Easter in Bilbao. Culture and Religious Processions

Easter in Bilbao. This is the time when many Bilbaínos leave the city for a few days and tourists come for a visit.

I come from a country where Easter for the great majority of people means cute little Easter bunnies, hand painted eggs and friendly, red cheeked witches.

This is not the case in the more religious oriented Bilbao. As you might know Spain is a Catholic country and this becomes especially clear at this time of the year. For ten full days the city is devoted to the Holy Week.

Religious Processions

Easter in Bilbao means solemn religious processions, representing the Passion of Christ. This is a tradition that dates back to medieval times.

Some walk barefoot. The rhythm is set by the slow beat of drums. The processions gradually move forward, pushing extremely heavy floats.

The floats carry some authentic pieces of art called “Pasos”. These are sculptures depicting Bible scenes from the last days of Christ.

Click here to see some of my best photos from the processions.
Throughout the year these figures can be seen in the Easter Museum, located in the Old Quarters of Bilbao.

You can see a dozen of these processions during Easter time. To find out the exact routes and hours I recommend to get in touch with the local Tourist Information Office.

Museums, theatre and bar life

Easter in Bilbao also means a time of cultural activities. Gone are the days when Easter equaled deserted streets and theatres. Bilbao is still a newbie as a tourist city but the local authorities have made a real effort to offer an interesting cultural program.

These are some of the things you can do in Bilbao during Easter:

• Go to the Theatre
  Both the Arriaga Theatre and the Euskalduna Palace has an ample program.

• Visit Museums
  There are plenty to choose from; The Guggenheim, the Museum of Fine Arts or The Basque Museum. Pick your choice.

• Guided Walking Tours
  These are arranged by the Tourist Information Office: There are two different tours to choose from, The Old Quarters and the Ensanche/Abandoibarra area.

• Visit the Old Quarters
  The Casco Viejo is full of life these days. Outdoor coffee shops and restaurants are a magnet for tourists and remaining locals. On the “Plaza Nueva” there are normally outdoor concerts and a vivid atmosphere.

Do not be surprised by closed stores and restaurants

Bilbaínos take their holidays seriously. The fact that Bilbao is now on the map of many tourists has not necessarily changed this fact.

On the following days ALL stores and commerce is close: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

This unfortunately also includes many bars and restaurants in tourist areas of the city. During these days it is nor uncommon to see tourists desperately looking for an open restaurant close to the Guggenheim museum.

This is hopefully going to change soon as local government is trying to convince local restaurant and bar owners that providing for tourists might be a good idea.

Until that happens the best bet is to go directly to the Old Quarters. In this area of the town, life goes on like usual, even during Easter in Bilbao.


Click here for more information about Easter in Bilbao