Things to Do in Bilbao in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
December Weather in Bilbao
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
57°F (14°C)
High Temp
42°F (6°C)
Low Temp
5.0 inches (127 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Nochevieja markets turn Plaza Nueva into a Christmas playground, roasted chestnuts perfume the air alongside txakoli wine, and locals squeeze shoulder-to-shoulder at pop-up bars that keep the txistorra coming until 3 AM.
- + December finally lets Bilbao's pintxos bars breathe, you can slide straight onto a stool at Casa Victor Montes without the usual 45-minute wait, and bartenders suddenly have time to spell out why cod brandade differs from bacalao pil-pil.
- + Over at the Guggenheim, Jeff Koons' Puppy swaps its normal coat for 38,000 winter flowers, pansies and begonias blanket the giant terrier against Bilbao's steel-grey December skies, pure Basque surrealism on a leash.
- + Hotel prices fall 30-40% from summer highs, and boutique hideaways in Casco Viejo that normally sell out months ahead suddenly open with just a week's notice.
Considerations
- − Atlantic storms can park over the city for 2-3 days straight, when the Nervión River churns brown and rough, even die-hard locals skip their bridge walks to Portugalete.
- − Short days pull the plug at 5:30 PM, light vanishes fast behind the Basque hills, and every outdoor terrace rolls up its shutters for winter.
- − Coastal footpaths turn slick and risky, sections of the Camino del Norte near Bilbao can dissolve into ankle-deep clay.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Rioja Wine Region Day Trips
December's mild 12°C (54°F) weather makes for ideal touring of century-old wineries in Haro and Laguardia, vines rest under morning frost while you linger in stone cellars, tasting reds as Atlantic storms sweep past Bilbao.
Booking Tip: Reserve 7-10 days ahead for small-group tours, the best cap attendance at 8 people and string together three wineries plus lunch at a traditional asador.
Casco Viejo Pintxos Crawls
Come 7 PM in December, Bilbao's old town flips the switch, Siete Calles narrow lanes pack with locals on txikiteo, and the steam curling off hot pintxos like bacalao al pil-pil builds its own fog against the stone walls.
Booking Tip: Choose tours that kick off at Plaza Nueva and drop into Gure Toki and Cafe Bar Bilbao, your guide should break down how traditional pintxos differ from their modern cousins.
Basque Coast Storm Watching
December's Atlantic storms whip up wild surf at Gaztelugatxe, the 241 steps to the hermitage grow slick. Yet deliver front-row seats to 6-meter (20-foot) waves hammering the rocky islet, better known to Game of Thrones fans as Dragonstone.
Booking Tip: Travel with outfits that monitor weather, tours scrub when winds hit 60 km/h (37 mph), but when the elements align the spectacle is memorable.
Biscay Bay Boat Tours
Winter boat trips from Bilbao's marina flip the usual view, water at 14°C (57°F) rules out swimming. Yet heated cabins pour hot txakoli while you glide past the city's industrial skeleton.
Booking Tip: Sail at 2 PM for the photographer's sweet spot, clear winter light bounces off the Guggenheim's titanium curves like liquid metal.
Guggenheim Architecture Tours
Low visitor numbers in December let you study Frank Gehry's titanium scales in peace, around 10 AM the winter sun strikes the museum's curves, igniting the reflective surfaces that put this building on the world map.
Booking Tip: Grab skip-the-line tickets for 11 AM, you dodge school groups and catch the museum bathed in natural light good for photos.
Where to Stay in Bilbao in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Early to mid December
Bilbao Christmas Market
From December 1-23, Plaza Moyú becomes a classic Basque Christmas market, stalls push artisanal Idiazabal cheese and txistorra, while the scent of hot chocolate and churros drifts through the air.
December 31
New Year's Eve Street Party
Bilbao's Nochevieja packs Plaza Circular with 30,000 locals swallowing 12 grapes at midnight, the ritual started in 1909, and once the bells finish the square erupts into a street party that lasts until the sun comes up.
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View Bilbao Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Locals sit down to dinner at 10 PM in December, arrive at Casa Rufo at 7 PM and you'll dine with fellow tourists, missing the kitchen's real rhythm.
The finest txakoli hails from Getaria, 30 minutes west, hop the Euskotren from Atxuri station and knock back a few glasses before the Atlantic storms arrive.
December is when Bilbao's Michelin-starred spots release their January slots, you can still snag a table at Azurmendi or Mugaritz for the new year.
Every December 6 (Constitution Day) the Guggenheim opens free, locals queue from 6 AM, yet plenty of international visitors never clock the date.
Avoid These Mistakes
Don't attempt San Sebastián as a day trip from Bilbao, the 100 km (62-mile) run takes 1.5 hours each way in December weather. Stay put and explore Bilbao properly.
Avoid airport hotels for convenience, you'll miss Casco Viejo, where every bar within 200 meters pours better pintxos than any hotel kitchen.
Don't assume the city shuts on Sundays, shops close. But pintxos bars and the Guggenheim stay open, and locals treat Sunday as prime social time.
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Top-rated things to do in Bilbao this December
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