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The journey continues. New Bilbao Bizkaia Tourist Office
MERRY
BILBAO
Enjoy our way of
celebrating Christmas
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2
PU 14 2012
contents
Introduction2
Useful Information4
Musts5
Exhibitions9
Traditions11
Bilbao by Land,
Sea and Air14
Bilbao Mendi
Film Festival16
Cultural Agenda18
• Markets and Fairs
18
• Exhibitions
19
• Concerts
22
• Jazz
22
• Classical Music
23
• Opera and Zarzuela Operetta 26
• Dance
26
• Basque Dances and
Bertsolaris Story Telling
28
• Theatre, Musicals
and Circus
28
• Puppets
32
• Sports
33
Festive Parties and
Bibao Nightlife
34
Bizkaia
35
Christmas Carols
36
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MERRY
BILBAO!
In December and at Christmas, Bilbao
is all about making sure that your stay
in the city, your leisure activities and
time spent with your family is filled with
happiness. Come and enjoy this Merry
Bilbao that will be sure to delight and
amaze you, a city that will warmly welcome you to its streets brimming with
history, modern avenues and where you
can discover its traditions and the figure
that best embodies the Christmas spirit:
the Olentzero.
Have a merry time in Bilbao at this time
of the year that is about getting together,
celebrations, hope, good wishes... visit
the Christmas markets, immerse yourself in our culture with a pintxo (tapa)
washed down with a txikito, a glass
of wine. Enjoy the warm welcome, the
good food, first-rate shopping and our
traditions.
This Christmas, have yourself a Merry
Bilbao!
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USEFUL INFORMATION
Bilbao Turismo
Offices Opening Hours
Edificio Terminus Office
Plaza Circular, 1
Monday to Sunday: 09:00 to 21:00
24 and 31 December, between 09:00
and 17:00
25 December and 1 January: 10:00 to
14:00
Guggenheim Office
(Next to the museum)
Monday to Saturday: 10:00 to 19:00
Sundays: 10:00 to 15:00
CLOSED 25 December and 1 January
www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo
Tel. 94 479 57 60
Bilbao Card
The Bilbao Card lets you use the urban
public transport at a special rate. You will
also get significant discounts on guided
visits of the city, tourist buses, at museums, leisure establishments, shops,
restaurants, for shows and other services.
Shop Opening Hours
Christmas is clearly one of the busiest
times for the retail trade in Bilbao. The
shop windows are beautifully decorated
to showcase their best products, creating a warm and welcoming setting that
is really worth experienced. Visitors to
Bilbao can enjoy the atmosphere and
take some time to shop between 10.00
a.m. to 1.30 p.m. and from 4.00 p.m. to
8.00 p.m. Most shops are closed all day
on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Bilbao Bizkaia Be Friendly
Bilbao is a modern city, brimming with
possibilities and renowned as a friendly
location throughout Europe, where visitors will find a select choice of bars,
restaurants and fashion boutiques,
along with a wide range of other establishment where a warm and welcoming
atmosphere pervades.
www.bilbaobizkaiafriendly.com
Telephone Numbers of
Interest
The Bilbao Card is available for 1, 2 or
3 days.
Ertzaintza (Basque National Police(.
SOS-Deiak: 112
It is available from the Bilbao Turismo
offices or from the website:
Local Police: 092
www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo
Bilbao International Airport:
902 404 704
Booking Centre
bilbaoreservas.com is the official Bilbao
Turismo service to make it easy for visitors to book any tourist service in the
city.
www.bilbaoreservas.com
Tel.: 902 877 298
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Family time
***All the activities in this leaflet may be subject
to change ***
MUSTS
Follow our recommendations
and discover everything Bilbao
has to offer this December and
during the Christmas holidays.
Activities to discover its history,
traditions and architecture,
outstanding and eye-catching
exhibitions, music, dance, etc.
Here are some of our “musts”
to have a merry time in Bilbao.
The “Light” of Christmas
Bilbao is illuminated and takes on a
sparkling, glittering, magical appearance
and the Christmas spirit is ever present.
The streets of the city will be adorned
with more than 500,000 latest-generation LED lights and 18 Christmas trees,
between 8 and 18 metres tall. Don’t miss
the opportunity of walking through the
streets of the city bathed in the light of
Christmas (100% low-energy lighting, of
course).
Christmas Markets
Lights in every corner, crafts, carol singing, typical products and the pleasure
of shopping in a delightful setting. That
is what you will find at the Christmas
markets. St. Thomas’s Market is the most
traditional one in Bilbao and thousands of
people flock to the market on 21 December to enjoy the local culinary delights
and the festive atmosphere. This market
that dates back to the 19th century is set
up in the Plaza Nueva square and the
streets of the El Arenal district.
Christmas in Bilbao also includes another
important Christmas street market: the
Mercadillo Navideño on Bailén Street.
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Mercadillo de Navidad
Nativity Scenes in Bilbao
This street market is formed by more than
40 booths that sell products related to this
time of year: Christmas decorations, small
crafts, gifts, accessories and so forth.
Nativity Scenes have long been a tradition
in Bilbao. This Christmas, their assortment,
size and detail can be admired in different
parts of the City:
Date: From 8 December to 6 January
Venue: Bailén Street
• Narthex of the Church of San Nicolás de Bari. Audiovisual Nativity Scenes.
8 dioramas with special effects, including
lighting, water features and smoke.
Time: 9:00 am to 11:00 pm Except for
23th December and 5th january: 9:00 am
to 2:00 pm
The Delight of Christmas
Shopping
During the Christmas season, “going shopping” in Bilbao proves particularly attractive. The shop windows are decorated with
great care and attention to detail and the
main shopping areas provide the venues
for some typical seasonal cheer in the form
of performances by choirs of great renown
within the Basque Country and groups
playing traditional Basque instruments.
Bilbao’s more than 7000 business establishments prepare exclusive promotions
for the Christmas period, with particular
focus on those who wish to leave Biscay’s
capital with a beautiful keepsake or a gift
displaying the finest taste. Moreover, the
trade associations within the city organise
a large number of activities to promote and
share in the Christmas spirit.
Further information:
www.bilbaodendak.net
Closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s
Day.
Date: up until 6 January
Opening hours: 10:00 to 14:00 and 17:00
to 21:00
• Cloister of the Cathedral of Santiago.
40 large-scale models from the Ist City of
Bilbao National Diorama Competition.
Date: up until 6 January
Closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s
Day.
Opening hours: 10:00 to 14:00 and 17:00
to 21:00
• Diocesan Museum of Religious Art:
The “Nativity Scenes of the World” exhibition is on display in the cloister of the
museum.
Closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
and New Year’s Day.
Date: until 6 January
Opening hours: 10:30 to 13:30 and 16:00
to 19:00.
