Plaza de Indautxu

Plaza de Indautxu is the central square of the Indautxu neighborhood in Bilbao, sitting where Alameda de Urquijo meets Gregorio de la Revilla and Aretxabaleta streets, in the Abando district.

How do you get to Plaza de Indautxu?

The easiest way is by metro: Indautxu station, served by lines L1 and L2, sits directly beneath the square under Alameda de Urquijo and has been running since November 11, 1995. One of its exits opens straight into a shopping arcade, so visitors step off the platform right into a lively retail area. The whole square is pedestrianized, and foot traffic stays steady throughout the day, making it one of the city's main shopping streets and a handy landmark for exploring the Ensanche district on foot.

What is there to see on and around the square?

The square's current look dates from 2006, when mayor Iñaki Azkuna officially inaugurated it on August 18 after a thorough avant-garde redesign. Its centerpiece is a 40-meter-diameter circle, ringed by modern streetlamps, roughly a hundred trees and contemporary street furniture, plus a children's play area covering nearly 300 square meters. The Nuestra Señora del Carmen church stands right on the square and is worth a quick look. A short walk away, at Aretxabaleta 6, stands one of Bilbao's most original buildings — raised in 1929 by architect Adolfo Gil and popularly nicknamed "La casa de los aldeanos" (the Villagers' House), decorated with reliefs referencing rural Basque life.

What's the history behind this square?

The square has existed in this basic form since 1927, when the area bounded by those same streets was laid out as a public garden space. The name Indautxu was officially recorded in Bilbao's street listings in 1945, though between 1940 and 1983 the square was actually called Plaza Adolfo G. de Careaga. A major renovation began in 1978, adding an underground car park, and by 2005 the entire square had become pedestrian-only — setting the stage for the large-scale modernization that gave it its current look the following year.

When is the best time to visit?

The square functions year-round as part of everyday local life — a place for walking, shopping and resting under the trees — so there's no strict tourist season here. It's most pleasant during the day, when the surrounding shops and the metro-station arcade are open, or in the evening, when the lighting and nearby cafés create a relaxed atmosphere. It pairs well with a walk through the Ensanche district or a visit to the Guggenheim Museum, which is only about a fifteen-minute walk away.

Frequently asked questions

Is Plaza de Indautxu a good starting point for exploring Bilbao? Yes — thanks to its metro station and central location, it's a convenient jumping-off point for the Ensanche district and the rest of the city's sights.

Where does the square's name come from? It takes its name from the Indautxu neighborhood and was officially recorded in Bilbao's street listings in 1945, though from 1940 to 1983 it was known as Plaza Adolfo G. de Careaga.

What's worth seeing near the square? The Nuestra Señora del Carmen church and "La casa de los aldeanos," a striking 1929 building at Aretxabaleta 6.

Is there anything for children at the square? Yes, the 2006 renovation added a play area of nearly 300 square meters.