Bilbao Tourist Guide: Rangers fans complete guide - best bars, San Mames directions, weather forecast

Rangers crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg clash against Athletic Bilbao is just over 48 hours away, and the anticipation is palpable.

Last week’s battling 0-0 draw at Ibrox means Barry Ferguson’s side head into the game with everything to play for, and Rangers supporters are already daring to dream despite their challenging domestic campaign, with 2,544 away fans expected in the Spanish city on Thursday.

The Ibrox faithful have been wracking up the air miles this season, with trips to Piraeus, Istanbul, Nice and Malmo already in the can, but they’ll be desperately hoping for two more Europa League away trips - including a return to the San Mames in this year’s final come May.

While the focus of their visit will largely the 90 minutes (or more!) of football, fans will definitely be some down time to check out some of best of Bilbao’s pubs and bars, while sight-seeing is sure to be on the agenda as you wait for Ferguson’s boys to take on one of Europe’s finest teams.

Here we profile the city of Bilbao, and look at the best things to do, see and visit if you’re heading over there to support Rangers in the Europa League this week:

Athletic Bilbao fans hold up match scarfs at the San Mames earlier this year. | Getty Images

Bilbao weather forecast

Wednesday 16 April: Light rain and a gentle breeze, with temperatures as high as 17°, and as low as 6°.

Thursday 17 April: Sunny intervals and light winds, with temperatures as high as 18°, and as low as 11°.

Friday 18 April: Light rain showers and a moderate breeze, with temperatures as high as 17°, and as low as 6°.

San Mamés Stadium directions

The San Mamés Stadium is accessible by underground, train, bus and tram. Detailed information is available here.

Interesting facts about Bilbao

• The Nervión River’s Football Parade: When Athletic Bilbao won the Copa del Rey for the first time in 40 years last season, over a million fans headed down to Bilbao’s Nervión River for a legendary trophy parade. The river, which was once a polluted industrial artery, became a symbol of Basque unity, with boats trailing the team’s victory float. This celebration (last seen in 1984) is testament to the city’s - and indeed Athletic Bilbao - football obsession.

• San Mamés secret tunnels: The old San Mamés Stadium, which was home to Athletic Bilbao for 100 years between 1913 and 2013, had hidden tunnels which were used during the Spanish Civil War and used smuggle supplies and people. While the club’s new stadium doesn’t have this, its history ties football to Bilbao’s resilience. Bilbao supporters still honour their old ground, and believe it fuels their underdog spirit.

• Euskara’s Resilience: Bilbao is a stronghold of Euskara, the Basque language, which is unrelated to any other known language in the world. Despite centuries of suppression, Euskara thrives in Bilbao and is spoken by almost 30% of the population.

Best tourist attractions in Bilbao

• Guggenheim Museum: Frank Gehry’s titanium masterpiece is a global icon of modern architecture and the number one tourist attraction in Bilbao. It houses contemporary art exhibitions, including outdoor sculptures such as Jeff Koons’ Puppy. Its impact jas transformed Bilbao into one of Europe’s biggest cultural hubs.

• Casco Viejo (Old Town): The historic heart of Bilbao, the ‘Seven Streets’ (aka: Zazpi Kaleak), is packed with bars that serve pintxos, and with landmarks like the Gothic Santiago Cathedral. This is a lively spot, where you can bathe in Basque culture and cuisine.

• Football Pub Crawl in Pozas (Licenciado Poza Street): Want to keep it football themed? Then look no further than the Pozas football pub crawl. The go-to street for football fans, it is lined with bars showing games, and is buzzing with locals. Dig into some pintxos and enjoy some txakoli (local white wine).

Best pubs and bars in Bilbao

• Ein Prosit (Licenciado Poza 48, 48011 Bilbao): With German beers (Paulaner, Erdinger), Basque ciders, and German food and Spanish food dishes like bratwurst, currywurst or pintxos on offer, this bar is popular with football fans pre and post-game. This German-style bar is said to combine the city’s passion for football with a unique menu. Just five minutes walk from the San Mames Stadium, it is great location to try out before the game.

• Bar Aterpe (Juan Antonio Zunzunegui Etorbidea, 10, 48013 Bilbao): This busy matchday bar is just steps away from the San Mames, with Estrella and pintxos, such tortilla or croquetas, available to gorge on ahead of the game. Likely to be jam-packed with Athletic Bilbao fans, reviews says the bar is less touristy than same, but still open to football fans, making it a good spot for Rangers supporters who want a taste of Bilbao’s grassroots vibe.

• Wicklow Arms (Rodríguez Arias K., 30, Abando, 48011 Bilbao): Located around 12 minutes walk from the stadium, this pub provides a range of beers (Heineken, Guinness, local crafts), coipled with classic pub food such as fish and chips, or nachos. Pintxos are also available with a Basque twist. There are several screens in the British-style bar, which will show some of the day’s biggest matches.

• Covent Garden (Licenciado Poza 35, 48011 Bilbao): This bar is one of the city’s hotspots for football, with five screens dedicated to sports. Around a seven minute walk from the stadium, this local bar will provide good quality beers, excellent pintxos (the calamari is recommend highly), alongside affordable bar snacks to keep your energy up before kick-off.