Living in Bilbao: Best Areas and Lifestyle

If you are thinking about living in Bilbao, you are probably looking for more than just a good home: you want a dynamic environment, rich cultural life, nature nearby, and opportunities to enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle. Bilbao offers all of this and, in addition, is undergoing a major urban transformation, with new neighbourhoods redefining the way people live in the city.

At ACCIONA, we help you discover the best areas to live in Bilbao, what its lifestyle is like, and many more insights into the city’s future.

Living in Bilbao: A Cosmopolitan, Creative and Green City

Bilbao has evolved from an industrial city into a European benchmark for urban regeneration, innovation, and quality of life. Today, living in Bilbao means enjoying a human-scale city, well-connected and with a carefully balanced mix of culture, nature, and urban life.

An Active and Healthy Lifestyle

Bilbao’s surroundings naturally encourage an active lifestyle. The riverside promenade, cycle lanes, and urban parks make it easy to walk, run, or get around by bike in everyday life. In just a few minutes, you can also be surrounded by mountains, forests, and hiking routes, making outdoor activity a natural part of your routine.

The city’s deeply rooted gastronomy has also adapted to a healthier outlook, with an abundance of local and seasonal produce, traditional markets, and a growing restaurant scene that combines tradition with new trends.

Culture, Design and Urban Life

Bilbao is a city where art and architecture form part of the everyday landscape. The Guggenheim Museum, the urban setting of the Ensanche district, the Old Town, and the city’s theaters, galleries, and festivals create the perfect backdrop for those who value cultural life.

Day to day, pedestrian areas, terraces, and public spaces contribute to a very livable urban experience: close, social, and connected, yet without the stress of large metropolitan cities.

What Are the Best Areas to Live in Bilbao?

If you are considering living in Bilbao, one of the first steps is understanding what each area offers. The city combines well-established neighbourhoods with all essential services and areas undergoing transformation, designed around a more contemporary way of life.

City Centre and Ensanche: Convenience and Services

Bilbao’s Ensanche and city center concentrate much of the city’s commercial, administrative, and leisure activity. Here you will find:

• Excellent public transport connections.
• A wide range of shops, restaurants, and services.
• Residential buildings with significant architectural value.

This is a good option if you prioritize proximity to everything, enjoy an intense urban lifestyle, and want to be at the heart of the city.

Old Town: Authenticity and Neighbourhood Life

Bilbao’s Old Town is the historic soul of the city. With its pedestrian streets, squares, and traditional shops, it offers a truly distinctive atmosphere:

• A lively social and cultural scene.
• Small shops, markets, and hospitality venues.
• An urban character with a strong sense of community.

It is ideal if you are looking for authenticity, history, and an urban environment with plenty of personality.

Deusto, Indautxu and Other Established Neighbourhoods

Neighbourhoods such as Deusto and Indautxu stand out for their residential and family-friendly character, with a good combination of services, schools, green areas and connections to the rest of the city.

They are highly valued by those who want to live in Bilbao while enjoying a balance between peace, neighbourhood life and proximity to the city centre.

The best area to live in Bilbao today: Zorrotzaurre

Beyond the established neighbourhoods, more and more people are asking, "What are the best areas to live in Bilbao in the coming years?" The answer clearly points to Zorrotzaurre, the urban island leading one of the city’s most ambitious transformations.

Zorrotzaurre is being planned as a new model of neighbourhood, combining housing, green spaces, economic activity, public facilities, and a strong connection with the river and the rest of Bilbao.

Zorrotzaurre: A New Neighbourhood Concept by the River

The Zorrotzaurre urban project aims to create a modern, sustainable environment that is fully integrated with the city. Some of the features that make this area one of the best options for living in Bilbao in the near future include:

• Strategic location: an island connected by several bridges, close to the city center and established neighbourhoods such as Deusto.
• Green spaces and riverside areas: promenades, pedestrian zones, and landscaped spaces designed for everyday enjoyment.
• New facilities and services: spaces are planned for cultural, educational, and sports activities.
• Sustainable mobility: priority for pedestrians, bicycles, and public transport, reducing the role of private vehicles.

Overall, Zorrotzaurre aims to redefine what it means to live in Bilbao: a lifestyle where the city, nature, innovation, and wellbeing are organically connected.

