Bilbao; Sunday, 24 September, 2017

My knee was feeling better so it was a slightly quicker walk down from the hotel to the riverside after I’d checked out to pick up the boat tour I’d booked.

The tourism website had suggested booking a ticket in advance, but made it sound like this was an option rather than actually being essential. I’d taken the advice and was in possession of a ticket for a two hour cruise down the river to the sea and back – and I was glad I had as more and more people turned up and it became clear that the sailing was fully booked. In the end around 40 people got turned away.

The cruise was very pleasant sailing down the river through the city centre and then out to the coast, including passing under the spectacular transporter bridge shortly before reaching the harbour.

Back in the city centre after the tour I headed over to the metro and picked up the train back out to the transporter bridge. The bridge was fully restored and re-opened at the start of the 21st Century and this included the installation of lifts up to the top gantry – allowing people to go to the very top of the bridge to take in the view and watch the transporter mechanism at work.

The visit which included an audio guide took around 90 minutes to complete, so by the time I’d caught the gondolier back over to the pier I’d started at it was time to catch the metro back into the city centre, wander over to the hotel and pick up my luggage before heading back to the airport and the journey home.