Bilbao (Guggenheim) weather in April
April in Bilbao: nice, rainy, with clean air — an excellent time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#6 of 12 months in Bilbao · #490 of 1413 destinations to visit in April · comfort 82/100 (tier A)
- Days
- 19°C
- Nights
- 9°C
- Wet days
- 11
- Sun
- 9.7 h
- Humidity
- 77%
- Daylight
- 13 h

Traveller notes on Bilbao in April
Notes from nearby Santander (75 km away)
Bilbao doesn't have its own notes for April yet — these are about Santander, close enough to share the season.
Regulars cite the old Spanish saying "en abril, aguas mil" here, showers genuinely common across the whole country this month and northern Spain's own coast no exception, rain a real, expected part of any April visit rather than a surprise. Our row backs that cool, genuinely wet read, 16C over 10.3C nights feeling 8C, with 75mm of rain across 9.2 days and humidity at 78 percent. Regulars are consistent this remains a workable month for exploring the nearby Picos de Europa mountains despite the rain risk, proper waterproof layers the standard advice for any outdoor plans. The sea stays genuinely cold this early, nowhere near ready for swimming regardless of how mild an individual day feels. The sea sits at 14.3C. The record: 10.3 hours of sun, a 19.2 kph wind and AQI 53.
Other months in Bilbao
Regulars call this normally the driest month of the year here on paper, warm and agreeable in the mid-to-late 20s Celsius, while being honest that the Atlantic coast setting means rain can still arrive any time regardless of the seasonal odds. Our row backs that warm, genuinely humid read, 27.4C reading as a hot 29C, over 16.9C nights, with 54mm of rain across 7.5 days and humidity at 80 percent. Regulars are consistent that a rain layer belongs in the bag even on what looks like a reliably warm week, since the region's unpredictability doesn't fully disappear even in its best month. The sea sits at a swimmable 22.9C, a real highlight for anyone splitting time with San Sebastian's beaches. The record: 11.1 hours of sun, a 15.8 kph wind and AQI 41.
Regulars call this a warm, not especially rainy month by local standards, with nights cool enough by evening that a light jacket comes out from around nine o'clock. Our row backs the warmth, 25.5C reading as 26C over 14.5C nights, though rain is a real presence at 93.4mm across 10.1 days - clashing winds off the Atlantic make this coast's weather genuinely hard to predict even in a normally dry month. Their honest local habit is the useful detail: people are out in rain gear regardless, and the streets stay packed whatever the sky is doing, so a shower here is rarely a reason to change plans. Inland spots like Rioja and Laguardia can run warmer and drier than the coast on the same day. The sea holds 22.2C. The record: humidity 79 percent, 9.6 hours of sun, a 16.1 kph wind and AQI 39.
Regulars rate June above May here and give the reason as instability rather than cold: May swings, and when it rains it can be the sirimiri - the slow, fine, long-lasting drizzle this coast is named for - or ordinary showers, or a thunderstorm, and they say plainly that it is hard to call. Our row reads 21.6C days over 11.3C nights with 74.8mm across 11.2 days, and a sea at 16.6C that matches their 16 to 18C and rules out swimming for most. They add a note on the long view: the month-long unbroken rains this region was known for no longer happen. The record: humidity 81 percent, 10.8 hours of sun inside 14.7 of daylight, and AQI 42.
June in Bilbao is sunny and warm and a raincoat is still advisable, which regulars explain with a local figure rather than an average: the city records rain on something like 185 days a year and has no dry month at all, though June itself takes only about five of those wet days. Our row gives 78.2mm across 10.2 precipitation days under 24.5C, and the 83 percent humidity is the Basque coast showing through. The word to know is sirimiri - a slow, fine, long-lasting drizzle rather than a downpour, the same thing San Sebastian regulars warn about - and it is why a hood beats an umbrella here. The record: 15C nights, feels-like 26C, 10.7 hours of sun, a 20.4C sea and AQI 43.
Add your own note from Bilbao's card on the map.
Bilbao climate normals — April
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Bilbao in April
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsSemana Santa, Semana Santa (Easter) holidays in Spain, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Bilbao's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherBilbao's weather peaks May–July, best around June.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Bilbao in April
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Nature
Cantabrian anchovy season
15 Mar – 15 Jun · usuallyForaging seasonThe spring coastal fishery is short and quota-limited, and while it runs every bar in the Casco Viejo is serving the fresh ones rather than the tinned. Bonito follows in high summer.
- Holiday
Semana Santa
29 Mar – 6 AprEaster & Holy WeekCrowdedBook earlyClosuresGood Friday is a national holiday and every region adds Holy Thursday or Easter Monday. Spain travels in large numbers, so trains, flights and hotels book up at higher rates, and processions of some size close streets in almost every town. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Bilbao — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Bilbao?
Bilbao in April — FAQ
- Is April a good time to visit Bilbao?
- April in Bilbao: nice, rainy, with clean air — an excellent time to visit. It ranks #6 of 12 months for Bilbao on SeasonMap's comfort score (82/100).
- What is the weather like in Bilbao in April?
- In April, Bilbao averages a daily high of 19°C and a low of 8.9°C, with about 81.1 mm of rain over roughly 10.5 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Bilbao in April?
- Bilbao has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 42 in April.
Within 300 km: San Sebastián's Cider house season on 15 Jan – 30 Apr, and Bordeaux's Oyster season on the Bassin around 1 Sep – 30 Apr.