• Museum of Holy Week Processions:
Exhibition of Large-Scale Nativity Scenes.
10 magnificent dioramas measuring 3 x
2.5 metres depicting scenes in Naples,
Santurtzi and Africa. The latter features
moving animals.
Date: up until 6 January
Closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s
Day.
Opening hours: 11:30 to 13:30 and 17:00
to 20:30.
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CHRISTMAS PARADES
OLENTZERO
AND THE THREE KINGS
Yet again this year, the Olentzero and Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar will visit our
city to bring tons of seasonal excitement.
This Christmas, many new features and
surprises have been organised to welcome
Their Majesties of the Orient and Olentzero,
our lovable charcoal-maker.
Olentzero
23 December. Olentzero comes to Bilbao.
The Olentzero, the mythical figure who
brings presents to Basque homes, arrives in the capital of Bizkaia mounted on a
huge Pottoka horse (an indigenous Basque
This year more than ever, these events are breed). He is accompanied by his retinue:
his wife, Mari Domingi and Basajaun (a
real musts not to be missed.
mythical Basque figure), riding a large goose and a huge tricycle, respectively, and
Lamia (a form of Basque nereid), along with
the galtzagorris (a form of Basque pixie attired in red trousers).
The Olentzero will magically appear on the
Gran Vía at 19:00 and will lead a procession to the Arriaga Theatre, where he will
spend the night.
24 December. Olentzero meets the children at Arriaga Theatre from 11.00 a.m. to
2.00 p.m.
After a good night’s sleep and feeling refreshed, Olentzero and Mari Domingi spend
the morning meeting and listening to the
wishes of the boys and girls that come to
the Arriaga Theatre. Then, in the afternoon,
they set off around BIlbao’s neighbourhoods to continue spreading excitement.
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The Three King’s Parade
5 January
6.00 p.m. The parade sets off from the
junction where Gran Vía meets María Díaz
de Haro.
Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar sweep
into Bilbao in a spectacular parade bursting with light, sound and colour. This year,
Their Majesties will make their way along
the Gran Via to the Town Hall.
8.15 p.m. Meeting the children in the Arab
Room: The youngest members of the family
can visit the Arab Room to deliver their letters with their wishes and dreams.
Ice Rink
PIN - Kids’ Christmas Park
This year, the La Casilla Pavilion has been
turned into a ice palace where you can
have fun skating.
Children are sure to have a fun time when Date: 6 December to 13 January.
they visit the Kids’ Christmas Park, which Venue: La Casilla Pavilion.
has become a real tradition on the Christmas calendar, in the Bilbao Exhibition www.bilbaokirolak.com
Centre pavilions, which will be home to a
broad and varied programme of entertainment, fun and leisure activities. This year’s
event will offer an outstanding selection of
games, sporting activities, workshops and
the traditional stalls.
Date: 21 December to 5January.
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EXHIBITIONS
Darío de Regoyos (1857-1913).
The impressionist Adventure
Up until 26 January
Fine Arts Museum
Darío de Regoyos (Ribadesella 1857) is
the leading figure in Spanish Impressionist
painting. On the 100th anniversary of his
Up until 16 February
death, the Museum is organising a major
Cubism is one of the central movements in retrospective of his work, including almost
20th century avant-garde art. Built around 140 paintings.
a core of 11 paintings by Juan Gris, the Indecipherable Sardinia.
exhibition includes 39 works produced The sign engraved
between 1912 and 1933 by some of the
Up until 12 January
greatest exponents of the movement.
Telefónica Cubist Collection
As part of the second International Festival of Printmaking, this exhibition presents
a selection of graphic works by Sardinian
artists from the first half of the 20th century, shown in dialogue with contemporary
artists who represent innovation in the art
of Sardinian printmaking.
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Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
“Antoni Tàpies. From Object To
Sculpture (1964-2009)
Up until 19 January
One year after the artist’s death, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao presents Antoni
Tàpies. From Object to Sculpture (1964–
2009), the first comprehensive, in-depth
look at one of the most fascinating aspects
of this key artist of the second half of the
20th century: his sculptural work produced
over five decades.
photography, over the course of the last
forty years. The exhibition entails almost
180 images, which represent landmarks
within the artist’s professional career.
Joaquín Achúcarro Concert
Inaugural concert of the Joaquín
Achúcharro season (Bilbao, 1932), given
by the great, illustrious master from Bilbao,
to whom the Campos Theatre pays tribute
by programming four recitals.
Date: 20 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 20:00
Sweet Christmas at the Convent
This Christmas the museums known as the
Museo Diocesano de Arte Sacro and Museo de Pasos offer a selection of delicate
products, mainly pastries and sweets, from
17 convents. This is a splendid opportunity
to taste nougat, polvorones (a light, crumbly shortbread), chocolates, marzipan and
other delicacies.
Dates: From 5 to 22 December
Venue: Museo Diocesano de Arte Sacro
Time: Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 to
13:30 and from 16:00 to 19:00 h. / Monday, Sunday and bank holidays, from 10:30
to 13:30.
Alhóndiga Bilbao
Guerrilla Girls 1985 – 2013
Up until 6 January
AlhóndigaBilbao presents the first important retrospective of the work of the
Guerrilla Girls, a North American feminist
art collective who use their posters and
activism to become the ‘conscience of the
art world’. Their internationally-renowned
work condemns the subordinate position
of women in both the art world and other
fields of activity.
Sala Rekalde
Emmet Gowin
Up until 26 January
This is one of the most comprehensive
retrospectives, to date, of the North
American Emmet Gowin (Danville, Virginia,
1941), one of the most original and
influential forces within contemporary
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Venue: Museo de Pasos de Semana
Santa
Time: Monday to Friday from 11:00 to
13:30 and from 17:00 to 20:30 / Saturday,
Sunday and bank holidays, from 11:00 to
14:00 and 17:00 to 20:30.
Durango Basque Record and
Book Fair
This free-entry event and open to the general public is a benchmark of Basque
culture. The fair features publishers, distributors, record companies and cultural
institutions and agents whose works are in
Basque or which address Basque issues in
any language.
Date: 5 to 8 December 2013
Venue: Landako Gunea (Durango)
TRADITIONS
The Christmas festivities are
part of the ritual celebrations to
mark the winter solstice. Even
though the passing of time
has meant that some customs
no longer have their original
role, some rituals still carry on
but have been adapted to the
present.
Olentzero
The Olentzero is undeniably the main figure of Christmas in the Basque Country. His
name comes from the expression Onen
zaro, which in Basque means good era, a
bountiful time. Each winter, this charcoal
maker, with his big belly and beard, comes
down the mountainside to bring the presents that the children of Bilbao have asked
for in their letters. This character is today
accompanied by his friend Mari Domingi
and different figures from Basque mythology, including the Lamia and the Galtzagorri
elves. The entourage of the Olentzero makes
its way through the streets and squares of
Bilbao followed by the other members of the
parade who collect the children’s letters to
the sound of traditional carols.
