A month in Bilbao

Basque Decreto 101/2018 presumes a home is a tourist flat when it is advertised through a tourist channel, or offered for continuous stays of 31 days or less two or more times a year. A month in a flat registered in the REATE can therefore be booked as a tourist let, with the registration number on the advert and the official badges on the building and the door.

A furnished let for a season is a lease for a use other than housing under article 3.2 of Spain's urban leases law, with a legal deposit of two months' rent under article 36.1.

No tourist tax is charged in 2026. From 1 January 2027 Bizkaia's tax counts at most 6 nights of a continuous stay in one establishment, within a range of EUR 4.50 to 6.50 a night for a tourist flat, and people under 18 are exempt. Bilbao's own rates were not found as of September 2026. If a town has no ordinance on 1 January 2027 the maximum applies, which for a tourist flat would mean 6 nights at EUR 6.50, or EUR 39 per person over 18 for a month-long stay.

Indautxu and Deusto suit a month best: local streets, cafés and the centre a short ride away, with Deusto the quieter of the two. Abando suits a month with shops and transport at the door, and Getxo a month by the sea. The Casco Viejo is best for a shorter stay. This ranking is editorial.

With a car, a month needs a space. The Casco Viejo admits only registered vehicles, the low-emission zone bars B and no-label cars, and the metro park and rides are not garages, since the car must leave before the station closes. Street parking rules outside the old town were not verified on an official page, and car park prices were not checked, so ask the host about a space before signing.

Deposit: two months' rent for a seasonal lease under article 36.1 of the lease law. A booking of a registered tourist flat is not a lease; the platform's or the operator's terms apply.

If the month is booked as a tourist let, check the REATE number in the advert before paying; Basque rules require it there, and platforms must verify it. The operator must also hold liability insurance of at least EUR 35,000 per place and meet the guest-registration rules.

Every lodging records guest identity data under Real Decreto 933/2021. EU citizens staying longer than three months must register in person at the provincial foreigners' office or a police station within three months of entry.

Visitors from outside the EU are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area; longer stays follow national visa procedures. The EU Entry/Exit System, which registers non-EU nationals on short stays in 29 European countries, has been fully operational since 10 April 2026.

Vrbo's monthly-stays page, as archived in June 2026, describes stays of 28 nights or more and says select homes offer a discount for them. Agoda lets partners create long-stay promotions for bookings of more than 28 days and permits stays of up to 90 days. How Expedia filters long stays could not be verified.

In the Basque Country the platform label does not settle the contract: a registered flat can host a month as a tourist let, and a seasonal lease is a separate contract with its own deposit.

An advert without a REATE number. Basque rules require one, and platforms must check it.

A deposit above two months' rent on a seasonal lease.

A month that runs past 31 December 2026 without asking about the tax: nights from 1 January 2027 are taxed.

Planning to keep the car at a metro park and ride overnight: the car must leave before the station closes.

Miscounting Schengen days, and assuming bills are included; no reliable source on typical practice was found, so ask.