3 reviewed party hostels · from €17.10/night · Hostelworld rated
Bilbao's nightlife centres on the Casco Viejo, the old town's maze of narrow streets where pintxos bars line every corner and the drinking starts early. The Seven Streets (Siete Calles) is the beating heart of it all, packed with locals and backpackers from early evening well into the small hours. Bars here stay open late, drinks are cheap by European standards, and the culture of txikiteo — hopping from bar to bar with a small glass of wine or beer at each stop — means you'll cover serious ground without even trying. Beyond the old town, the Pozas Street area draws a younger crowd with louder music and a more dedicated club scene. The hostel scene in Bilbao is small but solid, with a handful of well-run places concentrated in and around the Casco Viejo. Dorm beds typically start around €18–25 per night, reasonable for a city with this much going on.
Rated by Hostelworld score · Prices per dorm bed per night
Nice and fun social hostel, with a great atmosphere. Perfect for the travelers who want to stay in the party area. Quartier hostel is located in the heart of the old town, surrounded by plenty of great bars and clubs. There is also a rooftop terrace, where you can chill and chat with other guests.
Latroupe La Granja, with its vibrant bar and electric chill-out area, is the ultimate party hostel. It blends rich heritage with a lively atmosphere, offering live music, cultural events, and a gateway to Bilbao's bustling scene, promising unforgettable nights and cultural immersion.
Poshtel Bilbao – Premium Hostel in Bilbao is the quintessential party destination for travellers. Merging luxury with the hostel vibe, it offers stylish decor and a prime location. Its vibrant ambiance, designed for socialising, promises non-stop fun with activities like themed parties, pub crawls, and live music. Near major attractions and nightlife, it ensures an unforgettable party experience.
How Bilbao's nightlife zones break down
The old town is the obvious base for backpackers, built around the medieval Siete Calles grid of narrow lanes. Every street has bars, the Plaza Nueva hosts weekend markets and outdoor drinking, and nearly all of Bilbao's hostels are within a short walk.
Abando sits directly across the Nervión river from the Casco Viejo, centred on the Gran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro, Bilbao's main commercial boulevard. It's quieter than the old town at night but puts you close to the Guggenheim Museum and the upmarket end of the cocktail bar scene.
Head west from the Gran Vía and you hit the Pozas and Indautxu neighbourhoods, where the clubs and late-night bars take over from the pintxos scene. Calle Ledesma and the surrounding streets fill up after midnight and keep going until dawn.
Where the hostel pub crawls end up, and where to go on your own
One of the Casco Viejo's most reliably packed bars, known for generous pintxos and €2 glasses of txakoli. It gets seriously busy on Friday evenings with a mix of locals and travellers jostling for standing room. Arrive before 8pm if you want to eat, but stay as long as you like.
A long-standing live music bar in the Casco Viejo that pulls in blues, jazz and rock acts most nights of the week. The room is small and intimate, the beer is cold, and the crowd genuinely cares about the music. Check their weekly programme posted on the door.
A grand Moorish-style café and bar that has been part of Bilbao's social fabric since 1903. The ornate tilework and carved wooden bar make it worth visiting for the interior alone, but it's also a solid spot for a pre-night-out vermouth or gin and tonic. Gets a mixed crowd of tourists and locals.
A proper club in the Pozas area that runs electronic music sessions into the early hours at weekends. The sound system is decent, the space is dark and no-frills, and entry is usually free before 1am. Expect house and techno with occasional live DJ sets.
A relaxed craft beer bar on the edge of the Casco Viejo with a rotating selection of Basque and Spanish craft brews. It fills up with a laid-back crowd from around 7pm and stays busy until midnight. Good for a longer session before heading to the clubs.
A popular cocktail bar on the upper edge of the Casco Viejo with a small terrace overlooking the old town rooftops. Strong, reasonably priced cocktails at around €7–9, and a crowd that skews young and sociable. Gets busy from 10pm on weekends.
An institution on the Plaza Circular, this café-bar has been serving Bilbao since 1926. By night it draws a pre-theatre and after-work crowd for vermouths and classic Spanish gin tonics. The grand interior and pavement seating make it a reliable meeting point before hitting the Casco Viejo.
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