The Bread Ritual
During the Christmas Eve dinner on 24 December, some homes continue to perform
the ritual of the bread, which consists of
blessing this food by making the signing of
the cross with a knife. A piece is then cut
off and the people cross themselves with
it. This tip of the loaf is kept until the next
year. According to popular belief, it has beneficial properties. During the dinner, they
sing carols and songs such as “Ator, ator”,
“Horra Mari Domingi”, “Mesias sarritan”
and then the family plays cards.
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New Year’s Eve Singing
Typical dishes and sweets at
As regards the celebrations on 31 Decem- Christmas
ber and 1 January, New Year’s Eve and
New Year’s Day, an ancient song is sung
during the dinner to mark the passing from
one year to another.
New new year
The one that has to the one with
nothing
I have nothing and for me
Pig’s ear
Urte barri barri
dekonak ez dekonari
Nik ez dekot eta niri
Ezpabere txarri belarri
In the past, the majority of the food eaten at
Christmas came from the local farmsteads,
and included pork, cured beef, eggs, poultry, nuts, honey, freshly-baked bread and
vegetables, particularly, cabbage, etc.
People also always bought special treats to
celebrate these dates, fundamentally, fish
and sweets, food that did not come from
the farms.
Some typical dishes were cabbage with
oil, cod, bream and snails in tomato sauce, food that could be eaten when keeping
vigil. As regards the desserts, the intxaursalsa (a walnut cream) and compote were
the sweets par excellence.
Nowadays, these products are usually
mixed in dishes with other more modern
tastes and turrón (nougat), polvorones
On 1 January, it is usual to have hot cho- (almond cookies) and marizpan feature
colate for breakfast. Another tradition da- among the desserts. Today’s menus featuting back many years is to climb up Mount re tasty dishes such as:
Gorbea on the morning of New Year’s Day,
which attracts thousands of people in • Fresh Chorizo dishes with snails or salt
cod
Bizkaia.
Up Mount Gorbea
• Green sauce for any of the cuts of hake,
from the Kokotxa or cheeks to the tail.
“Turrón de
Soconusco”
nougat
Particularly chocolate, white praline, toasted praline, truffle and coated
with chocolate. These are the basic ingredients traditionally used to
prepare “Turrón de Sokonusko” nougat. The origin of this nougat is a
mix of history and legend. The story goes that at the beginning of the
17th century, a man from Bizkaia called Iñigo Urruti set off to the New
World to make his fortune and to search for the mythical “El Dorado”,
but he found something much sweeter on his journey, the cocoa tree.
The wise Urrutia saw a good business opportunity and after travelling
through different provinces, he reached Santa Ana de Soconusco, on
the border between Mexico and Guatemala, where he came across the
native cocoa of that zone that he brought back to the bakery that his
family ran in Bilbao.
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• Treats from the vegetable garden: Cauli- This market was first held in the 19th
flowers and sprouts with garnishes from the century. At that time, the tenants from the
St. Martin pig slaughter.
Bizkaia farmsteads used to come to Bilbao
on 21st December to pay the owners of
• Seafood always boiled in seawater.
the farms, most of whom lived in the city,
• Christmas soup, seafood consommés and the rent for the year. Apart from money, the
baserritarras or farmers brought along the
farm stocks.
best products from the land they worked:
• St. Thomas capon with bitter rocket salad.
vegetables, cheese, fruit, txakoli wine, cider, talo flatbread, homemade bread, honey, animals, plants and flowers.
St. Thomas’s Market
On 21 December, the streets around the
Plaza Nueva square and El Arenal become
the largest showcase of local farm produce
and meat products Thousands of people
flock there to try the local products and,
above all, the traditional talo corn flatbread
with chorizo sausage and the txakoli wine.
Another fundamental ingredient is the festive atmosphere thanks to the street entertainers and Basque music playing in the
background.
La Ribera Market
The recently refurbished La Ribera Market,
a temple to gastronomy on the banks of the
river estuary, is another must in the search
for succulent food. It is a retail flagship
for the whole of Bizkaia. In the run-up to
Christmas, thousands of people flock there
to shop with the guarantee that they will
find the best of the best being sold at the
market.
www.mercadodelaribera.net
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BILBAO BY
LAND, SEA
AND AIR
You just have to choose the best way to discover Bilbao
and the one you prefer. We have come up with different ways to visit the city that capture its essence and
history. By land, sea and air, different and spectacular
perspectives of a Bilbao brimming with history and
spots to be photographed.
Guided Walking Tours
Visit to the City Hall and the
Ibaigane
Palace
Discover Bilbao and its Christmas traditions
as a professional guide takes you around
two areas that capture the seasonal feel
of the city: theCasco Viejo [Old Town] and
Ensanche-Abandoibarra.
Saturdays and Sundays: Casco Viejo
at 10:00 and Ensanche-Abandoibarra at
12:00
From 6 to 8 December, every day:
Casco Viejo at 10:00 and EnsancheAbandoibarra at 12:00
26 December and 2 January: EnsancheAbandoibarra at 12:00
27 December and 3 January: Casco
Viejo at 10:00
6 January: closed.
For further general information and information on prices telephone 94 479 57 60
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Learn everything there is to know about
two iconic buildings of Bilbao: The City Hall
and the Ibaigane Palace, official home to
Bilbao’s Athletic Football Club. During the
visit to the city hall, you will be able to visit
rooms such as the spectacular Arab Room
or the Assembly Hall. The visit to the Ibaigane Palace will be an opportunity to visit a
key building in the Neo-Basque style.
The visits are organised at 11.00 a.m. on
every Sunday in December. Tickets are
available from the Bilbao Turismo Office
located in the Circular Square.
For further information and prices, call
94 479 57 60
Guided Tours of Euskalduna
Conference Centre and Concert
A comfortable way to see the city from a di- Hall
Tourist Bus
fferent perspective. Bilbao Tourist Tour Bus
offers you a comprehensive and privileged Free guided tours for the general public
Day of tour: Saturdays
view of the capital of Bizkaia.
Time: 12:00
The tourist bus runs until 31 December at Visitors per group: a maximum of 30
the following times:
Ticket collection site: The guide in the Con6 and 7 December: 11.00 a.m. – 12.00 ference Centre.
noon – 1.00 p.m. – 3.00 p.m. and 4.00
(*) Where there are more than 30 people
p.m.
per group, an additional tour will be orgaRest of the month: 11.00 a.m. – 12.00
nised at 13:00. The route of the tour is denoon and 1.00 p.m.
pendent upon the number of visitors within
No service on Tuesdays. (except for 24
the Conference Hall at any given time. The
and 31 December, when there is service)
tour may be cancelled where it conflicts
Departure: Alameda Mazarredo (Opposite
with the activities of the Conference Hall.
