Bilbao or Girona?

Neither city has a beach of its own. Bilbao's metro runs straight out to Getxo, Sopelana and Plentzia, which is simpler than anything Girona offers. But the Bay of Biscay is cooler, the summer weather is changeable, and Sopelana's open swell suits surfers more than swimmers.

The Costa Brava near Girona is the better coast, with warmer, clearer Mediterranean water, pine-backed coves around Begur and long sandy bays at Platja d'Aro and Tossa. Getting there is the problem: it is about 40 minutes away, buses are sparse, and a car makes it far easier.

Food is where Bilbao pulls ahead. The poteo through the bars of Plaza Nueva, the Casco Viejo and the Ensanche is a reason to travel in itself. Behind it come asadores grilling txuleta, the Ribera market hall and several starred kitchens.

Girona eats well for its size, with Catalan home cooking, xuixos from the pastry shops and a fine-dining reputation of its own. What it lacks is a bar-to-bar culture that turns whole streets into a meal. Both are narrow in range: regional cooking done well, with little international food.

Both cities fill two days well, but in opposite ways. Bilbao's draw is its museums. The Guggenheim and the Museo de Bellas Artes are serious collections, and the Vizcaya Bridge down the estuary adds a UNESCO site, while the old town itself is modest.

Girona works the other way round. Its museums are small, and the city is the sight: the walled Barri Vell, the cathedral's huge single Gothic nave, the narrow alleys of the Call and the walk along the ramparts above the rooftops.

Bilbao has a real night out. It grows from the pintxo crawl into late bars around Plaza Nueva and Licenciado Poza that run past 3am at weekends, though there are few clubs. In August, Aste Nagusia turns the riverbanks into a nine-day party.

Girona's evenings are about terraces and long dinners. Students fill the bars in term time and there are only a handful of small clubs, so anyone wanting a big night takes the train to Barcelona.

Both have open country on the doorstep, but of different kinds. Bilbao's is green and damp: hikes up the Pagasarri or in the limestone of Urkiola and the forests of Gorbea, Atlantic cliffs at Gaztelugatxe and serious surf at Mundaka.

Girona's is drier and suits cycling. It has climbs such as Rocacorba, flat greenways to Olot and the sea, the volcanic Garrotxa, the Cap de Creus headland and snorkelling in clear coves. The Pyrenees are close enough for summer hiking and winter skiing.

Bilbao's outings are excellent but fewer: San Sebastián's old town, Gernika and the fishing ports of Bermeo and Lekeitio, Vitoria, and the Rioja Alavesa vineyards around Laguardia. Buses cover the main towns.

Girona has the richer list. Barcelona is under 40 minutes by fast train. Beyond that come Dalí's museum at Figueres, Cadaqués, Besalú's fortified bridge, the ruins of Empúries and even Perpignan across the border. The villages are much easier by car.

Neither city has a zoo, aquarium or theme park, but Bilbao is easier with children. The centre is flat along the river for pushchairs and scooters, the Artxanda funicular and the Guggenheim's Puppy are easy wins, and the beaches are a metro ride away.

Girona's Barri Vell is all stairs and cobbles and its museums are aimed at adults. Families tend to treat the city as a quiet base and spend their days on the coast, which usually means a car.

Bilbao is much easier without a car. A flat riverside walk links the main sights, a tram follows the same line, and the Foster-designed metro runs down both banks to the beaches. Regional trains and buses carry on to the coast and San Sebastián.

Girona is walkable but steep. Its strength is the fast train to Barcelona and Figueres. Beyond that, buses are infrequent, and the villages, coves and wineries really need a hire car.

Bilbao has the wider range. The Gran Vía carries the chains and a department store, and the old family shops of the Casco Viejo sell berets, espadrilles and cookware. Anchovies and Idiazabal from the Ribera make the best things to take home.

Girona's shopping is smaller and more local: independent shops along the Rambla, plenty of cycling kit and Empordà oil and cheese from the Mercat del Lleó. There are no department stores, so serious shoppers take the train to Barcelona.

Bilbao is dear for Spain, especially for central hotels near the Guggenheim and in August. Even so, a pintxo crawl is good value, and cheap public transport means you can manage without a car.

Girona is a little cheaper day to day, with good-value weekday set lunches and a centre you cross on foot. Its few old-town rooms get expensive in summer, though, and many visitors rent a car to explore the region, which adds to the bill.

Bilbao has the fuller stage. The Euskalduna hosts an opera season and a resident symphony orchestra, two historic theatres stage drama and dance, and BBK Live brings international bands every July.

Girona has no resident opera or orchestra, and much of its theatre is in Catalan. It does have one standout, the Temporada Alta autumn festival of international theatre and dance, plus summer concerts in castle gardens along the coast.

In Bilbao, relaxing means long lunches and riverside walks rather than spas. The hotel spas will do for an afternoon, and the balnearios of the Basque interior are a separate trip.

Girona has the better option for a proper soak. Caldes de Malavella, a thermal-spring town with Roman roots about 20 minutes south, has spring-water hotels with real thermal pools and treatments. In town, the Arab Baths are a monument to look at, not somewhere to bathe.