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Best Christmas markets in Andorra
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Culture
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Bilbao has its own unique way of experiencing Christmas. The lights reflect on the estuary, the city centre streets fill with people, and Christmas stalls appear in places that are part of the city's daily life. Between one purchase and another, a stroll can take you from the Ensanche to the Casco Viejo, from Doña Casilda to the Arenal, with that blend of city and tradition that gives December a special atmosphere here.
Among the Christmas markets in Bilbao, two names stand out in particular: the Municipal Christmas Market and Gabonart, the fair dedicated to crafts. The former brings together gift products, gastronomy, and decorations; the latter focuses on handmade objects and the artisans themselves.
And there is another part of Bilbao's Christmas that is worth discovering: what happens outside the stalls. The lighting of the Christmas lights, the illuminated Arenal, Olentzero, or the arrival of the Three Wise Men are part of festivities that are experienced as much by walking through the city as by visiting its markets. It is an urban, intimate Christmas, closely linked to local customs, although it shares that spirit we also find in Christmas markets in Europe.
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The Christmas markets in Bilbao usually concentrate their activity from the first days of December. In the previous campaign, the Christmas Market opened on 5 December in Doña Casilda Park, while Gabonart began a week later, on 12 December, next to the Arenal.
The Christmas Market brought together nearly 35 wooden stalls with offerings of gastronomy, gifts, and Christmas decorations. Gabonart, for its part, was set up as a specialised fair, with ceramics, leather, wood, textiles, toys, and other artisan works attended by the professionals themselves.
In the last campaign, the schedule was staggered: the Christmas Market opened at the beginning of December and Gabonart joined a few days later. For 2026-2027, the specific dates are still pending confirmation, so it will be necessary to check the official programme before your trip.
Christmas stays in Bilbao after Christmas Eve. In the previous campaign, both the Christmas Market and Gabonart remained open until 5 January, so the first days of the year still offered the possibility of browsing their stalls and doing some last-minute shopping before the Three Wise Men.
For 2026-2027, the final calendar is pending confirmation. If your trip coincides with the last days of December or the beginning of January, it is worth checking the specific opening times before heading there. The calendar is similar to that of other Spanish cities, although each one maintains its own customs and its particular way of extending Christmas, as you can discover by exploring the Christmas markets in Spain.
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The two Christmas markets in Bilbao have quite different personalities, which makes it easier to decide which one best suits each visit. The Christmas Market has a more varied offering and brings together shopping, gastronomy, and decorations; Gabonart focuses on crafts and on finding pieces that have the work of their creator behind them.
|
Market |
Location |
Ideal for |
|
Bilbao Christmas Market |
Doña Casilda Park |
Shopping, gastronomy, and gifts |
|
Gabonart |
Arenal Quay |
Crafts and special gifts |
Doña Casilda Park becomes the setting for the Christmas Market. Its nearly 35 wooden stalls bring together very different offerings: crafts, accessories, jewellery, food, gourmet products, decorations, and small gifts for this time of year.
The park itself adds to the charm. The visit allows you to stroll among the stalls and then continue towards the Ensanche, making the market an integrated part of a Christmas day in Bilbao. For families, the space also offers something that is always appreciated: being able to take a break and let the children have their own moment of discovery among lights, stalls, and decorations.
It is also a practical stop for those looking for gifts without having to travel across the whole city from one end to the other. Between gastronomic products, household items, and offerings from small shops, it is easy to find something to take back that has a bit more personality than the typical last-minute gift.
🗓️ Dates: pending confirmation for 2026-2027.
📍 Location: Doña Casilda Park, Bilbao.
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Next to the Arenal, Gabonart offers a different kind of Christmas. Here, the protagonist is not so much the market itself as the work behind each piece. In its stalls, you can find ceramics, jewellery, toys, leather, wood carving, and textiles, with the artisans themselves attending and advising.
It is the type of fair where a purchase can end up having its own story: a piece that catches your attention for how it is made, a toy chosen with more care, or an object that ends up finding a special place at home. For those looking for original gifts or who prefer to buy artisan products, it is probably the visit that deserves the most time.
Furthermore, its location next to the Arenal allows you to continue your walk towards the Casco Viejo. You only have to leave the stalls behind to find yourself in the streets of the historic centre, the traditional shops, and that atmosphere that Bilbao preserves especially well during the holidays.
🗓️ Dates: pending confirmation for 2026-2027.
📍 Location: Arenal Quay, Bilbao.
The markets are just one part of what happens in Bilbao during the holidays. If you are travelling as a family, there are some moments that can easily become the memories that children take home from the trip:
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The Christmas Market is in the surroundings of the Ensanche, while Gabonart is located next to the Arenal and the Casco Viejo. Staying in a central area allows you to combine both markets within the same route and let the rest of the day unfold as you go.
|
Hotel |
Nearby market |
Distance/transport |
Approximate time |
Advantage |
|
Meliá Bilbao |
Christmas Market and Gabonart |
Public transport / on foot depending on the route |
Check route |
Central location to combine the markets with the rest of the city |
The specific distances depend on the chosen route, but in Bilbao, that can become part of the plan. Leaving the hotel, approaching the lights of Doña Casilda, continuing towards the Arenal, and ending the afternoon in the Casco Viejo allows you to discover the city while Christmas appears at every step.
If this getaway encourages you to continue visiting cities during December, you can also discover:
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Digital marketing specialist with a passion for travel, writing, and discovering what makes every destination unique.
Culture
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