No. 67)
www.busturistikoa.com
Panoramic view of the City
One of the best panoramic views of Bilbao
is from the top of Mount Artxanda, which is
reached in the funicular railway that came
into service in 1915. You can see all the
architectural landmarks of the city and the
winding river estuary below. It is also an
ideal spot to enjoy being outdoors, do some
sport or enjoy a traditional dish.
Guided Dramatised Tours of the
Arriaga Theatre
6, 8, 15 and 29 December at 11:00 and
12:30.
Music, songs, dancing and surreal dialogue accompany five characters who tell
their stories and the story of the theatre in
their own words. A calculating box-office
clerk, a sardine with an allergy to humidity,
a fledgling pelota player, an “enterprising”
Departures every 15 minutes from 7.15 fishmonger and the vase from the first floor,
a.m. to 10.00 p.m.
which has dried out, the poor thing, participate in the tour, providing the magic of the
Service on Sundays and Public Holidays
theatre... Can you think of a better way of
from: 8.15 a.m.
spending a Sunday morning?
Service. on 24 and 31 December stops
at. 9.00 p.m.
25 December and 1 January: 9.15 a.m.
to 2.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.
Sailing through Bilbao
Learn about the history of Bilbao in a cultural boat trip down the river estuary. This
is an opportunity to enjoy a delightful boat
trip on a modern vessel as you see the city
from a different angle from the water as
you sail along.
Tel.: 94 642 41 57 and 644 442 055
Daily Sailing through Bilbao (1 hour trip)
Departures: 1.00 p.m., 4.00 p.m., 5.30
p.m. Saturdays: departures at 7 pm too.
Saturdays and Sundays: Off to Sea (2
hour trip)
Departure time: 10.30 p.m.
24 and 31 December: 1:00 p.m.
No service on 25 December,1 and 6 Jan.
www.bilboats.com
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BILBAO MENDI
FILM FESTIVAL
BILBAO
THE BEST FILMS FOCUSING ON MOUNTAINS
AND ADVENTURE CONVERGE IN BILBAO
From 13 to 22 December
The provincial capital once again provides
the venue for the best cinema focusing on
mountains and adventure with the celebration of the sixth edition of the BILBAO
MENDI FILM FESTIVAL, a competition that,
in the space of a few years, has consolidated its position as one of the best of its
kind at international level. In addition to the
40 films selected to compete, the festival
brings a wide range of internationally renowned figures to Bilbao (directors and
sportsmen and women who will present
their experiences in the own words) and
numerous parallel activities have been organised.
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The event provides a unique opportunity to
watch a selection of the best documentaries focusing on mountains and open-air
adventure sports (surfing, skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, base jumping,
trail running, canoeing, speleology, etc.).
Amongst the parallel activities, on this
occasion attention should be drawn to the
spectacular international slackline competition (a balancing act), a waterline exhibition and a leisure area focusing on various
activities for the entire family, beneath the
Euskalduna Bridge on the first weekend of
the festival.
Pagasarri
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY
WITH LIVE MUSIC
On 18 December, the Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall provides the
venue for the screening of a restored Italian
documentary dating from the 1930s, accompanied by live music, recalling the era
of silent films. “Terre magellaniche” was
filmed in Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego
by a Salesian missionary, who was also an
explorer, mountaineer, photographer and
film-maker. His film provides exceptional
testimony of the day-to-day lives of indigenous peoples.
People who love the great
outdoors have their own
Christmas tradition. The hike to
Pagasarri is being organised yet
again this year. The date with
the Bilbao “txapela” on Sunday
23 December on this occasion.
Thousands of people enjoy this
mountain pilgrimage to enjoy
nature and the magnificent view
from these heights over the capital of Bizkaia.
Further Information:
www.mendifilmfestival.com
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CULTURAL
AGENDA MARKETS AND
You will find here everything you
need to organise your leisure
time: Information, dates, opening hours, etc. on all the sport
and cultural activities planned
for this month and during the
Christmas holidays.
FAIRS
V Bilbao Nativity Scene Markers’ Fair
The Bilbao Nativity Scene craftspeople and
associations will sell items and miniature
figures for you to make your own Nativity
Scene at home.
Date: Until 15 December.
Venue: El Arenal
Opening hours: 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.
and 5.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.
XXVIII Desembalaje Antiques
Fair
Furniture, paintings, sculptures, lamps,
costume jewellery, gems, porcelain, items
for collectors, garments, walking sticks,
field tools, etc., all of which have to be at
least 40 years old.
Date: 15 and 15 December:
Venue: Bilbao Exhibition Centre
Opening hours: 10.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.
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ExHIBITIONS
ready to colour in works of art, trace out
geometrical figures and let your imagination run wild. If you successfully complete
A real must among the wide variety of cul- the game you will receive a small Christtural activities available in Bilbao is to visit mas present!
the major exhibitions being hosted by the
Date: 17 December to 5 January
city’s museums and exhibition centres.
Location: The galleries of the Museum
Opening Hours: 10:00 to 19:45
Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
Ages: from 5 to 10 years old
www.museobilbao.com
The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum boasts a
permanent collection covering from the
13th century to the present, with important
paintings from the Spanish and Flemish
schools, along with the best collection of
Basque artists. It includes major works by
Martín de Vos, El Greco, Ribera, Zurbaran,
Murillo, Gentileschi, Goya, Sorolla, Cassatt,
Gauguin, Zuloaga, Bacon, Chillida, Tápies
and Barceló. The current offer is rounded
off with a number of temporary exhibitions:
“Undecipherable Sardinia. The Nature of
Engravings”, the “Telefónica Cubist Collection” and “Darío de Regoyos (1857-1913.
The Impressionist Adventure” focusing on
Spain’s main representative of impressionist painting.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
www.guggenheim-bilbao.es
he most important artists from the second
half of the 20th century are showcased at
the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, including
Eduardo Chillida, Richard Serra, Yves Klein,
Jeff Koons, Jenny Holzer or Richard Long.
The collection is currently accompanied by
the temporary exhibitions “Antoni Tàpies.
From the Object to the Sculpture 19642009” and “Garmendia, Maneros Zabala,
Salaberria. Process and Method”.
Make your own Christmas decorations!
Let the older people get on with visiting
the Museum and come over to Art Corner.
Get to work and make decorations for this
Christmas. They will look great hanging on
the tree.
Date: 21, 22, 26, 27, 28 and 29 December.
2, 3, 4 and 5 January
Location: Art Corner
Opening Hours: 11:00 to 17:00
Ages: from 2 to 8 years old
Kubik
Short stories told through colours, forms
and volumes within a game entailing construction, projections and sound. Enter KUBIK, as small world of sensations created
by the Teatro Paraíso Company and the
Belgian Theatre de la Guimbarde.
