Bilbao is a photographer’s delight. There are so many locations to see, shoot and share. What is a little trickier is to find the best night photo spots in Bilbao, Spain.
Whether you are on vacation, posting to Instagram, or shooting for self, there is a photo spot and opportunity for you. These are the 11 very best photo spots in the city center of Bilbao (downtown).
Visiting Bilbao? You might be interested in our Ultimate Travel Guide To Bilbao.
The Best Locations For Night Photography in Bilbao
Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim Museum is a staple in Bilbao photography and one of the most visited attractions in Bilbao. Your photo opportunities extend way past sunset. The Guggenheim and the surrounding area is one of the best places for night photography.
The Puppy installation at the front of the building shows off well. Juxtapose the floral of the Puppy with the smooth lines of the Iberdrola Tower.
The Maman Spider is located at the back of the Guggenheim. Maman easily features along the La Salve Bridge. There are other installations that photograph really well, but the best is probably the Maman Spider.
The Fire Fountain, Fog Sculpture and the Tall Tree and the Eye are the other installations located at the rear of he Guggenheim. All of them make for great photography sessions.
Plus, there are other cool angles and options to introduce the architecture of the Guggenheim museum into the photos. If you cross the river, you can get some really cool shots of architect Frank Ghery’s masterpiece.
City Hall
The Bilbao City Hall is a great Bilbao photo spot and perfect for night photos. Being the largest city hall in the Basque Autonomous Community, it is no surprise that it has a beautiful facade.
Sharp exterior lines are contrasted by three arches. The long tall clock tower adds a ton of depth and softens photos.
There is an abstract circular monument on the other side of the street from the city hall that adds some extra texture if you want to play with the extra element.
Arriagga Theatre
The Arriaga Theatre is a very popular place to take photos regardless of the time of day. The lighting and statues are really what makes the Arriagga Theatre so special.
Depending on the time of year and festivities that are taking place in Bilbao, there are often fascinating art installations that look spectacular when incorporated with the Arriaga Theatre.
Zubizari Bridge
The Zubizari bridge is a great place for night photography. Designed by world renown architect Santiago Calatrava. The Zubizari bridge is sleek and satisfying.
The fact that it is completely white really allows it to stand out in your night photos. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to get an image that really pops here.
San Mamés
San Mamés is one of the more interesting places to take photos. The curvature of the build allows you to take more close up abstract photos, if desired.
San Mamés is able to be lit up in almost any way imaginable. For this reason it is one of the best night photo spots in Bilbao.
Athletic Club Bilbao’s colors of red and white are the dominant color scheme, but, not the only one. Empathetically, it has been lit up like the Ukrainian flag. Alternatively, it has also had message scrolling across it. Dynamic is one way you could describe San Mames’s photo opportunities. Bring your camera or iPhone.
San Anton
San Anton has a lot of cultural significance to the city of Bilbao. Amazingly, This church and adjacent bridge dawn the city’s crest.
Though it is a slightly more tricky building to take photos of at night, when you make it work it looks fantastic.
There is something about stone and a dark river that always looks impressive. Play around with the lighting until you get something stunning.
Basilica de Begoña
If you’re into photography of cathedrals, then the Basilica de Begoña is the spot for you. This cathedral models very well at night.
The Basilica de Begoña is lit up at night to allow for great shots. The tall bell tower in connection with the blue highlights accent what is already a beautiful structure.
Moyua
Also known as plaza circular, Moyua is a must for night photos. The plaza contains a beautiful fountain that is illuminated and can be used in the foreground of any photo. The fountain balances well with any of the buildings that surround the plaza.
A favorite is the Carlton Hotel. Other popular features to include are the entrances to the Bilbao subway and the Iberdrola Tower.
The University of Deusto
The University of Deusto has a few different elements that make it a top night photo local. The building itself is lit up at night, which makes it easier to capture your desired shot.
The river and pedestrian bridge that connects the main building with the library on the other side of the river plays really well in photos. You can take some really cool shots using this bridge as a secondary subject.
Dona Casilda Park
Dona Casilda Park possesses a nice pergola and fountain that are perfect for night photos. Parts of the pergola are lit up while the fountain is usually set to perform a show.
This combination makes it a fun and interesting place to explore with your camera. The Iberdrola Tower is also present in the background which adds a nice a dynamic and modern touch
The Fine Arts Museum
What makes the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum great for night photography is the front facade. This main entrance reflects light playfully. The way the lighting the directed upwards on the building allows for a fun mix of brightness and shadows.
What makes it unique is the way the word museum is written with Vs instead of Us in the word museum. It makes your photos much more vibrant.