Bilbao Food Tour with Wine Pairing: 5 Bars, Award-Winning Pintxos

The pintxos the guides order for you are made fresh by the chef, not the ones sitting on the bar.

A 3-hour pintxos and wine tour of Bilbao's Old Town with a local guide born and raised in the city. You'll visit five bars, sample traditional and award-winning pintxos paired with red wine, white wine, cider and other Basque drinks, and learn how to order pintxos yourself. Minimum age 14; English-speaking guide included; come hungry for a full dinner's worth of food.

Step-by-step itinerary

Bilbao pintxos and wine tasting tour

• Meet local Basque guide
• Explore 700-year-old Old Town streets
• Visit 5 bars for pintxos tasting
• Try traditional and award-winning pintxos
• Learn how to order pintxos
• Sample paired wines and cider

The Experience

The tour starts in Bilbao's Old Town, where 700-year-old streets open onto bars that know how to cook. Your guide—a Basque native who grew up eating in these rooms—will order pintxos you won't find sitting on the counter; the chef makes them fresh for your group. You'll taste traditional versions and others that have won awards in Bilbao's famous pintxo competitions, moving between very modern bars and some of the oldest in the city. The whole thing takes three hours and amounts to a full dinner.

Each pintxo comes paired with a wine chosen to match what you're eating: red from La Rioja, Txakoli (a lightly sparkling white from the Basque Coast), cider, and other local drinks. Your guide teaches you the language and the confidence to walk into any bar afterward and order the same way—no menu, no hesitation. The tour covers five bars and five drinks across the stops, so the pairing is the point, not the quantity.

This is the original Bilbao food tour, started in 2014 by the operator who still runs it. The guide speaks English and knows which bars have the best pintxos and which chefs will make something special if you ask. Service animals are welcome; public transport runs near the meeting point. If you have dietary requirements, let them know at booking—the tour is not recommended for vegans or vegetarians, but other restrictions can be discussed.

What’s included

• English-speaking local guide born and raised in Bilbao.
• 1–2 pintxos at each of five bars, including award-winning varieties and traditional styles.
• five drinks paired with the food (red wine, white wine, beer, water, or cider at your choice).
• instruction on how to order pintxos in any Bilbao bar.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by The Best of Basque - Basque Country & La Rioja Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to eat like a local and leave knowing how to do it again—the guide's job is to teach you the bars and the ordering, not just to take you through them.

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Top questions

What exactly are pintxos and how are they different from Spanish tapas?

Pintxos are Basque tapas—small, often elaborate snacks served in bars, usually perched on bread or a skewer. The ones on this tour are made to order by the chef rather than pre-made on the bar, and many have won awards in Bilbao's pintxo competitions. The difference is that pintxos are a Basque tradition and identity; they're how the Basque people celebrate food culture in their bars.

Will I actually learn how to order pintxos in Basque, or just in English?

The guide teaches you how to order pintxos so you can walk into any bar in Bilbao afterward with confidence. The instruction is in English, and the guide will show you what to say and do—the point is that you'll know how to do it yourself next time, not that you'll speak Basque fluently.

How much wine will I drink, and what if I don't want alcohol?

You'll have five drinks across the five bars, paired with each pintxo. Options include red wine, white wine, beer, water, and cider, so you can choose what you drink at each stop. Water is available if you prefer not to drink alcohol.

Is three hours enough time to eat a full dinner's worth of food?

Yes—the tour is designed so that the pintxos and drinks at five bars add up to a full dinner. You'll come hungry and leave satisfied. The pace includes time at each bar to eat, drink, and talk with your guide about the food and the city.

What's the Old Town like, and will we see much of Bilbao beyond the bars?

The Old Town is where the tour happens, and it's 700 years old with narrow streets that open onto the bars where you'll stop. The focus is on the food and wine, not sightseeing, but you'll move through the Old Town streets between bars and your guide will share what they know about the neighborhood as you go.

Do I need to book a specific time, or can I just show up?

You'll need to book in advance and choose a departure time. The tour runs on a schedule, and your guide will meet you at the starting point in the Old Town. Hotel pickup is not included, but public transport runs near the meeting area.