Date: 26 December 2013
Location: Auditorium of the Museum
Opening Hours: 12:30, 17:00, 18:30.
Ages: from 3 to 5 years old
Stone by stone
The stones along the way and the pebbles
on the beach take on a life of their own.
Via this work, Le home dibuixat teaches us
that the most mundane items hide a secret
world of stories. Come and discover them:
At Christmas too…
Date: 28 December 2013
Location: Auditorium
Opening Hours: 17:00 (in Basque), 18:30
Pay attention and follow the clues! The (in Spanish).
smallest detail might prove important The Ages: from 4 to 7 years old
game is available at the ticket office: get
Treasure Hunt
21
Alhóndigabilbao
www.alhondigabilbao.com
This former wine warehouse, which was
refurbished and transformed under the
watchful eye of Philippe Starck, has become an innovative culture and recreational
centre. Visit its exhibitions, be seduced by
its spectacular spaces, wander around the
43 columns that make up its central courtyard and enjoy the excellent programme
of activities.
Gabonak Arte
Date: Until 6 January.
Venue: Museum cloisters
Time: Tuesday to Saturday: 10.30 a.m. to
1.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Sundays and public holidays: 10.30 a.m.
to 1.30 p.m. On 24, 25 December and 1
January: CLOSED
And it is running children’s workshops for
5-9 year olds at Christmas. 10.00 a.m. to
1.00 p.m. on 26 to 30 December and 2 to
4 January Further information:
94 432 01 25
[email protected]
Activities for children between 5 and 12
Archaeological Museum
which focus on the different arts (science,
technology, architecture, dance, music, www.bizkaia.net/arkeologimuseoa
films, etc.).
The permanent exhibition takes the visitors
Dates: 26, 27 and 28 December 2013, and
through the history of Bizkaia by means
2, 3 and 4 January 2014.
of the materials unearthed archaeological
Opening hours: 11.00 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
digs. The “Euskal Herria in the 5th to 8th
and 5.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.
centuries” exhibition will run until April
2013.
Diocesan Museum
www.eleizmuseoa.com
The Diocesan Museum is hosting the VIII
Reproductions Museum
“Nativity Scenes from Around the World”
www.museoreproduccionesbilbao.org
exhibition.
The museum boasts copies of the most
important sculptures throughout human
22
history. In addition to the permanent collection, over the Christmas Period the exhibition “The Renaissance Route. Sculpture in
Florence.” can be visited, which transports
us back to one of the most productive eras
of European artistic expression: the Renaissance in Florence.
Basque Museum
www.euskal-museoa.org
Housed within a Baroque building in the
Casco Viejo [old quarter] of Bilbao , the exhibitions of this museum aim to depict the
historical and cultural evolution of Basque
society. Up until 16 March 2014, visitors
will be able to contemplate the “Gallery of
Famous Figures from Biscay. Sports Personalities, Artists, Writers” which entails 239
portraits of celebrated figures from Bilbao
from the end of the 19th and beginning of
the 20th centuries.
Maritime Museum
www.museomaritimobilbao.org
The Atlantic Cod. The Power of the
Senses
The exhibition allows to become better
acquainted with one of the cornerstones of
Basque gastronomy: the Atlantic cod. The
dish known as pil-pil will submerge visitors
in the fascinating universe of the cod, via
experience, emotion, the five senses and
the unexpected. This will allow us to gain
a greater understanding of the past, present and future of this culinary culture that
affords more insight into Basque society
and lifestyle.
Christmas workshops for children have
been organised focusing on the sea, whales, boat construction, etc. Don’t miss this
opportunity!
Date: 23, 26, 27, 30 December and 3, 4
January
Opening Hours: 09:30 to 13:30
Price per day: 10 euros
Euskalduna Conference
Centre and Concert Hall
“The Toys of Yesteryear” Exhibition
A thematic exhibition focusing on a number
of the toys that have accompanied children,
and sometimes their elders, in recent decades (Playmobil, Meccano, Lego, Barbie,
Marklin…)
Date: From 16 December 2013 to 09
January 2014
Location: Euskalduna Conference Centre
and Concert Hall, Barria Hall. Price: €5
23
CONCERTS
Oskorri folk band: The Pub Ibiltaria
Date: 21 December 2013
Mamba Beat vs. Depeche Mode y electro Location: SALA BBK
Mamba Beat vs. Depeche Mode and 80’s Time: 20:00
electro pop. The Basque band presents its Concert. Golden Christmases
repertoire and versions of influences.
Date: 28 December 2013
Date: 14 December
Location: SALA BBK
Venue: Cúpula Concert Hall, Campos Elí- Time: 20:00
seos Theatre
Time: 20:00
JAZZ
The Magic Teapot vs. California Acid
Rock. The Basque band presents its reperGinger Baker’s Jazz Confussion
toire and versions of its influences.
Considered one of the first drummers to
Date: 26 December
become a star as an instrumentalist, he is
Venue: Cúpula Room, Campos Elíseos
also one of the first musicians to introduce
Theatre
the use of two bass drums.
Time: 21:00
Date: 4 December
Gala of the Bilbainadas Contest
Venue: BBK Concert Hall
Date: 22 December
Horario: 20:00
Location: Arriaga Theatre
Venue: La Bodega Concert Hall, basement
Time: 11:30
of the Sociedad Bilbaina, entrance on José
Mª Olabarri Street
A Flamenco Christmas. La Zambomba
de Jerez.
BJU / Brooklyn Jazz Underground
Ensemble
Date: 13 December
Location: Sala BBK
Date: 5 December
Time: 20:00
Venue: Bilbaina Jazz Club, entrance on
José Mª Olabarri Street
Time: 20:00
Joaquin Chacón & Mariano Diaz Quartet
Date: 12 December
Venue: Bilbaina Jazz Club, entrance on
José Mª Olabarri Street
Time: 20:00
24
BBK Jazz. Juan de Diego “Trakas”/
Jean Marie Ecay 4tet
Date: 6 December
Venue: BBK Concert Hall
Time: 20:00-21:15
BBK Jazz. Kike Arza 5tet/ Javier Colina
4tet
Date: 7 December
Venue: BBK Concert Hall
Time: 20:00-21:45
Flamenco Jazz Company: ‘Rumbo
desconocido’
Date: 21 December
Venue: Campos Theatre
Time: 20:00
Por Alusiones Dúo/Jam Session/
Kathorno
Date: 26 December
Venue: Campos Theatre
Time: 20:00h/20:30h/21:00
CLASSICAL
MUSIC
Händel’s Messiah
Participatory concert given by the Bilbao
Symphony Orchestra (BOS)
Date: 4 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Schedule: 20:00
Ken Zazpi and the Basque Symphony
Orchestra.
