Where to shop in Bilbao.

Bilbao is a great place for shopping and a way of exploring this fantastic city. Also, the biggest shops are situated in the centre so that you can wander at your leisure in a friendly and bustling environment.

In the Plaza Moyúa, you will find all the main shops such as H & M, Zara and Pull and Bear. In my opinion, living costs in Bilbao are relatively low, and you are sure to find something to suit every budget. We are a group of five French girls, and when we arrived in Bilbao, the first thing we did was check out the shops the city had to offer, especially Zara. We were pleasantly surprised by the prices, which were low in comparison to France. We also found that the shop assistants took their time to help customers individually, including foreigners who, like ourselves, did not speak Spanish very well.

Another interesting area for shopping in Bilbao is Casco Viejo, the Old Town, situated in the city centre, where there is a mixture of leading brands and independent small shops available. This picturesque area has plenty of character with its labyrinth of meandering medieval streets and historical charm. Also, with its countless bars and restaurants it is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat and sample the famous pinchos ( traditional Basque tapas).


On the Gran Vía, you can also find El Corte Inglés, a Spanish department store similarly to Galeries Lafayette in France. This store, covering ten floors, is particularly large, and you can be sure to find whatever you need, from perfume and beauty products to clothes and jewellery.

The shopping centres in Bilbao are open from 9am until 9pm, (apart from Ballonti, which closes at 10pm, and the bars and restaurants stay open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays,) although smaller shops tend to close at 2pm for siesta, and normally do not re-open until 4.30pm. Because of this, areas such as Casco Viejo can be very peaceful at this time of day. Instead, these shops will stay open until 8 or 9pm in the evening, however, we must remember that on Sundays, everything is closed, even the larger shopping centres, although bars and restaurants are always open.

If you enjoying shopping, Bilbao certainly has a lot to offer.


Petrius Patricia.
Translated by Joanne Learmonth