I'm planning a trip to either Bilbao or San Sebastian for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day 2025/26. Can you recommend which city might be better for celebrations and activities during this time? Additionally, what tourist attractions and restaurants are likely to be open during the holidays? Thank you
Posted by
Bilbao
914 posts
Bilbao is bigger than Donostia-San Sebastian (350,000h vs 190,000h) so I would expect more activities on the first city. Our Christmas season end on January 7th, after Jan 6th, the Big Day for presents brought by the Three Wise Men or Three Magic Kings (huge parades on Jan 5th). So expect a very nice, family and fun atmosphere in both cities, maybe more in Bilbao, but lots of actitivies to enjoy our long festivities. Bars and restaurants will close around 9pm on NYEve and many will reopen at 1am for the loooong night that follows with celebrations, much calmer on NYDay but many places open for the "aperitivo" on the morning until 3pm, our lunch time (the biggest meal of the day in Spain, not dinner).