A fresh opportunity to enjoy the merging of
classical music with other notes. On this
occasion, those of the renowned Basque
pop-rock band Ken Zazpi.
Date: 5 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Schedule: 20:00
Coral d’Avui (i Cor Euridice) Lleida. 30th
Anniversary Coro Ars Viva [choral singing]
Date: 06 December 2013
Location: Iglesia del colegio Jesuitas Indautxu [church]
Time: 20:00
Kea Vocal Group
The group sings works by Britten, Poulenc,
Busto, Takemitsu, Azruza and Andreo.
Date: 10 December
Venue: Arriaga Theatre
Time: 20:00
25
Bilbao Symphony Orchestra
The programme includes W. A. Mozart’s
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K 219
(30’) and G. Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in C
sharp minor (70’).
Date: 12-13 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
Coral san Antonio de Iralabarri and Coro
Biotz-Alai. 30th Anniversary Coro Ars
Viva [choral singing]
14 December at 20:00 in El Karmelo de
Santutxu Church
20 December at 20:00 in the Church of
San Ignacio
21 December at 20:00 in the Church of
Ntra. Señora del Rosario en Errekalde
26 December at 20:00 in the Residencia
Padres Jesuitas Church
27 December at 20:00 in the Quinta
Parroquia [church]
28 December at 20:00 in the Church of
San Pedro de Deusto
Bilbao Symphony Orchestra Christmas
Date: 13 December
Concert
Location: Iglesia del colegio Jesuitas IndauDate: 19-20 December
txu [church]
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
Time: 20:00
Municipal Music Band and the Choral
Sinfonity: Electric Guitar Concert
Society
Sinfonity is an electric guitar orchestra that
plays classical music. From Bach to Holst
and Vivaldi to Falla, the repertoire constitutes a pleasant, exciting experience for the
Charity Gala to raise funds for the Bi- audience and provides a moving, different
zkaia Food Bank.
way of enjoying classical music.
Performances by the San Antonio de Ira- Date: 19 December
labarri Choir, Ugaoko Sarea Abesbatza, Venue: Arriaga Theatre
Ugaoko Sarea Txiki, Zirzira Taldea, and the Time: 20:00
Golden Apple Quartet
Begoña Basilica Christmas Concert.
Date: 17 December
Invitations at the Bilbao 700 Foundation.
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Date: 20 December
Time: 19:30
Venue: Begoña Basilica
Around the world in 4 voices
Time: 20:00
The Bilbao Choir and Chamber Orchestra Christmas Concert by the Kantika de
offers a world music concert: a tour of se- Leioa Choir and the Municipal Band of
veral continents that brings us exotic music Bilabo Txistularis (pipe players).
full of unique melodies.
The choir, formed by girls and boys of ages
Date: 17 December
10 to 17, have won important national and
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
international awards. The choir’s daring
Time: 20:00
programmes and exquisite mise en scene
Coro Ars Viva and Escolanía Ntra. Seño- have made it a point of reference in the
ra de Begoña. 30th Anniversary Coro Ars choral scene.
Viva [choral singing]
Date: 20 December
Date: 15 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 12:00
Date: 20 December
Location: Iglesia del colegio Jesuitas Indautxu [church]
Time: 12:00
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
Christmas Choir Concerts
Date: 22 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 19:00
12 December at 20:00 in El Salvador de
Castaños Parish Church
13 December at 20:00 in the Church of
San Antón
26
Gabonetako Soinuak. (The Sounds of
Christmas)
San Antonio de Iralabarri Choir
Date: 22 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 20:00
Concerts for babies. From Christmas to
New Year’s
Concert for babies 0 to 3 years old. An
emotional journey from classical Christmas
melodies to the New Year in the Vienna of
the Strauss brothers.
Concert by the Young Euskal Herria Orchestra
They will play Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and
the Serenace for String Orchestra, Op. 48,
by Piotr Ilich Tchaikovski.
Date: 3 January
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
Date: 28 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 12:00 and 18:00
Date: 29 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 10:30 and 12:00
13th Concert Tribute to Alfredo Kraus
A tribute to the great tenor Alfredo Kraus
with the participation of the Donostiarra
Choral Society, Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, soloists Carmen Solís (soprano), María
Luisa Corbacho (mezzo), Andeka Gorrotxategi (tenor) Rubén Amoretti (bass) y Óliver
Díaz (Musical Direction) to raise funds for
WOP -Walk on Project. To close the Verdi
Year and the bicentenary of his birth, they
will perform one of his greatest works: the
Requiem.
Date: 30 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
Grand New Year’s Concert
Inspired by the traditional musical event
that takes place each year in Vienna, the
New Year Concert returns with a selection
of the finest waltzes, polkas and marches
by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss.
Well known pieces such as The Napoleon
March, The Flower Festival, Klipp-Klapp,
The Emperor Waltz and Champagne will
be performed. The most famous piece
of all, the Blue Danube, will of course be
included, as will the The Radetzky March,
which, accompanied by the applause of
the audience, will draw the performance
to a close.
Date: 1 January
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
27
OPERA AND
ZARZUELA
OPERETTA
Abao Txiki: Ali Baba and the Forty
Thieves.
Adaptation of the traditional story of the
Thousand and One Nights, for a children’s
choir, soloists and 18 musicians.
Date: 3-4 December
Venue: Arriaga Theatre
Time: 12:00 and 18:00
Date: 5 December
Venue: Arriaga Theatre
Time: 12:00
DANCE
La Cena: Theatre
Venue: La Fundición
Date and Time:
6-7 December at 20:00
8 December at 19:00
Brittle Failure: Dance
Venue: La Fundición
Dates and Times:
14 December at 20:00
15 December at 19:00
8th Young Ballet Dancers Award
Date: 7 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 19:30
Swan Lake
Zarzuela: El Caserío
The Russian Classical Ballet performs this
beautiful romantic ballet that has moved
audiences for over a century. A truly romantic, poetic theme where good triumphs
over evil.
Date: 12 December
An immortal zarzuela by maestro Jesús Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Guridi that has become a symbol of Bas- Time: 20:00
que music.
The Nutcracker
Date: 14 December
Russian Classical Ballet performs The NutVenue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
cracker, a story that stimulates the imagiTime: 19:30
nation and transports us to the realm of
Date: 15 December
fantasy. A magnificent show to enjoy the
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
very best of ballet.
Time: 19:00
Date: 13 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 20:00
28
Swan Lake
Dantza Emanaldia
The Crown of Russian Ballet of Moscow
performs this captivating story. A romantic setting, magnificent choreography and
an unforgettable story of condemned love
combine to make Swan Lake an authentically classical ballet acclaimed by audiences all over the world.
