered to taste better than tap water but is very harmful to the local environment and costly. Bilbao's local water company governs the tap water supply in the city. You can easily find many water taps and public drinking fountains in Bilbao's city safe to drink, and you will not need to buy mineral water bottles. You can carry a reusable water bottle with you while exploring the city and refill it from these public sources. Bilbao's tap water is not only safe to drink but also tastes and smells good.

The primary sources of tap water in Bilbao are rivers, which are very high in magnesium and potassium. The water is often considered a bit on the salty side because it passes through a very salty region on Bilbao's northwest side.

Organic Cafés

There is a national movement in Spain where organic food or biologisch is gaining immense popularity and recognition as the Spanish people realize the importance and need for such food to their health. You will find many organic food stores and cafés in the city of Bilbao that serve locally sourced food items and avoid harming the natural environment.

Le Green Bistrot
Cafe Bar Bilbao
Cafe Obrador Okapi
Cafe Concha

Breweries

Many craft breweries produce this particular beer, and they also have shops in the city where these beers are sold. These brewery shops are trendy amongst the locals for an after-work drink. The majority of the breweries in Bilbao produce craft beer popularized. If you love alcoholic drinks, you will have a swell time in the city as there are many fabulous options for you. These local breweries traditionally make craft beers with creative choices.

Cereveza La Salve
Drunken Bros Brewery
Basquery
Zubiburu

Activities

These activities are the best way to experience the local culture and be a part of it. You may even come across hidden gems of the culture and make your trip even more fantastic than you planned. Other than the many tourist spots, there are many thrilling activities in which you can indulge in full exposure to Bilbao's Spanish culture. The city is best known for its art and culture in tourism, and it has many places to explore. However, this is not the case for people who wish to visit the city as there is always something to do. Foreigners hate getting bored when in a new city, so you would see those seeking locals' recommendations. These activities will not only help you create a memorable time in Bilbao but will also make your heart race.

Yoga and Retreats

With the increasing popularity of well-being with yoga, many yoga centers have opened up in Bilbao. These places offer their customers inner harmony and well-being. There are many yoga and recreational centers in Bilbao, but only a few have experienced and proper yoga teacher. You will find that young people are the ones that like to participate in such fitness exercised. There are many yoga institutes in the city where you can train under a qualified and experienced yoga teacher. With increasing awareness of the need for a healthy and fit lifestyle, the local people are gaining interest in yoga. Here are some yoga places in Bilbao that are quite reputed and often organize their members' well-being.

Viveka Yoga Bilbao
Ashtanga Yoga Bilbao
YogaBilbao, Meditación y Yoga en Bilbao
Gimnasio Urtzi

Accommodation

There are many hotels, hostels, and guest houses that offer various rooms according to your budget's affordability. These places help the tourists to have a comfortable and convenient stay in the city of Bilbao. There are many green hotels, camping sites, and couch-surfing hosts that offer accommodation at much cheaper rates and are ideal for those with a tight budget. The city has many options when it comes to accommodation, so foreigners are not stranded. These accommodation options range from hotels to apartments, and much more. You can either make accommodation plans when you are in the city or before you arrive. It would be best to do whatever works best for you.

You can opt for booking a hotel room or set a deal with a couch-surfing host before visiting Bilbao to make your trip even more convenient. Although couch-surfing is a recent concept of accommodation, it is gaining a lot of popularity in Bilbao. Although Bilbao is quite famous amongst the tourists, the accommodation options are not very expensive.

Green Hotels

If you are an environmental enthusiast, we know that you would search for green hotels in the city to ensure that you have an eco-friendly stay in the city. You should play a role in any place you find yourself. Eco hotels represent a growing sector there, according to Ecotourism in Bilbao, an organization that promotes environmentally conscious practices in the tourism industry. Many foreigners fail to realize that they have a role to play in protecting the environment, and it does not matter if it is your place of origin or not.

Here are some of the green hotels in the city given below:

Hotel NH Collection Villa de Bilbao
Barceló Bilbao Nervión
Meliá Bilbao
ibis Bilbao Centro
Mercure Bilbao Jardines de Albia

Hostels and Guest Houses

Here are some comfortable and affordable guesthouses as well as hostels in the city. They are given below:

Bilbao Metropolitan Hostel by Bossh! Hotels
Moon Hostel Bio
Pensión Martínez
Pension Bilbao
San Mamés by Pillow

Apartments

At the same time, you might want to consider the option of renting an apartment only when you are staying in town for longer durations or if you are traveling with a bunch of people that you know and are willing to stay with you in the apartment, this makes it extremely comfortable and cost-efficient. You will have many such options available to you. However, not all apartment owners may feel comfortable renting out their properties to foreigners, but things are changing. They would like to earn some passive income from their apartments that otherwise would have remained vacant.

