Cathedrals & Temples
Santa Maria Cathedral Vitoria
A Gothic cathedral whose 'open for restoration' tour inspired Ken Follett, letting you climb scaffolding through 800 years of construction.
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Road trip route · Spain
Madrid to Bilbao drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 4 hr 29 min
- Distance
- 396 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €43
- Tolls (est.)
- €10
The Madrid to Bilbao drive
The drive from Madrid to Bilbao covers 246 miles (396 km) and takes about 4 hr 29 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €43 one-way plus roughly €10 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
Best stops between Madrid and Bilbao
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Landmarks
Pedraza
Perfectly preserved walled village entered through a single medieval gate, with a porticoed Plaza Mayor and a castle once owned by painter Ignacio Zuloaga. In early July it switches off electric light for the candle-lit Noche de las Velas.
Legendary Restaurants
Asador Etxebarri
Bittor Arginzoniz's grill house on the square of tiny Axpe, where everything from caviar to butter is cooked over bespoke wood fires: perennially ranked among the world's very best restaurants. Book months ahead; the valley drive alone rewards.
Cathedrals & Temples
Catedral de Burgos
A jewel of Spanish Gothic architecture and the only cathedral in Spain designated as a standalone UNESCO site.
Waterfalls
Salto del Nervión
Spain's tallest waterfall at 222 meters, dramatically plunging into the Delika Canyon on the Basque Country border.
Beaches
Playa de Laga
A golden sweep of sand below the green pyramid of Cabo Ogono in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, a favourite of Basque surfers.
Madrid to Bilbao FAQs
How long is the drive from Madrid to Bilbao?
Driving from Madrid to Bilbao takes about 4 hr 29 min nonstop, covering 246 miles (396 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Madrid to Bilbao?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €43 one-way. Expect around €10 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Madrid to Bilbao in one day?
Yes, at about 4 hr 29 min of driving, Madrid to Bilbao is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
What are the best stops between Madrid and Bilbao?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Santa Maria Cathedral Vitoria, Pedraza, Asador Etxebarri: see the full list of 6 stops on this page.
More drives from Madrid & Bilbao
Bilbao → San SebastiánMadrid → BarcelonaMadrid → GranadaMadrid → LisbonMadrid → MalagaMadrid → SevilleMadrid → Valencia
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free Spain road trip planner, or read the driving in Spain guide.