Bilbao, city for autumn

Many cities lose their allure with the outbreak of bad weather. Bilbao, however, becomes more charming. It is an autumn city. It is familiar with the mist and that fine, cross-cutting rain we here call sirimiri. Its proximity to the sea means that it rarely feels really cold in the street. A mackintosh or a small folding umbrella will do for a stroll. The tram, metro and efficient bus service make the rest much easier.

Thanks to shorter days, the shop windows of the patisseries are brighter. You shouldn’t miss them: you are visiting a place with its unique range of pastries and excellent confectionery. Some of them offer a 50% discount on Tuesdays. Just ask.

For the same reason, the interiors of taverns, cocktail bars or restaurants are even more welcoming. You can go either for a popular bodeguilla, with its bocata de bonito con divisa (tuna and spicy red pepper sandwitch), or for a restaurant that has been distinguished in the international guides. The coffee served in most places will be aromatic and creamy. You will notice the scent of roasted chestnuts as you enjoy a stroll. And you can choose between ordering a txakoli in a tavern where a group of txikiteros (aged men that drink wine around the Old Town) sing havaneres or a sophisticated and flawless ‘Manhattan’ in any of the cocktail bars that the walking city of Bilbao prides itself on, some of which are also included in the world charts.

Moreover, in autumn the city thrills with the ABAO opera season, the Dantzaldia or the BOS, Bilbao’s Symphonic Orchestra, one of the few that can proudly boast that remains active for a century. Perhaps no other city of the same size can say so. Fall season is also the time for the Copa del Rey and La Liga, and Athletic makes football a particularly special and enjoyable experience here.

The sales are announced around this time in shops, boutiques and shopping malls. And the Christmas street markets appear.

Many cities lose their allure with the outbreak of bad weather.