If you see a stout man with a soot-black face on Bilbao’s Christmas posters, that is Olentzero. He takes to the streets on the afternoon of 23 December, and it costs nothing to watch. Visitors who arrive on the evening of the 24th miss him by a day.
Who is Olentzero? Olentzero is the Basque charcoal burner who brings children their gifts on the night of 24 December, with the shepherdess Mari Domingi at his side. In Bilbao they parade on the afternoon of the 23rd, free to watch, from Plaza Moyua to the Arriaga Theatre, near Moyua and Abando metro stations.
Bilbao’s full programme for 2026 is still to come, so the times below are from the 2025 parade and show the usual shape.
Who Olentzero is, and which one fits your dates
Olentzero comes first and the Three Kings close the season, two weeks apart. Many Bilbao families keep both, so for a visitor it comes down to your dates. The Kings’ reception had 2,000 passes against his 1,500.
The story goes that he worked as a charcoal burner up in the hills and came down loaded with gifts. Mari Domingi is a shepherdess from a neighbouring farmhouse. Choirs in Basque towns sing his story on the evening of the 24th and, in some places, a dummy of him is burned after dark. A troupe of Galtzagorris, small helper characters, follows him through Bilbao. For the Three Kings parade, the route, the times and the sweets are all different.
What you will see, and where to stand
Pick Plaza Moyua for the balcony greeting or Plaza Arriaga for the music. The 2025 parade started at 17:30 with a wave from the balcony of the Hotel Carlton on Plaza Moyua. It then set off at 17:45, in the opposite direction to the usual traffic, and covered about 900 m along the Gran Vía in 45 minutes.
At 18:30 it reached the Arriaga Theatre for a musical show in the square. A final wave from the theatre balcony came at 19:00, and the goodbye at 19:15. That leaves you free for dinner, and the Christmas lights on the Gran Vía are on your way.
| Where | What happens | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Plaza Moyua | Balcony wave and start | Seeing the characters close up |
| Gran Vía | The parade passes | A quick look before dinner |
| Plaza Arriaga | Music and final wave | The show rather than the walk-past |
You do not need any Spanish or Basque to follow it: this is a street parade with music. A few words on the posters still help, and the Basque you will meet is explained in how to pronounce Basque names. Kalejira is the word for the parade, and Gabonak means Christmas.
How to get there when the tram stops
Take the metro, because the tram line is cut in the middle during the parade. On 23 December 2025 Euskotren ran no trams between Arriaga and Pío Baroja from about 16:00 to 21:00. Moyua station is 92 m from the plaza. Abando is 291 m from the theatre, and Casco Viejo is 269 m.
The cut is about the only thing that changes on that afternoon, and Euskotren confirms it each year on 944 333 333. The Bilbao metro and tram guide explains how the two networks meet, and the tram still reaches the Arriaga stop from the Bolueta side, 73 m from the theatre.
Do you need a ticket?
The street needs no ticket, and only the indoor reception needs a free pass. On the morning of 24 December, from 11:00 to 14:00, Olentzero and Mari Domingi sit in the Arriaga Theatre collecting letters. In 2025 there were 1,500 passes, opening on Monday 22 December at 10:00 on the Bilbao Kultura site, kulturabilbao.vivetix.com.
That is really one for families with children and a letter. Each booking required a Spanish ID number, with up to 3 passes per ID, so check whether your passport works before you plan around it. Outside the theatre, the same morning had a talo stall and face painting with no pass needed, which is the easier option for a passing visitor.
The reception also had sign-language interpreters, step-free access and direct entry for people with autism. In the street, two reserved spaces served people with disabilities: opposite the Diputación Foral from 16:30, and by the flag on Plaza Arriaga from 17:30.
Compared with the rest of Christmas week
A short trip around the 23rd can pick up two more events. The Santo Tomás fair fills El Arenal on Monday 21 December. On the 23rd itself, a Wednesday, the Basque Museum is free, and the Arriaga is a short walk from there. The Christmas in Bilbao calendar sets out what shuts each day after that.
Anyone landing on the 24th should head out by metro. Barakaldo paraded at 18:00 on the 24th in 2025, along Paseo de los Fueros, 109 m from Barakaldo station on line 2, with three floats. Portugalete went at 12:00 from Buenavista, 430 m from Peñota station. Those are last year’s times, and each town sets its own.
Who might skip it
If you have no children with you and only one free evening, the lights or a pintxo round may suit you better. Olentzero means standing in a December street for up to 1 hour and 45 minutes, and there is no seating to count on. The parade is at its best for families and for anyone curious about a Christmas that does not revolve around Santa.
Frequently asked questions about Olentzero
Who is Olentzero?
Olentzero is the charcoal burner of Basque tradition, who comes down from the mountains and brings gifts on the night of 24 December. Mari Domingi, a shepherdess, walks with him. Basque children write their letters to him, and Santa does not really feature in the local parades.
When is the Olentzero parade in Bilbao?
The Bilbao parade has been on the afternoon of 23 December, a Wednesday in 2026. In 2025 it left Plaza Moyua at 17:45 and reached Plaza Arriaga at 18:30. The 2026 time arrives with the city programme, so check the week before you go.
Can tourists go to the Olentzero parade?
Yes. The street parade in Bilbao is free and needs no ticket, so anyone can stand on the Gran Vía or at Plaza Arriaga. Only the indoor reception at the Arriaga Theatre on 24 December uses passes, and it is designed for children with letters.
Is Olentzero the same as Santa Claus?
No. Both bring gifts on the night of 24 December, but Olentzero is a Basque charcoal burner with a beret and a soot-smeared face. Many Basque families also keep the Three Kings on the night of 5 January, which has its own Bilbao parade.
Be in Bilbao on the 23rd and Olentzero is one of the few free Christmas events that could only happen here.