What's on in Bilbao (Guggenheim), Spain through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in Spain, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Festival

  Aratuste carnival

  14–17 Feb

  The Basque carnival runs from the Thursday to Shrove Tuesday, ending with the burning of the sardine on the Arenal. Costume, not floats, is the point. Source ↗

Busy — Semana Santa (Easter) holidays in Spain, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Cantabrian anchovy season

  15 Mar – 15 Jun · usuallyForaging season

  The 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.

Still on: Aratuste carnival (14–17 Feb)

Busy — Semana Santa (Easter) holidays in Spain, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Cantabrian anchovy season (15 Mar – 15 Jun (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Cantabrian anchovy season (15 Mar – 15 Jun (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Spain, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Cantabrian anchovy season (15 Mar – 15 Jun (usually))

Peak crowds — Bilbao BBK Live, Summer holidays in Spain

• Festival

  Bilbao BBK Live

  5–15 Jul · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Three days on the hill at Kobetamendi in the second week of July. The city's beds go early and the shuttle buses run all night to the centre. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Aste Nagusia, Summer holidays in Spain

• Festival

  Aste Nagusia

  22–30 AugMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Nine days starting the first Saturday after 15 August: txosna tents along the river, fireworks over the Nervion nightly and Marijaia paraded until she is burned at the end. Book months out. Source ↗

Busy — Summer holidays in Spain, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Txakoli harvest

  5 Sep – 15 Oct · usually

  The vines above Bakio and Getaria are picked through September and the txakoli cellars along the coast open for it, half an hour out of the city.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Txakoli harvest (5 Sep – 15 Oct (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in November.

Peak crowds — Santo Tomas fair, Christmas holidays in Spain

• Festival

  Santo Tomas fair

  21 DecChristmas & New YearCrowded

  On 21 December the farmers bring produce into the Arenal and the city eats talo and txistorra standing up in the street. It is the day the Basque towns take their own Christmas. Source ↗