Renting an apartment in the city of Bilbao is quite a decent endeavor; however, this shall require you to do your research thoroughly. The neighborhood's safety, the actual state of the apartment, hidden terms and conditions concerning the apartment, the possibility of nosy neighbors, and much more. If you have a known contact willing to rent out an apartment, you can be sure of it and go ahead.

Couchsurfing

There is an online community known as couchsurfing.com, and if you are a part of it, you will be able to come across dozens of CouchSurfing mates and companions. Couch Surfing is popular as a concept here in Bilbao, but there aren’t many people who are willing to participate. A handful of young adults who are comfortable will indulge, but the rest live in too small spaces or do not trust letting in strange foreigners into their house. The perk of Couchsurfing is that it is free. As a foreigner, you need to pay your host. However, it is your responsibility to be respectful and abide by the laws of the city. It is a new concept but has taken off quite well in the city.

Camping

The people who live in the city are not known to be avid campers, but a few passionate ones are keen on exploring; you could either tag along with such individuals or form your group or even go solo for camping around the city. Campers describe the experience as exciting, and it lures those who have never been camping before. It helps you meet new people, and you get to do things you have never done before.

Muelle Campa de Los Ingleses
Área de Autocaravanas de Kobetamendi
Camping Sopelana
Camping Arrien Gorliz
Camping Arketa

How to Get There

Getting to Bilbao is not a major issue for most tourists as the city is well connected by all means of transport. First, the city is the largest in the country, and it has the best transportation facilities, so all you have to do is pick a suitable mode of transport. Then it is recommended that you adjust your budget and pick transportation that is as eco-friendly as possible.

Air

The Bilbao Airport is the city's public airport and manages all the international flights and some of the domestic flights coming into the city. It is located 9 km from the city center. The airport is one of the busiest airports globally and has flights operating to and from all the major destinations. The airport is well connected to all the country cities, so you don’t have to worry about eco-friendly travel.

Airport Bilbao

Bus

The city is well connected to the neighboring towns and cities via buses. You could opt for a local bus run by the government, or you could go for price and more luxurious offerings by private operators. On the whole, they are efficient and offer you good service for the money you pay. The bus terminuses are chaotic, and you may have to take some local help to determine which bus to choose for your requirements. Buses are the cheapest mode of transport, and a lot of them offer excellent tours of the city and are pocket-friendly. Many private tour buses provide a great trip to the city's best sites and provide a local, knowledgeable guide.

Bus in Bilbao

Train

The Bilbao-Abando Indalecio railway station is known to operate the trains that arrive and depart from the city. It is the largest station in the city of Bilbao. The city of Bilbao is one of the key destinations in rail travel across Spain, so if you are positioned at one of the cities or towns connected by railway, you can make your way to the city easily.

[File:Bf_Bilbao_Abando,_Talgo-Triebzug.jpg|center|900px|thumb|Train in Bilbao]]

Hitchhiking

The local Spanish people are amicable and welcoming. A lot of hitchhikers consider hitchhiking immensely challenging in Spain because it is not easy. If you want to hitch in Spain, all you need to do is find the right spot for hitchhiking; the better the location, the better the hitchhiking experience. While the locals are quite friendly and hospitable, hitchhiking is a common practice in many parts of the world; it is not a common occurrence to encounter hitchhikers in the city.

Most drivers are naturally wary of picking up strangers, fearing carrying robbers and carjackers. While there are exceptional cases of drivers who would be okay with offering one a lift, most of them would not, especially when driving at night.

It is not the most convenient way of transportation but is common among solo travelers and people with a low budget. Although not all of them will be able to give you a ride, they will offer you money, food, directions to stations, and even salute you.

Others

These are not the most convenient modes, as they are not affordable and harmful to the environment. Other than these standard modes of transportation, different ways include boats, cruise ships, taxis, and rented cars. Also, these transportations are often overcharged and do not provide much exposure to the local culture. Even if you are not on a tight budget, you should avoid these modes of transportations as they result in a lot of wastage of natural resources.

