Santiago

Born and Raised in el Botxo

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  • I live in Bilbao
  • I speak English
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 8 hours

Hi there! Nice to meet you

Santiago

Licensed psychologist born in Bilbao! I was travelling the world for seven years and then decided to come back to my hometown; friends and family you know... Now I´m a full time guide, working with four different travel agencies in Europe, but to be honest... showing my city is my favorite gig of them all.

I´m a guitar player, surf, have a dog and spend long hours in the beach or mountains around my beautiful city.

I was raised among English speakers and so consider myself 100% bilingual.

I would love to show you the insides of Bilbao and its surroundings, the ones that wont be found at any travel guide. Want to join me? :)

  • I live in Bilbao
  • I speak English
  • Verified Local host
  • Response time less than 8 hours

Book one of my offers in Bilbao

Let's explore Bilbao together! As your local guide, I'll show you the best of Bilbao on a private & personalized tour for you.

Did you know that I can personalize your experience?

All Withlocals tours are completely customisable to your needs. Just let me know your preferences for a private and personalized experience!

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Reviews

Steven
19 August 2025
Santiago is a wonderful tour guide. He gave us a good history and literal overview of Bilbao from a nearby mountain accessed by telerifico. What great views! And we enjoyed strolls along both sides of the river as we made our way from the Guggenheim to the old town. Thank you Santiago!Great tour with Santiago!
Georg
17 August 2025
Santiago was really a wonderful guide. Being a basque himself he showed me the most important towns of the Basque Country, i.e. Bilbo, Gernika and Donostia, with great enthusiasm, excellent knowledge and absolute motivation. He is not only an outstanding personality but also willing and most competent to respond adequately to all the questions with regard to culture, art history and gastronomy. I am very grateful to him for the wonderful way he was able to show me his homeland. I will definitely come back and book him again with great joy and appreciation.A day in Gernika and Donostia
Hadassa
4 August 2025
Our city walking tour with Santi(ago) was perfect. He knows a lot about the history of the city, which is very interesting. Besides his knowledge he is kind and speaks fluently English. I would definitely recommend Santi, you'll have an amazing tour. Thanks again Santi!Santi did a perfect job!
Andrea
3 July 2025
We booked the tour "Exclusive Highlights & Hidden Gems of Bilbao" which gave us an insight into the city's history and today's city life. Santiago was very professional and friendly. He new the city inside out and made this tour a great experience for us.very professional and friendly
Jens Gamauf
8 April 2025
Santiago adjusted the tour perfectly to suit our questions and our needs. He knew almost everything we could think of to ask him. Thanks!Perfectly suited to our questions
Thomas
8 April 2025
My wife and I did a 3-hour walking tour with Santi and couldn’t have enjoyed it more. Santi was funny and engaging and shared a deep knowledge of Bilbao and the Basque Country both as a native but also from the outside as someone who lived abroad for 7 years. His English fluency is near-perfect, so he is able to articulate and communicate his knowledge in a deep and nuanced way. We really loved Bilbao, and taking a tour with Santi the first morning we were there was a very big part of that. We recommend him wholeheartedly. Enjoyable and informative
Michael
30 September 2024
I booked Santi last minute for my partner’s birthday as another planned activity had been cancelled. Santi was so accommodating in organising a bespoke tour tailored to our interests. The tour itself was perfect for our needs and Santi responded to our interests, questions, and preferences across the afternoon so attentively. Even as we went off piste and fell into conversations about local politics and culture. Santi is wonderfully knowledgeable, charming, and passionate about the city. Not only that but It was like hanging out with an old close friend. A beautiful afternoon tailor made for us
Eva
29 September 2024
We had a great tour with Santi. It was definitely the most efficient way to see the city and get our bearings as it is quite large. The funicular was a stand out! Thanks Santi!Great city tour!
Ryan
16 September 2024
We spent a full day with Santiago as he guided us through Bilbao and La Rioja. He expertly mixed entertainment, education, luxury, and relaxation throughout the day as he taught us about the history, cultures, and people of Basque Country and La Rioja. This was our first time booking through WithLocals, and we were extremely fortunate to have found Santi. The food was excellent. The wine was delicious. And as a guide (and person), Santi is amazing. His English is excellent and it very quickly felt like we were traveling around with a long-time friend instead of a guide; it´s a real testament to him. If you have any doubts about booking with him, forget about them -- this is who you want to guide you throughout Spain.Santiago: the best Bilbao & La Rioja guide
Brad
24 August 2024
Santiago’s tour of Bilbao was outstanding. We highly recommend his services. He’s a local, smart, and knowledgeable about history, culture, geography, language, politics and food. His awareness of client needs is commendable as he is able to quickly adapt to individual preferences. He’s well worth the cost associated with a private tour and we would utilize him again.

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