Performances by the interns of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia with the participation
of ITZIAR MENDIZABAL and EDWARD WATSON, as gueset stars of the Royal Ballet of
London.
Date: 14 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
Date: 27 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
Choir, Ballet and Orchestra of the
Russian Army in Saint Petersburg
More than 100 artists sail across the stage
with their voices, ballet and music. This is
an exciting, fast-paced performance that
gradually builds up the rhythm until the
audience is immersed in a colourful, energetic and incomparable world.
Date: 23 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
The Nutcracker
The Saint Petersburg Jacobson Ballet
captures all the beauty and drama of truly
romantic ballet in a timeless classical that
appeals to any generation. The Nutcracker
is a Christmas classic, ideal for children
and adults alike.
Date: 25 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
29
BASQUE DANCES
AND BERTSOLARIS
STORY TELLING
Herritmo
THEATRES,
MUSICALES AND
CIRCUS
The performance features the Oreka TX,
Kukai and Kalakan companies, which integrate dance, music, song and rural sports.
The movements of rural sports have been
turned into choreographies and farm tools Hecube
are used to create music.
Actress Concha Velasco plays Hecuba, the
Date: 11 December
classic by Euripides known as a tragedy of
Venue: Arriaga Theatre
revenge.
Time: 20:00
Venue: Arriaga Theatre
Bertsolari Txapelketa Nagusia 2013
Dates and Times:
4-6 December at 20:00
The XVI Euskal Herria Bertsolaris Contest
7 December at 18:30 and 21:30
is the highlight of this Basque musical
8 December at 19:00
verse tradition, where the contestants
show off their style and originality as they
perform their improvised rhyming verses
to a set meter.
Date: 15 December
Venue: Bilbao Exhibition Centre BEC!
Time: 11:00h
Jamming
A “unique and unrepeatable” performance
based on improvisation and “letting the audience choose the story”.
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Dates and Times:
5 December at 20:30
27-28 December at 21:00
3-4 January at 21:00
#QueNoNosFrujanLaFiesta
A monologue by David Guapo that is a safe
bet in which comedy, music and improvisation combine to make a unique show for
all ages.
DANTZA PLAZETAN
2013 PROGRAMME
This is one of the most traditional cultural programmes in Bilbao. It aims to
promote popular Basque folklore by holding local religious festivities known as
romerías, dance displays and parades.
Beti Jai Alai
Date: 24 December
Venue: Aita Donosti Square
Time: 19:00
Salbatzaile Dantza Taldea
Date: 28 December
Venue: Santiago Square
Time: 20:00
Ondalan
Date: 31 December
Venue: Luzarra Square (Deusto)
Time: 11:30
30
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Dates and Times:
6 December at 20:00
7 December at 20:00 and 22:30
I’ll be darned
14 December at 20:30 and 22:30
The show is presented by Joaquín Reyes, the new king of surreal humour and
a cult figure among the latest generation
of comics. An endless outflow of tumbling
words, extravagances and incongruities
that dazzle audiences everywhere.
Date: 14 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:30 and 22:30
The Soul of Melody: The magic of great
musicals
Above all, The Soul of Melody is a tribute
to music and the great musicals of Broadway and the West End. A different approach
to the themes of the great classics of the
genre: Chicago, West Side Story, Cats, Evita, The Sound of Music, Cabaret, Fiddler
on the Roof and The Rocky Horror Picture
Show.
Venue: Arriaga Theatre
Dates and Times:
13-14 December at 20:00
15 December at 19:00
Loop
The Dictionary
20-21 December at 20:00
Actress Vicky Peña reviews the life of María Moliner, who wrote the most complete,
useful, insightful and amusing dictionary of
the Spanish language on her own, at home,
and in her own handwriting.
Date: 20-21 December
Venue: Arriaga Theatre
Time: 20:00
A Part of Mi
A musical based on the life and music of
the renowned singer, Camilo Sesto.
Date: 21 December
A pair of comedians offers a refreshing Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
repertoire of variety shows and sketches Time: 20:00
chosen by them and mixed with different
Nights of Hidden Intentions
styles within the same genre.
A night full of comedy charged with fine
Date: 18 December
Galician irony, with Carlos Blanco and QuiVenue: Arriaga Theatre
co Cadaval, two comedians of international
Time: 20:00
renown.
Teleskopika: Good Times
Date: 21 December
Date: 20 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 22:30
Time: 20:30
31
The Wizard of Oz
Children’s Theatre. Hansel and Gretel
An endearing play that overflows with happiness, fantasy, music and magic in equal
parts, and that has been viewed by over
400 thousand spectators. Awarded with
the 2012 Rojas Award to the Best Family
Show.
Date: 29 and 30 December 2013
Location: SALA BBK
Time: 17:00
Date: 23 December
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 17:00 and 19:00
Missisipi Gospel Choir
The great voices of Black music come
again with a fresh proposal to make the
audience vibrate with their combination
of vitality and spirituality, spiced with the
rhythms of funk and blues.
Let’s Have Fun!
Date: 2 January
This is the new show by CantaJuego. New Venue: Palacio Euskalduna, Hall A-1
songs, new characters and a story full of Time: 20:00
fantasy, rhythm and a lot of fun for the enThe Chorus
tire family.
The Chorus, one of the best treble choirs in
Date: 26 December
Europe returns to the Palacio Euskalduna
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
again. Their recital includes their timeless
Time: 16:00 and 19:00
hits, like the ones in the film that brought
Geronimo Stilton The Kingdom of
them worldwide fame, as well as top hits
Fantasy Musical
from The Beatles.
Thanks to the famous journalist mouse and
editor of The Rodent’s Gazette, the audience will discover a fantastic kingdom where
dreams, magic, music and imagination are
the guiding thread in a fascinating story.
Venue: Arriaga Theatre
Dates and Times:
26 December at 19:00
27-28 December at 17:00 and 20:00
29 December at 18:00
32
Date: 2 January
Venue: Palacio Euskalduna
Time: 20:00
Golulá
Golulá tells the story of Lara, a vain, hyperactive girl, and her friend Bunka, a naïve,
good-tempered gorilla in charge of caring
for the only cloud that hangs in the sky of
the country called Golulá.
Date: 26-27 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 17:00
Date: 29 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: at 12:00 and 16:30
... In the Third Degree, a Killing Musical
Treasure Island: The Musical
This year Mr Gordon celebrates his birthday
again, surrounded by his wealthy family
and bohemian friends. Suddenly, someone
dies for no apparent reason, which makes
everyone suspect a third degree murder.
A musical adaptation of the universal classic, in which young Jim Hawkins finds himself carried away in an amazing adventure
when a mysterious seaman, Billy Bones,
arrives at the Admiral’s Tavern with the
map of a legendary treasure.