Tourist tour boat "Bilboats" on the Estuary of Bilbao

Moving Around

Bicycles in Spain are called steel donkeys and are very popular amongst tourists. Moving around in Bilbao is relatively easy as there is a wide variety of transportation services to help you explore even the city's most remote areas. The local Spanish people are amicable, and you will be able to explore and learn about the local culture on a first-hand basis. You may face the language barrier as Spanish is the most prominent language, but you can always overcome that by using translating applications, sign languages, or learning some Spanish words. The most common way to explore is by renting a bicycle.

Walk

Walking is the best way of exploring a city as it costs nothing. You can ask them for directions, and they will help you out without a second thought. You will find that walking is a common way of travel even by the locals as it is a healthy activity that helps in keeping in shape. Despite numerous attempts to decongest the city, including increasing the parking cost in town and banning public service vehicles from accessing certain parts of the town center, the streets have continued to be congested.

You will be able to access even the most remote areas of the city where vehicles cannot reach or don't have a proper road. While walking, you will be able to learn about the local culture by observing the local people. The local people are amicable and love to help out tourists.

Bicycle

While renting out a bike, I prefer booking in advance as these shops often get out of stock quickly in the tourism months. If you find it challenging to walk great distances, bicycles will help you cover distances faster and comfortably.

Almost everyone owns a bike and uses it to travel from their homes to their work stations. You might face some problems because of the popularity while renting them out as they often get out-of-stock. You might need to book them in advance to avoid any trouble. These bicycles are a great way to explore the narrow streets and pathways of Bilbao. As compared to walking, bikes are a faster and less exhausting way of travel and can also help you keep in shape. You can find many bicycle renting shops in the city of Bilbao where tourists can rent out a bike for a day at reasonable prices.

Electronic Vehicles

These cars, motorbikes, and bicycles operate using renewable resources, and their charging points are available all over the city. You can either opt for buying or renting out an electronic vehicle but prefer renting out to save your precious money as a tourist. You can even find some charging stations outside the city and enjoy various amenities that the government provides the users of such vehicles. Because of such popularity of electronic vehicles, there are about 11 charging stations for Bilbao's electric vehicles. There are many electric motorbikes, cars, and bicycles in Bilbao for locals and tourists with a reasonable charge for renting. With the increasing popularity of environment-friendly practices, electronic vehicles have become one of the best ways of moving around the city.

Public Bus

Public buses in Bilbao are the cheapest mode of public transportation. It is a standard mode of transport amongst the locals, and they use it daily to go to and fro from home to the workplace. There are many bus services in the city of Bilbao that are under public or private ownership. These buses come under G.V.B. that controls these buses. You can easily find these buses in all areas of the city and can take a ride on them by paying a small but reasonable ticket charge. These buses provide an accessible transportation mode for locals and tourists to places inside and outside the city. You can meet many fellow travelers and locals on these buses, and by interacting with them, you can get some tips and advice for your stay in Spain. These buses are a convenient way of getting to destinations inside the city.

Tram, Train and Subway

People use these transports for a faster way of moving around the city. You will find that trains and subways help you reach destinations inside and outside the city as they have a more comprehensive range than trams. On the other side, trams work only in some particular areas inside the city and are a great way of experiencing the local culture.

Sustainable Shopping

Most tourists visiting the city of Bilbao, in particular, will often go for souvenirs, while the Spanish locals will be spotted shopping for everything from clothes to toys to artifacts. Most local vendors are known to struggle to ensure a thriving business; cut-throat competition and low margins make it a sell to survive market for them. Hence, it is suggested that you always indulge in sustainable shopping and purchase local goods that are made using eco-friendly practices. Sustainable shopping refers to buying products that have less impact on the environment and society. This type of shopping is done to promote eco-friendly and recyclable products while emphasizing local businesses' use. These businesses sell a wide range of everyday items that are cheaper and environmentally friendly.

Food Markets

Bilbao's food markets are popular amongst the locals and the tourists as they are packed with fresh and high quality produce. These places provide visitors with an authentic taste of local Spanish food while promoting local businesses. Food Markets are immensely popular in the city. Some of the best ones for you as a tourist to explore are:

Mercado de la Ribera
Bilbao Market

Flea Markets

Some of these markets have specific days when traders come and display their merchandise, while others run throughout the week. Flea markets are markets that sell low priced products by local traders. These markets often consist of used or second-hand items in good condition and can be used again. Like many flea markets, Bilbao's city mainly caters to low-income earners who cannot afford items sold in exhibition stalls.

