Bilbao doesn’t like to be rushed. It is a city on a human scale that can be explored in a single day, provided you accept its one condition: to walk at the pace of the estuary, which is what has written all the stories here.

This itinerary begins and ends at the entrance to Tayko Bilbao. In between lie seven centuries of the city’s history.

Tomorrow: where Bilbao began

The day begins right outside the hotel. You simply need to cross the Puente de la Merced to reach the Mercado de la Ribera, where local life gets underway early amidst produce from the Cantabrian Sea and neighbourhood chatter. This is the city at its most authentic, before the guidebooks come out.

From there, the Ripa quay runs alongside the river, with the colourful façades of Calle Ribera on the opposite bank. It is a flat, pleasant stretch of the river, the sort that makes you forget to check the time.

The Zubizuri Bridge, with its white curve designed by Calatrava, marks the turn of an era. As you cross it, the promenade leads to the Guggenheim Museum. Our advice is to walk all the way round it, without going inside just yet if you don’t want to: say hello to Puppy, stop in front of Maman and watch how the titanium changes colour as the light falls on it. Gehry’s building is the perfect metaphor for this city: it was born of iron and learnt to shine.

Midday: the break the north needs

To wind down in the morning, Doña Casilda Park and the Museum of Fine Arts offer just the right amount of shade and tranquillity.

At lunchtime, Ledesma and García de Salazar streets are lined with pintxo bars and restaurants offering set menus, frequented by the locals themselves – which is always the best endorsement. If you fancy a proper sit-down meal, there are restaurants around the Plaza del Ensanche that won’t let you down.

Afternoon: the Ensanche district, a showcase and a stroll

Gran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro is the city’s upmarket high street, built with money from the iron industry. Today it is home to international brands and El Corte Inglés; for a more discerning shop, Rodríguez Arias and Marqués del Puerto streets offer shops on a different scale.

The walk back to the Old Town can be taken along Calle Navarra, passing in front of the Arriaga Theatre, that little tribute from Bilbao to the Paris Opera. And from there, on to Plaza Nueva, just as its arches begin to fill with people lingering as the afternoon draws to a close.

Evening: the table that brings everything full circle

After a whole day exploring the city, dinner at Ola Martín Berasategui, right in Tayko Bilbao itself, is the perfect way to round off the day: a Michelin-starred restaurant that showcases local produce with the skill of someone who has known it since childhood. Having explored the whole city, there’s no need to leave the hotel to sit at its finest table.

A practical tip: tables get booked up quickly, so it’s a good idea to book now in advance.

If you’ve still got time left in the day: Azkuna Zentroa

For those looking to make the most of their day, the Azkuna Zentroa is well worth a detour. The city’s former wine exchange, reimagined by Philippe Starck, is supported by 43 columns, none of which are alike. It’s a good summary of Bilbao: a building steeped in history that someone dared to look at in a different light.

Tayko Bilbao. The start of your story in the city.