A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Bremen vs. Bilbao for Old Town, Attractions, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Bremen or Bilbao?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Bremen and Bilbao can help you decide which place is right for you.

Bremen

Bremen is a colorful, lively, and historic city. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Bilbao

Bilbao is a industrial, authentic, and colorful city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and shopping.

Bremen and Bilbao: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Bremen or Bilbao?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Bilbao than Bremen. While Bremen is larger than Bilbao, Bilbao has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Bilbao is more popular for its big city activities, while Bremen is known for its food, historical sights, and impressive beauty. Bremen is popular for its beautiful historic center and its role as a cultural hub in Germany. Bilbao is popular for it's world-class culinary scene, its modern museums, and its lovely parks. It is also home to The Guggenheim Museum.

How is Bremen different from Bilbao?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Bilbao and Bremen. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Bremen or Bilbao?

For an educational experience, head to a museum or a notable sight in either Bremen or Bilbao.

Many visitors head to Bremen specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. Many of the city's landmarks are located around the famous Marktplatz. You can tour the Bremen Town Hall or wander around the Medieval Schnoor Quarter. Also make sure you check out the Cathedral of St. Peter.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Bilbao can be an interesting and educational experience. A favorite museum in town is the popular Guggenheim Museum. From its iconic building to the unique exhibits, this is a must-see stop during your visit. Other highlights around town include the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, the Museo Vasco, as well as the city's unique bridges.

Is the Food Better in Bremen or Bilbao? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Bremen is a good destination for its restaurant scene. However, Bilbao is not a culinary destination.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Bremen. The food is hearty and filling with many meat heavy dishes. Vegetarians may struggle to find local options. Traditional regional dishes include Kohl und Pinkel (kale and sausage), Labskaus (meat and stew), and fried smelt.

Bilbao is not a culinary destination. The food scene is among the best in Spain. The city has several world renowned restaurants, including a few Michelin-starred restaurants, but there are also smaller eateries that cater to the locals and tourists alike. Make sure you try the pintxos, which are small dishes that are the Basque region's answer to tapas. Many include seafood and are cooked with olive oil and garlic.

Is Bremen or Bilbao Better for Nightlife?

Evening events are high quality in both Bremen and Bilbao.

Bremen has plenty to do after the sun goes down. There's a variety of evening activities including cocktail bars, trendy clubs, and fine dining restaurants. Head to the Viertel District for some of the most lively clubs.

Bilbao has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. There's a great late night scene that centers around eating and drinking. There are lively nightclubs, a good live music scene, and no shortage of people heading out on the town.

Is Bremen or Bilbao Better for its Old Town?

Bremen is an amazing city to visit for its old town. Also, Bilbao is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historic old town charm.

Bremen offers visitors a world-class historical old town to explore. The old town is beautiful with its charming streets and beautiful buildings. There's a main market square which is filled with many landmarks and tourist sights.

Bilbao has an old town worth visiting. The old town, often called Casco Viejo, is filled with historic architecture, great local bars, and some interesting shopping.

Is the Shopping Better in Bremen or Bilbao?

Both Bremen and Bilbao are high quality shopping destinations.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Bremen. The city offers a mix of historic shopping areas and large shopping malls. Some of the biggest shopping malls include Karstadt Bremen, Lloyd Passage, and Weserpark.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Bilbao. Gran Vía is the most popular shopping street in town. There are also historic boutique shops around the old town.

Is Bremen or Bilbao Better for Families?

Bremen is well known for its family-friendly activities. Also, Bilbao is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Bremen is a very kid-friendly city. Kids will appreciate a Sunday visit to the Bremen Town Musicians play which performs popular fairy tales. If the season isn't right, there are many other kid-friendly activities around town including Bürgerpark, the puppet theater, or visiting the beach at Café Sand. Popular museums in town for kids include Universum and Bremer Geschichtenhaus.

Bilbao offers lots of family activities. The city offers some great museums such as the Guggenheim Museum. Families will also enjoy taking a ride of the Artxander Funicular, and exploring Mercado de la Ribera. You can also enjoy walking around Park Abandoibarra and exploring the creative sculptures.

Is Bremen or Bilbao Better for Couples?

Both Bremen and Bilbao are good destinations to visit as a couple.

Bremen is a good city for couples to visit. From its beautiful old town to its many great restaurants and shopping streets, couples will enjoy a romantic trip away in this beautiful city.

Bilbao is a nice destination for couples. The city is filled with a vibrant enjoy with parks and outdoor strolls that couples will enjoy. There are also many great museums and romantic restaurants as well as some great shopping streets.

