A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Stuttgart vs. Bilbao for Food, Attractions, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Stuttgart or Bilbao?

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

Should I visit Stuttgart or Bilbao? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Stuttgart

Stuttgart is a diverse, dynamic, and modern city. Travelers will also find plenty of sights and attractions here, as it's a big city that attracts lots of visitors. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Stuttgart travel costs.

Bilbao

Bilbao is a authentic, colorful, and friendly city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums. See Bilbao travel costs.

Stuttgart and Bilbao: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Stuttgart or Bilbao?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Bilbao than Stuttgart. While Stuttgart is larger than Bilbao, Bilbao has more sights and attractions for tourists. Bilbao is more popular for its museums and attractions, food, and historical sights, while Stuttgart is known for its big city activities. Bilbao is more touristy than Stuttgart and is popular for it's world-class culinary scene, its modern museums, and its lovely parks. It is also home to The Guggenheim Museum. Stuttgart is popular for its many automobile museums including the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Porsche Museum.

How is Stuttgart different from Bilbao?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Bilbao is a very popular place for its museums and history. Also, Stuttgart is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Bilbao offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. 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.

Stuttgart is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. The city's influence over the car industry is reflected in the museums in town. You can visit both the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. Also check out Schlossplatz, the Ludwigsburg Palace, and Altes Schloss and Landesmuseum while you're in town.

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

Bilbao is an amazing city to visit for its restaurants. Also, Stuttgart is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

For foodies, Bilbao is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. 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.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Stuttgart makes for a great culinary experience. The city blends traditional German flavors with modern twists. You'll find much more than the standard bratworsts that so many people associate with German cuisine. One favorite dish is maultaschen, which is like a ravioli. Also make sure you try spätzle, zwiebelrostbraten (roast and onions) and flädlesuppe (soup with long pasta).

Is Stuttgart or Bilbao Better for Nightlife?

The superb nightlife scene is relatively similar in Stuttgart and Bilbao.

Stuttgart has a large number of nightlife venues. The nightlife scene stays active late into the evening. You'll find no shortage of clubs, bars, music venues, and beer gardens. You'll meet a combination of locals, tourists, students, and expats at many venues.

Bilbao is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. 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 Stuttgart or Bilbao Better for its Old Town?

Bilbao is a popular place for its historic old town charm. However, Stuttgart does not have a historic old town.

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.

Stuttgart does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Stuttgart or Bilbao?

Shoppers can find a variety of superb stores in both Stuttgart and Bilbao.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Stuttgart. The city is filled with pedestrian shopping streets as well as flea markets and major shopping malls. The main shopping street in town is Koenigstrasse, where you'll find many upscale boutiques. For a local food market head to Markthalle Stuttgart. The flagship store of the Breuninger chain is also found in Stuttgart.

Bilbao is an extremely popular place for shoppers. Gran Vía is the most popular shopping street in town. There are also historic boutique shops around the old town.

Is Stuttgart or Bilbao Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Stuttgart or Bilbao.

Stuttgart is a family-friendly city. Like many German city's, there's a great zoo to explore. There's also some unique museums like the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Porsche Museum. Kids will also enjoy taking in the view from the top of the Fernsehturm.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Bilbao. 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 Stuttgart or Bilbao Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Stuttgart and Bilbao make for a good place to visit.

Stuttgart is a good city for couples to visit. The city is large enough to have some nice romantic hotels, spas, luxury restaurants, and other activities that make for a great date night.

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 Stuttgart or Bilbao Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Stuttgart and Bilbao are both good destinations for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Stuttgart. It's not on the backpacker circuit for most people but there are still plenty of hostels and affordable accommodation options. You'll also find plenty of activities and affordable restaurants to choose from.

Bilbao is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. There are plenty of hostels to choose from and a good social scene that makes it easy to meet other backpackers.

Is Stuttgart or Bilbao Better for Students?

Stuttgart is well known for students. Also, Bilbao is still popular, but not quite as popular for its student-friendly activities.

Many students visit Stuttgart. It's an international city with great universities and a friendly and central location. There's also a lively nightlife and plenty of things to do.

It's common for students to visit Bilbao. This is a popular study abroad destination with many great museums and educational opportunities for international students.

