Bilbao Christmas Market

The Bilbao Christmas market is a market of wooden casetas that moves to a new site from one year to the next. In 2025 it was set up in the Parque de Doña Casilda, around the park’s light and sound tunnel, from 5 December 2025 to 5 January 2026, with 35 casetas. It is joined by Gabonart, the Christmas craft fair on the Muelle del Arenal, which has been running for more than forty years. The 2026 venue and dates are still to be announced.

Bilbao Christmas market dates, venue and opening hours

In 2025 the market opened on 5 December and closed on 5 January 2026, with two sets of opening hours. Until 21 December, the casetas opened on weekdays from 5pm to 10pm, and at weekends and on public holidays from 11:30am to 2:30pm and again from 5pm to 10pm. From 22 December they opened every day from 11:30am to 2:30pm and from 5pm to 10pm. On 24 and 31 December and on 5 January closing was brought forward to 7pm, and the market was closed on 25 December and 1 January.

The Parque de Doña Casilda was a new site in 2025: the casetas surrounded the light and sound tunnel installed in the park. There is no guarantee the market will return there. As of 27 October 2026 the city council’s programme had not yet been published, and we will update this page as soon as it appears.

35 casetas and the Gabonart fair on the Muelle del Arenal

In 2025 the market had 35 themed wooden casetas, 9 more than in 2024, run by Bilbao businesses. The stalls sold food and drink, gifts and Christmas decorations. Gabonart, the Christmas craft fair on the Muelle del Arenal, has been going for more than four decades. In 2025 its craftspeople exhibited under a marquee on the quay until 5 January 2026, from 11am to 2:30pm and from 5pm to 8:30pm, mornings only on 24 and 31 December.

Olentzero, the ice rink and Basque December traditions

As in San Sebastián, the festive season revolves around Olentzero and Mari Domingi, the two figures of a Basque Christmas. On 21 December the Santo Tomás fair fills the Casco Viejo with farm produce from the Basque Country. In 2025 an 800 m² ice rink was set up on the Muelle del Arenal, next to the Gabonart fair. The 2026 programme of events is not yet known.

If you are travelling from abroad, check connections and journey times with the carriers. The Pamplona Christmas market, on the Plaza del Castillo, opens on 12 December 2026. The other markets in the country are listed on our page of Christmas markets in Spain.

• The San Sebastián Christmas market shares Bilbao’s Basque December traditions, Olentzero first among them.
• The Bayonne Christmas market is the stop on the French side of the Basque Country.