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Dates and Times:
26 December at 20:00
27 December at 20:00 and 22:30
Date: 30 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: at 17:00 and 19:30
Moncho Borrajo in I, Quevedo
Txirri, Mirri eta Txiribiton “Therapy”
Moncho Borrajo presents I, Quevedo, as
another turn of the screw, after forty years
in show business. The audience will enjoy
the Quevedo-like scatology and the ingenuity of improvisation in the purest Spanish
Golden Age style.
Txirri, Mirri eta Txiribiton will make audiences of all ages laugh at all the things we
are capable of doing in our search for wellbeing, when it is really very close and easily
had: laughter is the key to happiness.
Date: 28-29 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 20:00
Lunnis in their musical rocket
Juan “D” and Beatriz go to Lunalunera in
the Musical Rocket in search of the Lunnis. Together they travel to distant galaxies,
navigating in space in search of the most
marvellous planet of all.
Date: 2-3 January
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 12:00 and 17:00
Illustrious Ignorants World Tour
Illustrious Ignorants is a debate in which
Javier Coronas, Javier Cansado and Pepe
Colubi use comedy to illustrate many different branches of knowledge.
Date: 4 Jaunary.
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 20:00
33
PUPPETS
Sowing Stories
This play forms part of the Sunday Puppets
season, which seeks to bring the wonderful
world of puppets close to child audiences
(age 3 and older) and families. The aim is
to waken a love for theatre.
Date: 8 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 12:30 and 17:30
Renato Carolini’s Little
Circus
The wonderful world of the Circus presented by the director and owner of the world’s
smallest circus. A performance that is part
of the Sunday Puppets season.
Date: 15 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 12:30 and 17:30
34
The Christmas Adventure
The castle where the King and his daughter
the Princess live is going to have a party.
Father Christmas is the guest of honour.
This play forms part of the Sunday Puppets
season for child audiences (age 3 and older).
Date: 22 December
Venue: Campos Elíseos Theatre
Time: 12:30 and 17:30
SPORTS
Bilbao Basket
Other Sports Events
Miribilla Sports Centre
XIX Las Arenas to Bilbao Race
29 December
Bilbao Basket - Tuenti Móvil Estudiantes
7 December. (7:15 pm )
Further information at
www.eventosbhm.com
Bilbao Basket – Oldenburg
Date pending confirmation
Bilbao Basket – Laboral Kutxa
22 December at 12.00 noon (12.00 noon)
Further information on the matches at
www.bilbaobasket.biz
***All the activities in this leaflet may be subject
to change ***
35
FESTIVE PARTIES
AND BILBAO
NIGHTLIFE
Bilbao’s sky turns dark blue, the sinuous shadows of the Guggenheim
being to grow and a new pace begins to be felt in the city. Night falls and
Bilbao is the ideal place to linger over a drink, enjoy a coffee, pintxos
(tapas) and txikitos (glasses of wine), and so on. Enjoy the conservation,
the culinary heritage, live music, dancing, you will find so much to choose from in the different atmospheres and areas in the city.
Try our famous Gin Tonics. Their preparation is a real art and a show for
the people watching. And try one of the more innovative and sophisticated combinations. Enjoy the aromas of bergamot, lime, liquorice...just
have fun and enjoy this gift for the senses.
And at Christmas, do not miss out on the parties that the top hotels,
restaurants, bars and discos organise to make sure you really have a
Merry Bilbao!
Links of interest
www.gintonicbilbao.com
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The Transporter Bridge, the beaches
and the cliffs by Metro. The Metro will
whisk you from the centre of Bilbao to the
beaches where you can relax or surf at
Getxo or Soplena, cliff tops to walk along...
and you can also take it to the Transporter
Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (20
min.).
BIZKAIA
Bilbao is the capital of Bizkaia, a
territory with modern and innovative amenities, with their own
character, designed to meet the
needs of any type of visitors.
The Urkiola and Gorbeia Natural Parks.
The limestone landscape of the Urkiola
Natural Park is covered with beech and
oak forests between rugged landscapes.
And within close reach, you can enjoy
the cultural heritage in the old towns of
Durango and Elorrio brimming with history.
Gorbeia is the mountainous giant of Bizkaia
and a popular destination for hiking and
mountaineering. (40 min.).
Urdaibai and Gernika The Urdaibai
Biosphere Reserve is a unique place
where man has managed to respect the
balance with an exceptional landscape of
sea, beach and mountains. Gernika is the
symbolic city the Basques, the cradle of
their historical freedoms and rights and
victim, 75 years ago, of the air-raid that
Picasso immortalized to denounce human Enkarterriak. The region known as Las
brutality. (40 min.).
Encartaciones or Enkarterriak in the
west of Bizkaia is an area that combines
nature and small villages of great beauty,
such as Balmaseda. (30 min). The Valley
of Karrantza houses geological treasures
such as the Pozalagua Caves, “recently
conferred the Best Spot in Spain award”
in the Repsol Guide and also caters to the
entire family with installations such as El
Karpín Animal Rescue Centre.
Markina, Lekeitio and Ondarroa. LeaArtibai is the most eastern region of Bizkaia
and the coast is dotted with fishing villages
of great beauty such as Lekeitio and
Ondarroa. Markina is a stunning town that
is the birthplace of cesta-punta, a variety of
Basque pelota. (45 min.).
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CHRISTMAS CAROLS
OLENTZERO
Olentzero joan zaigu
mendira lanera
intentzioarekin
ikatz egitera.
Aditu duenian
Jesus jaio dela
lasterka etorri da
berri ona ematera.
Horra! Horra!
Gure Olentzero!
Pipa hortzetan duela
eserita dago
kapoiak ere baditu
arraultzatxuakin
bihar meriendatzeko
botila ardoakin.
Inolaz ezin dugu
Olentzero ase
bakarrik jan dizkigu
hamar txerri gazte.
Saiheski ta solomo
makina bat este
Jesus jaio da eta
alaitu zaitezte.
Horra! Horra!...
HORRA MARI DOMINGI
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Horra Mari Domingi
begira horri
gurekin nahi duela
Belena etorri.
Hatoz, goazen, adora dezagun
Belenen jaio den
haur eder hori
haur eder hori
Gurekin nahi baduzu
Belena etorri
atera beharko duzu
gona zahar hori.
Irrintzi eta poza
algara beti
hori behar diñagu
guk elkarrekin.
Hatoz! Hatoz!
zure bila nenbilen ni.
Hatoz! Hatoz!
zure bila nenbilen ni.
Pozez adora dezagun
Jesus haur hori
berak eman dezagun
gaur zorionik.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Bizkaia Provincial Council, Euskal Museoa, Bilbao Mendi Film Festival, Aitor
Elizegi and all the cultural institutions, associations and organisations that helped with this tourist guide.
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tel: 94 479 57 60
www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo
www.navidadenbilbao.com
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