Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park

Once Bilbao’s only central green space, Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park, with its tree-lined paths, bubbling fountains and duck-filled pond, remains the city’s favorite outdoor destination.

This almost 100-year-old park was named after former Bilbao resident Casilda Iturrizar. Much to future Bilbaínos’ fortune, she had married a wealthy businessman and, after his death, dedicated her life to charity. Without any heirs, when she finally passed she decided to leave the Bilbao space to the public. Eventually, it was turned into a park with French- and Romantic-style gardens in 1907, and has been a central getaway for locals ever since.

Nowadays, Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park (or, as it is affectionately called by the locals, Duck’s Park, due to the pond) is a bit smaller than it used to be, with the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum occupying one of its corners since the 1940s. Within its now 85,200-square-meter boundaries, you’ll come across monuments, sculptures, basketball courts, and a classic merry-go-round. The park also offers other sights, like the duck pond where you can rent rowboats, or a dancing water fountain, which comes to life with light and sound shows during the holidays.