An Active, Creative and Connected Lifestyle

The plan for Zorrotzaurre places special emphasis on creating an environment that encourages active living and connection with the surroundings. This includes:

• Walking and cycling routes that cross the island and connect it with other parts of Bilbao.
• Areas designed for outdoor sport and healthy everyday activities.
• Spaces for creativity and innovation, with economic activities linked to knowledge, technology, and culture.

All of this makes Zorrotzaurre one of the strongest answers to the question of which are the best areas to live in Bilbao when looking towards the city’s future.

Our New-Build Project in Zorrotzaurre

At ACCIONA, we are playing an active role in this urban transformation. We are developing a new-build project in Zorrotzaurre that directly contributes to the revitalization of this area and to the creation of a new way of living in the city.

Homes Designed for Different Lifestyles

Our project consists of two developments with more than 260 free-market homes with 2, 3, and 4 bedrooms. The aim is to offer solutions adapted to different needs and ways of understanding home:

• People looking for their first home in a modern, well-connected setting.
• Families who value spacious homes, green areas, and nearby services.
• Profiles that prioritize an active lifestyle, with options for sports, walks, and outdoor leisure.

The homes are designed according to contemporary criteria of design, comfort, and efficiency, in line with Zorrotzaurre’s vision as a new strategic area of Bilbao.

Zorrotzaurre: Contemporary Architecture, Nature and Innovation

Our project is located in one of the city’s areas with the greatest future potential. Zorrotzaurre redefines the way of living in Bilbao from several perspectives:

• Contemporary architecture, with modern buildings that engage with the riverside landscape.
• Spaces designed to be enjoyed: terraces, communal areas, and outdoor environments that extend life beyond the home.
• A setting that combines innovation, nature, and urban connection, creating a lively, sustainable neighbourhood fully integrated into Bilbao.

At ACCIONA, we work to ensure that this project is not just a collection of homes but a real contribution to a new city model, where everyday life benefits from a more comfortable, healthy, and connected environment.

This is what living in Bilbao is like today and tomorrow

Living in Bilbao means choosing a city that has successfully reinvented itself and continues to look to the future through ambitious urban projects. From established neighbourhoods to new areas such as Zorrotzaurre, the city offers options for different lifestyles, all with one thing in common: urban quality, culture, nearby nature, and a scale that supports everyday well-being.

If you are considering where to make your home and wondering which are the best areas to live in Bilbao, Zorrotzaurre stands out as one of the strongest answers, combining contemporary design, open spaces, innovation, and excellent connections with the rest of the city.

At ACCIONA, we are developing a new-build project on this island made up of two developments with more than 260 free-market homes with 2, 3, and 4 bedrooms, designed to adapt to different lifestyles and needs. If you would like to know more about what it will be like to live in this new Bilbao neighbourhood, we invite you to discover our project in detail and contact our team with any questions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Living in Bilbao and Zorrotzaurre

Why is Bilbao a good city to live in?

Bilbao offers a balanced combination of culture, nature, and urban life. It has good services, efficient public transport, a highly accessible natural environment, and a strong local identity, making it easy to enjoy a comfortable, active lifestyle with plenty of leisure options.

What are the best areas to live in Bilbao?

Some of the most valued areas include the City Centre, Ensanche, Indautxu, Deusto, and the Old Town. However, transforming areas such as Zorrotzaurre are increasingly standing out as some of the best options for living in Bilbao in the coming years, thanks to their urban planning, location, and focus on quality of life.

What does Zorrotzaurre offer as a new residential neighbourhood?

Zorrotzaurre is being designed as a modern, sustainable, and well-connected neighbourhood, with new-build homes, green areas, riverside promenades, facilities, and spaces for cultural, economic, and leisure activities. Everything is focused on an active, healthy, and contemporary lifestyle.

What does ACCIONA’s project in Zorrotzaurre involve?

ACCIONA is developing a new-build project in Zorrotzaurre made up of two developments with more than 260 free-market homes with 2, 3, and 4 bedrooms. These homes are designed to adapt to different lifestyles in one of Bilbao’s areas with the greatest potential, where contemporary architecture, spaces for enjoyment, and an environment that integrates innovation, nature, and urban connection come together.