Rastro 2 de Mayo de Bilbao
Mercadillo
ZAWP Bilbao
Plaza Nueva

Second Hand Stores

If you are looking for some cheap and second-hand items while traveling in the city of Bilbao, then these stores are the ones for you. These stores sell second-hand items that are relatively in good condition. These stores sell used items at a lower rate and are popular amongst inferior income group peoples as they cannot afford them at their retail price. You will find that these stores offer various products like books, furniture, containers, utensils, clothing items, etc. Here are some of the best second-hand stores that you can visit while traveling and exploring the city of Bilbao.

Kooper Store Bilbao
Bilbotruke
Rnue
Hasiberriro denda solidarioa

Eco-Fashion

The local European people of Spain are opting for such stores these days. Eco-fashion or sustainable fashion is a type of style made using organic substances sourced from the local environment. Eco-fashion or sustainable fashion is trendy in Spain. You will find that many local designers, models, and fashion bloggers promote such clothing items and accessories and create their fashion statements. Many eco-fashion stores also employ workers from local communities to help them grow and lead a better life. You will find some unique and trendy styled clothes and accessories at the following stores in Bilbao.

Recycling

The municipalities have allotted multiple containers for different types of garbage items, such as the yellow boxes are used for plastic, cans, milk cartons, metal lids, and other recyclable items. With various programs and movements, it has successfully implemented efficient and self-dependent recycling and waste distribution system. You will find many second-hand stores and recycling stores in Bilbao, where you can give your reusable waste. With the growing awareness of the need for environmental protection, Spain has the highest recycling rate in Europe. Bilbao's government has adopted various measures for the proper disposal of trash, and about 60% of the population follows these measures. Choosing to give away or donate items that are of no use to you can support people who cannot buy these items at their original prices. The green containers are used to dispose of glass items because of such extensive measures for proper recycling.

Waste

For maintaining the appropriate disposal of waste by every person, many boxes are allotted where you can dispose-off your waste according to its type. Glass, plastic packaging, paper, drinks cartons, residual waste from homes, and textiles can be disposed-off in these containers but not any bulky waste. Bilbao's municipalities follow various extensive measures to ensure that both locals and tourists follow proper waste disposal methods. The yellow and green boxes are for recyclable items, blue containers are used for disposal of printed items, brown containers are used to remove organic substances, and the grey containers are used for non-recyclable items. The local municipality makes sure that both locals and tourists follow the proper waste management measure, and whoever fails to follow is fined. You will find that garbage containers in every street and district of the city are emptied every day. With such extensive measures, the waste disposal is done efficiently, but if any person violates these laws, they can be fined according to their severity.

Work and Study Abroad

If you want to work in the city of Bilbao, you will need first to bag a job and then apply for a Work Visa to stay in the city of Bilbao. By working in the city of Bilbao, you can mold your personality into the best version of yourself. For those tourists that want to study or work in the city of Bilbao, you will be happy to hear that it is quite possible. With one of the leading economies and quality educational institutes, career and educational opportunities are endless and the world's best ones. If you want to study in the city of Bilbao, all you need to do is register for the student exchange program and wait for your calling. There are many quality educational institutes in the city of Bilbao that offer unique and useful courses.

Exchange Student

You can visit one of these institutes and ask about the criteria for admission of foreign nationality students. Many educational institutes in Bilbao are part of the Student Exchange Program and offer various scholarship schemes for such students. By doing so, you will get to know the courses and scholarship options available for you. You will need to register yourself on the program's website and wait for the time being as your application processes.

Au Pair

This type of practice is common in Bilbao with low-income families as they cannot provide proper education facilities to their children. You will find that au pairing is a common practice in Europe. Au pairing is the concept of helping out a family in a foreign country by providing them a helping hand to manage their basic needs and provide financial needs for education and other necessary things. An au pair can be a couple or an individual alone. You find some local families in Spain have an au pair that improves their living standards. An au pair receives a monetary benefit for supporting such a family that they can use for personal use.Au Pairing is a widespread practice in Bilbao, where a foreign person helps out a family take care of their children's education or help out in the finances. In return, the au pair gets some monetary allowances that they can use for their personal use.

Volunteering

One of Bilbao’s reasons as a safe and clean city is because of the many volunteering activities that take place. As a tourist, it is essential to give back something to the community of the city you are visiting. Volunteering is one of the best ways of learning about the deep-rooted problems and needs of the town. You will find that the volunteers and the locals give their full support in resolving the issue at hand. You can find many volunteering organizations in Bilbao that focus on various societal and environmental problems like protecting the environment, humanitarian rights, animal protection, child protection, etc.