Is Bremen or Bilbao Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Both Bremen and Bilbao are good destinations for backpackers.

Bremen is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. Backpackers love the old town and lively atmosphere. There are enough tourists around that you'll find a decent social scene and the atmosphere makes for a great visit.

It's common for backpackers to visit Bilbao. There are plenty of hostels to choose from and a good social scene that makes it easy to meet other backpackers.

Is Bremen or Bilbao Better for Students?

Bilbao is very good for students. However, Bremen is not popular with students.

Bilbao is a good city to visit for students. This is a popular study abroad destination with many great museums and educational opportunities for international students.

Bremen is not popular with students.

Is Bremen or Bilbao Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Bremen and Bilbao offer high quality public transit options.

Bremen offers a very effecient public transportation network. The city has both trams and buses that offer easy accessibility to most of the tourist areas.

Many visitors rely on the effecient and affordable public transportation in Bilbao. The metro system has three lines. There is also a tram and bus system.

Is Bremen or Bilbao a more walkable city?

Bremen is an amazing city to visit for its high level of walkability. Also, Bilbao is still popular, but not quite as popular for its ease of walking around.

Getting around Bremen on foot is easy. It's one of the most walkable cities in Europe.

Bilbao is a somewhat walkable city. It's a fairly walkable city with several pedestrian-friendly areas.

For even more information, also check out Is Bremen Worth Visiting? and Is Bilbao Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Bilbao or Bremen?

How long in Bremen or Bilbao?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Bremen and Bilbao. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Bremen than in Bilbao. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Bremen, and 2-3 days is enough time in Bilbao.

Families should spend more time in Bremen than Bilbao. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Bremen, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Bremen than Bilbao. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Bremen that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Bremen than Bilbao if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Bremen.

One day in Bremen or Bilbao?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Bremen. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Bilbao. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Bremen or Bilbao?

Bremen is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Bilbao is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Bremen or Bilbao?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Bremen. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Bilbao. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Bremen or Bilbao?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the colorful destination of Bremen. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the colorful destination of Bilbao. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Music Tours in Germany, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Germany, The Best G Adventures Tours to Spain, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Madrid.

When comparing the travel costs between Bremen and Bilbao, we can see that Bremen is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bremen Expensive? and Is Bilbao Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Bremen or Bilbao?

Bremen has a larger population, and is about 56% larger than the population of Bilbao. When comparing the sizes of Bremen and Bilbao, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Bremen or Bilbao?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Bremen or Bilbao in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Bremen and Bilbao. Many visitors come to Bremen in the summer for the family-friendly experiences. Furthermore, most visitors come to Bilbao for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.

In July, Bremen is generally cooler than Bilbao. Daily temperatures in Bremen average around 17°C (63°F), and Bilbao fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).

Bremen usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Bilbao during summer. Bremen gets 191 hours of sunny skies, while Bilbao receives 188 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Bremen usually receives more rain than Bilbao. Bremen gets 69 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Bremen or Bilbao in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Bremen as well as Bilbao. Most visitors come to Bremen for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area during these months. Additionally, the autumn months attract visitors to Bilbao because of the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.

Bremen is much colder than Bilbao in the autumn. The daily temperature in Bremen averages around 10°C (50°F) in October, and Bilbao fluctuates around 16°C (62°F).

In the autumn, Bremen often gets less sunshine than Bilbao. Bremen gets 100 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bilbao receives 125 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Bilbao. Bremen usually gets less rain in October than Bilbao. Bremen gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Bremen or Bilbao in the Winter?

Both Bilbao and Bremen are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The winter months attract visitors to Bremen because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, the museums and the shopping scene are the main draw to Bilbao this time of year.

The weather in Bremen can be very cold. In the winter, Bremen is much colder than Bilbao. Typically, the winter temperatures in Bremen in January average around 1°C (33°F), and Bilbao averages at about 9°C (48°F).

Bremen usually receives less sunshine than Bilbao during winter. Bremen gets 41 hours of sunny skies, while Bilbao receives 77 hours of full sun in the winter.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Bilbao. In January, Bremen usually receives less rain than Bilbao. Bremen gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Bremen or Bilbao in the Spring?

Both Bilbao and Bremen during the spring are popular places to visit. The natural beauty are the main draw to Bremen this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Bilbao for the activities around the city.

In April, Bremen is generally much colder than Bilbao. Daily temperatures in Bremen average around 8°C (46°F), and Bilbao fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

In the spring, Bremen often gets more sunshine than Bilbao. Bremen gets 153 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bilbao receives 117 hours of full sun.

Bilbao gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Bremen usually gets less rain in April than Bilbao. Bremen gets 49 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Bilbao and Bremen