Don’t let the rain and the cold weather keep you away. Bilbao is still a vibe during the winter and has plenty to offer for those wanting a different type of experience in the Basque city.
Spectacular Christmas lights, wonderful hikes, Basque traditions and much more, the festive period is the perfect time to explore another side to Bilbao.
Things to do
Gran Via lights
Every year from the end of November until the beginning of January, the Bilbao City Council decorates the city with a breathtaking array of Christmas lights.
The most stunning section goes from the large tree in Plaza Moyua down Gran Via (the city’s main street), where beautiful blue lights hang from the tree that line the long road. Wrap up warm, do some shopping and get your instagram snaps with a fairytale background.
Hike up Ganekogorta and Pagasarri
Although Bilbao rarely experiences snowfall, the city’s surrounding mountains get plenty of it throughout the winter.
Bilbainos love a good hike and the local hills are full of well-signed trails. Pagasarri and Ganekogorta are peaks on the same massif that flanks the city to the south and the west.
Reaching an altitude of 999m, Ganekogorta is the highest point (its name is also literally ‘high point’ in Basque’) in the province of Biscay.
Getting to the top of Ganekogorta, although well worth it if you have the time, is fairly strenuous and takes a few hours.
Pagasarri, with a peak of 673m, is much more feasible. There are many different start points from across the city, but most people begin in Plaza Zalbalburu, walking up through San Adrian and following the ‘antiguo camino de Pagasarri’ behind the Iberdrola Larraskitu building. Bear in mind, that starting in the city might add considerable time to your hike.
Conversely if you’ve come with a car, it might be worth driving to Igertu, a small playground with some parking spaces used by hikers. The nearest bus stop is located a 20-minute walk away on San Justo Zelaigunea, which you can get to by taking the A8 from Ametzola, close to Plaza Indautxu.
From the car park, there are two routes to the peak, a shorter one and a longer one. Follow the signposts there to make sure you go the right way.
The trek up isn’t too hard and the views of Bilbao from the top are tremendous. Plus you’re also more than halfway to the top of Ganekogorta if you want to keep going. Follow the ‘Pagasarri bidea’ until it turns into ‘Ganekogorta bidea’ and walk straight up through the clearing.
From here there are trails taking you back down to Bilbao, or you can even head to small nearby towns like Alonsotegi or Llodio for some lunch. Getting a ‘menu del día’ and a post-climb beer is a typical ritual in these parts.
Meet Olentzero (the Basque Santa Claus)
That’s right! Basque culture has its own santa claus mythology, with children being taught that ‘Olentzero’, a coal miner who lives in the mountains, brings them presents on the night of Christmas Eve. And if you’re naughty, he leaves you a sack full of coal.
Throughout the festive period, Olentzero make several public appearances in Bilbao, normally accompanied by his wife, Mari Domingi. The couple say hello to everyone from Hotel Carlton’s balcony before heading on a parade down Gran Via to the Arriaga Theatre.
Candlelight concerts
Experience a magical night at the beautiful Church of Encarnations with Fever’s world renowned Candlelight concerts.
Watch an Athletic Club match
When in Bilbao do as the Bilbainos do and take in an Athletic Club fixture at San Mames.
The Lions are arguably the most unique sporting side in the world and the matchday experience at The Cathedral is one of a kind.
Don your Athletic hats and scarves, get a pre-match drinks whilst soaking up the atmosphere on Pozas and roar along with 50,000 other Athleticzales for 90 minutes.
Ice skating rink
From November 21st until January 2nd there will be a huge ice-skating rink on Arenal Wharf, next to the Old Town, and a slide on Ripa Wharf, on the opposite side of the river.
Tickets to go ice-skating cost €4, whilst €3 gets your four goes on the slide. These can be purchased online in advance or on-site.
Christmas market
From December 5 until January 5, the Doña Casilda Park will turn into a magical Christmas forest with some 35 stalls selling local products. What’s more, on select days there will also be some plays, music concerts and dance shows.
The market will be open every evening from 17:00-22:00 and some mornings from 11:30-14:30.
Visit the Guggenheim Museum
No trip to Bilbao is complete without a visit to the world’s most iconic modern art museum. The Guggenheim is just as spectacular in the winter and offers guests a welcome respite from the cold and the rain.
This Christmas period, in addition to the museum’s permanent collection, their special temporary exhibitions feature the works of Maria Helena Vieira da Silva and Sky Hopinka,
The Three Wise Men parade
Similar to the other parts of Spain, many Bilbainos celebrate their version of Christmas on January 6th, a day Spaniards call ‘Kings’ Day’ (Día de los Reyes). The ‘Kings’ refer to the biblical three wise men, with Spanish children taught the ‘reyes’ bring their gifts on the night of January 5th.
In Bilbao, every January 5th around 18:00, there is a traditional parade down Gran Vía in which Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar hand out gifts to the thousands of children that flock to the city centre hoping to get a treat and a glimpse of the kings.
Santo Tomas Fair
A huge market day celebrated in Bilbao every December 21st, for many Bilbainos ‘Santoto’ marks the true start of Christmas.
The whole city goes into party mode as farmers and artisans from all over Bizkaia set up stalls on Arenal and in the Old Town’s Plaza Nueva. The traditional things to do is meet up with groups of friends and head to the market to txakoli (Basque white wine) and eat chorizo ‘talos’ (a type of corn tortilla wrap).
Festive food & drink
Mercado de la Ribera
One of Bilbao’s most emblematic buildings, the butcher’s markets at ‘La Ribera’ are an absolute vibe in the build-up to the holiday season.
Even if you don’t buy anything, get a taste of the buzz and festive spirits as families get what they need for their Christmas dinners.
La Ribera also has its own food hall with stalls selling a variety of pintxos and local dishes.
Eat a menu del día
A get way to try Basque cuisine for a decent price, many restaurants serve three-course meals for a discount during their lunchtime service.
We’ve written a special guide with more information about ‘menus del dia’ and some of our favourite spots to get one in Bilbao.
During the Christmas period, many places offer a ‘menu festivo’, which are significantly more expensive but do come with a wider selection of dishes.
Specialty coffee
Escape the rain and warm yourself up with a coffee from one of Bilbao’s specialty coffee shops.
In the link below you can find an in-depth article with tips and advice about the city’s top cafes.
Weather advice
Don’t get caught out by Bilbao’s winter downpours, come prepared for rain. The Basque Country is one of the wettest places in Europe and Bilbao gets the full brunt of that over the winter months.
The temperatures might not look to bad on your app, but the humidity of the city can make Bilbao seem much colder than it is. You’ll need to bring decent shoes, a raincoat and we recommend buying an umbrella once you get here.
Here’s a specialist guide with more information on how to deal with the rainy weather here.
