Bilbao or Malaga?

Bilbao lies inland on its estuary, so a beach day means taking the metro out to Getxo, Sopelana or Plentzia. The sands are good, and Sopelana's open swell suits surfers, but the Bay of Biscay weather can turn a July afternoon grey and the water stays cool until late summer.

Malaga has the sea at the end of its streets. La Malagueta, Pedregalejo and El Palo are part of daily city life, the Costa del Sol resorts are a train ride west, and the coves at Nerja and Maro make up for the plain city sand. If the beach is part of the plan, Malaga is the clear choice.

Bilbao is the stronger place to eat. The poteo through the bars of the Casco Viejo, Plaza Nueva and the Ensanche keeps a high standard even in plain places, and above that come asadores grilling txuleta, cod al pil-pil and a fine-dining tier with Michelin stars in and around the city.

Malaga's food is simpler and more relaxed: espetos of sardines roasted on the beach, plates of fried fish in El Palo, tapas around Calle Larios and sweet wine drawn from the barrel. It is good casual eating at fair prices, with few ambitious tables, and it does not reach the depth of Basque cooking.

The two are about level, but the sights are of different kinds. Bilbao is about modern art and engineering: Gehry's Guggenheim, a strong Bellas Artes collection and the Vizcaya Bridge down the estuary, set around a modest medieval core.

Malaga's sights go back much further, with a Roman theatre below the Moorish Alcazaba and Gibralfaro castle above, and Picasso's museum and birthplace in the centre. Each fills two or three days, so choose by whether you prefer contemporary architecture or layers of history.

In Bilbao, going out is an extension of the pintxo crawl, busy from Thursday to Saturday around the old town and Licenciado Poza and quiet for much of the week, except during the August Great Week.

Malaga keeps going for more of the year. Warm nights fill the terraces around Plaza de la Merced and the beach bars, and the clubbing and gay scene of Torremolinos are a short train ride away. Neither city has much of a club scene of its own.

Both have hills right behind the city, but the landscapes could hardly be more different. Bilbao's are green and wet: the walking country of Urkiola and Gorbea, cliff paths along the coast, Gaztelugatxe on its islet and the Mundaka surf.

Malaga's are dry limestone and pine: the Caminito del Rey gorge, the rock formations of El Torcal, and the Sierra Nevada with skiing in winter. Bilbao is good for walking in summer. Malaga is better in spring, autumn and winter, when its heat lets up.

Bilbao has a good list of day trips: San Sebastián's pintxo bars, Gernika, the fishing ports of the Bizkaia coast and Rioja wine country around Laguardia. These are rich trips, but mostly smaller in scale.

Malaga reaches Spain's greatest monuments. The Mezquita in Cordoba and Granada's Alhambra are each an easy train ride away, and Seville, Ronda and the Antequera dolmens are also within range. For anyone who wants to see Andalucia from one base, Malaga has the stronger set of outings.

Bilbao is safe, clean and flat, with Doña Casilda Park, the Artxanda funicular and Puppy outside the Guggenheim. But it has no zoo or aquarium, and rainy days need a plan.

Malaga gives children more. The city beaches are gentle, the centre is pedestrianised, and the Bioparc, Sea Life and Selwo parks are along the coast by suburban train. The one catch is the summer heat, which makes late spring and early autumn the easier times to go.

Rails do most of the work in Bilbao. A tram runs past the riverside sights, Foster's metro runs down both banks to the beaches and the Vizcaya Bridge, and regional trains and buses cover the coast and Gernika. Between them they reach more of what a visitor wants to see.

Malaga's centre is smaller and mostly pedestrianised, and the suburban train links the airport and the coastal resorts quickly. Beyond the coast, though, the white villages, El Torcal and the Caminito del Rey are hard to reach without a car.

Bilbao's Gran Vía covers the high-street basics on a modest scale, but the Casco Viejo is the better place to browse, with old family shops selling berets, espadrilles and cookware. The real prize is edible: tinned anchovies and Idiazabal cheese from the Ribera market.

Malaga has the broader range. Calle Larios is a polished strip of Spanish chains, El Corte Inglés and Muelle Uno add more, and Puerto Banús is about an hour away for luxury. For gifts, Atarazanas has olive oil, almonds and sweet wine.

Malaga is the cheaper stay. Tapas, fried fish, coffee and local trains all cost little, and winter brings down its in-demand old-town rooms. The pintxo crawl in Bilbao is good value too, but hotels there run above most of Spain, and a meal at an asador or a starred restaurant quickly raises the bill.

Bilbao has the more serious stage life. The Euskalduna hosts the long-running ABAO opera season and the Bilbao Symphony, the Arriaga and Campos Elíseos theatres stage drama and dance, and BBK Live brings international bands each July.

Malaga's strength lies elsewhere. The Teatro Cervantes holds the Philharmonic, but the draw is flamenco, best heard in the local peñas, and the street processions of Semana Santa. For opera, Bilbao is the clear choice.

Bilbao has hotel spas and a few day spas, fine for an afternoon, and a proper balneario means a separate trip inland. Relaxing there is more a matter of long lunches and riverside walks.

Malaga has a slight edge. An Arab-style bathhouse in the old town offers warm pools and steam under brick arches, resort spas line the coast towards Marbella, and the sunny, mild winter suits a slow, restful week.