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

Visitors will find superb public transit in both Stuttgart and Bilbao.

The public transit in Stuttgart can get you to most places easily. The city's transit system includes buses, the U‑Bahn and the S‑Bahn. The U-Bahn is a denser train system in the city center and the S-Bahn covers more distance and reaches into the suburbs with stops that are more spread out.

Visitors to Bilbao can move around easily with public transportation. The metro system has three lines. There is also a tram and bus system.

Is Stuttgart or Bilbao a more walkable city?

Stuttgart and Bilbao are good when it comes to walkability.

Stuttgart is a somewhat walkable city. There are parts of the city that are more walkable than others.

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

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

Should I spend more time in Bilbao or Stuttgart?

How long in Stuttgart or Bilbao?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Bilbao than Stuttgart 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 Bilbao.

One day in Stuttgart or Bilbao?

Stuttgart is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Bilbao. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Stuttgart or Bilbao?

Stuttgart 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.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the friendly destination of Bilbao. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Stuttgart or Bilbao?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Stuttgart. 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.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the authentic city of Bilbao. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Most people head to the area for the food. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Stuttgart or Bilbao?

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

Bilbao is a popular choice for travelers. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Berlin, The Best 10-Day Tours from Berlin, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Spain, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Spain.

When comparing the travel costs between Stuttgart and Bilbao, we can see that Stuttgart 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 Stuttgart Expensive? and Is Bilbao Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Stuttgart or Bilbao?

Stuttgart has a larger population, and is about 71% larger than the population of Bilbao. When comparing the sizes of Stuttgart 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 Stuttgart or Bilbao?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Stuttgart or Bilbao in the Summer?

Both Bilbao and Stuttgart during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Stuttgart for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Bilbao because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Stuttgart is generally around the same temperature as Bilbao. Daily temperatures in Stuttgart average around 22°C (71°F), and Bilbao fluctuates around 20°C (68°F).

It's quite sunny in Stuttgart. In the summer, Stuttgart often gets more sunshine than Bilbao. Stuttgart gets 238 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bilbao receives 188 hours of full sun.

Stuttgart usually gets more rain in July than Bilbao. Stuttgart gets 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Stuttgart or Bilbao in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Stuttgart and Bilbao. The autumn months attract visitors to Stuttgart because of the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene. Also, the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene are the main draw to Bilbao this time of year.

Stuttgart is cooler than Bilbao in the autumn. The daily temperature in Stuttgart averages around 13°C (56°F) in October, and Bilbao fluctuates around 16°C (62°F).

Stuttgart usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Bilbao during autumn. Stuttgart gets 122 hours of sunny skies, while Bilbao receives 125 hours of full sun in the autumn.

Bilbao receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Stuttgart usually receives less rain than Bilbao. Stuttgart gets 51 mm (2 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 111 mm (4.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Stuttgart or Bilbao in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Stuttgart as well as Bilbao. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Stuttgart this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Bilbao for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

It's quite cold in Stuttgart in the winter. In the winter, Stuttgart is much colder than Bilbao. Typically, the winter temperatures in Stuttgart in January average around 3°C (38°F), and Bilbao averages at about 9°C (48°F).

In the winter, Stuttgart often gets less sunshine than Bilbao. Stuttgart gets 60 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Bilbao receives 77 hours of full sun.

It's quite rainy in Bilbao. Stuttgart usually gets less rain in January than Bilbao. Stuttgart gets 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 130 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Stuttgart or Bilbao in the Spring?

Both Bilbao and Stuttgart are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Stuttgart for the activities around the city. Also, many visitors come to Bilbao in the spring for the activities around the city.

In April, Stuttgart is generally around the same temperature as Bilbao. Daily temperatures in Stuttgart average around 11°C (53°F), and Bilbao fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

Stuttgart usually receives more sunshine than Bilbao during spring. Stuttgart gets 154 hours of sunny skies, while Bilbao receives 117 hours of full sun in the spring.

It rains a lot this time of the year in Bilbao. In April, Stuttgart usually receives less rain than Bilbao. Stuttgart gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Bilbao receives 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Bilbao and Stuttgart