Legends of Bilbao

Bilbao is a city that offers a great deal to visitors, with many nooks and crannies to discover. If you are adventurous with an interest in history and legends, Bilbao is the place for you. In various parts of Bilbao and its surroundings, you can still find remnants and tributes to legends passed down through generations.

Students at our school have the opportunity to attend cultural activities alongside their Spanish classes, which are free for everyone enrolled at Instituto Hemingway. As a centre of education for international students, we offer quite a lot more than language classes. To understand a people, one must look to its culture and way of life; Why not get to know Bilbao and dive deeper into its mysterious past?

One of the most iconic and attractive stories that is associated with the city is the legend of the Puente (bridge) de la Merced. It is said that, in the past, pairs of winged creatures have been spotted in what was a nearby wooded area which, nowadays, is the area of San Francisco. These beings are said to bring good fortune to people who are single, brushing against them as they flew past. To acknowledge this legend there are 8 pairs of statues along the Puente de la Merced which are attached to lanterns. If you touch the back or wings of one of these statues, the legend dictates that you will have good luck in your love life for the rest of your days!

Another curious legend surrounds the Plaza de Arriquibar. They say that for days on end in the past a woman, known as the Loca (Crazy Woman) de Arriquibar or the Loca del Sombrero (Hat), due to the extravagant hats she was seen wearing. Her real name was Mercedes Lorenzo Sauto and she would always sit on the same bench in the Plaza, feeding the birds, knitting and sometimes crying as a result of a break up from her fiancée. She worked with her fiancée, however, he chose to marry another. In fact, it is said that the song “La llamaban loca” (They called her crazy) by a band from Bilbao was born out of this legend.

Furthermore, the marvellous Fiesta of Bilbao is also of somewhat legendary status. The Fiesta is linked with the tale of a prominent artist from Bilbao; Don Juán. Despite his attempts to appear part of the aristocratic class, he was actually rather poor. What he did have in his favour were legendary powers of seduction. One evening upon leading 2 ladies to a party of nobles in one of Bilbao´s neighbouring towns, he was denied entry due to the fact that he lacked an invitation. Instead, he and the two ladies decided they would create their own party and went on a tour of taverns in Bilbao, having a great night. According to the participants, it was the best party of all time and they began spreading the story of their night out. It is considered to be a largely fictional tale! Nevertheless, many Bilbaínos (people from Bilbao) subsequently claimed to have attended this legendary party.

You can also enjoy Fiestas today in nearby cities such as San Sebastián, Santander and Vitoria, as well as that of Santo Tomás in Bilbao. Regardless of how much truth here is in the initial legend, why not come to Bilbao and have your own legendary party!?

If you would like to get to know this city of legends, as well as discovering more of the Spanish language, studying one of our tailor made courses is a great way to start!

Please contact us at: info@institutohemingway.com