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Christmas in Bilbao Guide
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Enjoy our way of celebrating Christmas
MERRYBILBAO
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family Christm
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shots
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CONTENTS
Introduction 3
Useful Information 4
Musts 5
Traditions 11
Bilbao by Land, Sea and Air 14
Kutxabank Mendi Film Festival Bilbao 16
Cultural Agenda 18
•MarketsandFairs 18
• Exhibitions 18
• Concerts 22
• Jazz 24
• ClassicalMusic 25
• OperaandZarzuelaOperetta 27
• Dance 28
• BasqueDancesandBertsolarisStoryTelling 29
• Theatre,Musicals andCircus 29
• Puppets 32
• Sports 33
Festive Parties and Bibao Nightlife 34
Bizkaia 35
Christmas Carols 36
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MERRY BILBAO!InDecemberandatChristmas,Bilbao isallaboutmakingsurethatyour stay in thecity, yourleisureactivitiesandtimespentwith your family is filled withhappiness. Come and enjoythis Merry Bilbao that will besuretodelightandamazeyou,acitythatwillwarmlywelcomeyoutoitsstreetsbrimmingwithhistory, modern avenues andwhereyoucandiscoveritstra-ditionsandthefigurethatbestembodies the Christmas spirit:theOlentzero.
Have a merry time in Bilbaoat this time of the year that isaboutgettingtogether,celebra-tions,hope,goodwishes...visittheChristmasmarkets,immer-se yourself in our culturewitha pintxo (tapa) washed downwith a tixkito, a glass of wine.Enjoy thewarmwelcome, thegood food, first-rate shoppingandourtraditions.
ThisChristmas,haveyourselfaMerry Bilbao!
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USEFUL INFORMATION
Bilbao Turismo Offices Opening Hours
Ensanche Office
Weekdays:9.00a.m.to2.00p.m.and4.00p.m.to7.30p.m.Weekendsandpublicholidays:CLOSED9.00a.m.to2.00p.m.on24and31December
Guggenheim Office (Next to the Museum)
TuesdaytoFriday:11.00a.m.to6.00p.m.Saturdays:11.00a.m.to7.00p.m.Sundays:11.00a.m.to3.00p.m.6to9December:11.00a.m.to7.00p.m.CLOSEDeveryMonday,on25Decemberand1January
Arriaga Office (Ground floor of the Arriaga Theatre)
FromMondaytoFriday:11.00a.m.to2.00p.m.and5.00p.m.to7.30p.m.Saturdays:9.30a.m.to2.00p.m.and5.00p.m.to7.30p.m.Sundays:9.30a.m.to2.00p.m.6to9December:9.30a.m.to2.00p.m.and4.00p.m.to7.30p.m.24and31December:11.00a.m.to2.00p.m.CLOSEDon25Decemberand1January
www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo
Tel. 94 479 57 60
Bilbao Card
The Bilbao Card lets you usethe urban public transport ataspecialrate.Youwillalsogetsignificantdiscountsonguidedvisitsofthecity,touristbuses,atmuseums, leisureestablish-ments, shops, restaurants, forshowsandotherservices.
Family time
***Alltheactivitiesinthisleafletmaybesubjecttochange.***
TheBilbaoCardisavailablefor1,2or3days.It is available from the BilbaoTurismo offices or from thewebsite:www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo
Booking Centre
bilbaoreservas.comistheoffi-cial Bilbao Turismo service tomakeiteasyforvisitorstobookanytouristserviceinthecity.
www.bilbaoreservas.com
Tel.: 902 877 298
Shop Opening Hours
Christmasisclearlyoneofthebusiesttimesfortheretailtradein Bilbao. The shop windowsare beautifully decorated toshowcase theirbestproducts,creating a warm and wel-coming setting that is reallyworthexperienced.Visitors toBilbao can enjoy the atmos-phere and take some time toshop between 10.00 a.m. to1.30p.m.andfrom4.00p.m.to8.00p.m.Most shopsareclo-sed all day onChristmasDayandNewYear’sDay..
Telephone Numbers of Interest
Ertzaintza(BasqueNationalPolice(.SOS-Deiak:112
LocalPolice:092
BilbaoInternationalAirport:902404704
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MUSTSFollow our recommen-dations and discovereverything Bilbao hasto offer this Decemberand during the Christ-mas holidays. Activitiesto discover its history,traditions and architec-ture, outstanding andeye-catchingexhibitions,music, dance, etc. Hereare someofour“musts”to have amerry time inBilbao.
The “Light” of Christmas
Bilbao lights up for Christmasandthesparkling, twinklingandmagical lightscreatea realsea-sonalspirit.Itsstreetsaredecora-tedwith498,480state-of-the-artLEDS,alongwith25,000metresofmicro-bulbgarlandsand306of lit motifs. A real must is tostroll along the streets enjoyingthe Christmas lights, which are100%lowenergyconsumption.
Christmas Markets
Lights in every corner, crafts, ca-rol singing, typical products andthepleasureofshopping inade-lightful setting. That is what youwillfindattheChristmasmarkets.St. Thomas’s Market is themosttraditionaloneinBilbaoandthou-sandsofpeopleflocktothemarketon21Decembertoenjoythelocalculinarydelightsandthefestiveat-mosphere.Thismarketthatdatesbacktothe19thcenturyissetupinthePlazaNuevasquareandthestreetsoftheElArenaldistrict.
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ChristmasinBilbaoisalsothetimeoftwootherwell-knownevents:theBilbaoCraftFairandtheChristmasFleaMarket.
• CraftFair
This fair featuresawiderangeof products: ceramics, pain-ting, costume jewellery, sliverand glass jewellery, leather,glass, carved wood, textiles,toys, etc. Interesting work-shops,forexample,onfashiondesign, making furniture outof recycled cardboard, glassor silk-painting, are organisedalongside the fair. Musiciansperforminandoutsidetheve-nuethroughoutthefair.
Date:19Decemberto6January.
Venue:AlongsidetheArriagaTheatre.
Openinghours:11.00a.m.to2.00p.m.and5.00p.m.to9.00p.m.
CLOSEDon25Decemberand1January
11.00a.m.to2.00p.m.on6January
• ChristmasFleaMarket
This Flea Market has over 40stallswhereyoucanbuysea-sonal products:Christmas de-corations, small craft items,gifts,accessories,etc.
Date:8Decemberto6January.
Venue:CalleBailén
Time:9.00a.m.to11.00p.m.Excepton23Decemberand5January:9.00a.m.to2.00a.m.
The Delight of Christmas Shopping
“Goingshopping”inBilbaoispar-ticularly attractive at Christmas.Theshopwindowsaredecoratedwith great care and the mainshoppingareasarebustlingwithseasonal activity. Bilbao’s morethan7,000storesprepareexclu-sive promotions for Christmas,where you can find somethingspecial as a souvenir to takehomewithyouoratrulytastefulgift for your family and friends.The traders’ associations of thecityalsoorganiseawiderangeofactivities to capture and spreadtheChristmasspirit.
Furtherinformation:
www.bilbaodendak.net
Nativity Scenes in Bilbao
Nativity Scenes have long beenatraditioninBilbao.ThisChrist-mas, their assortment, size anddetailcanbeadmiredindifferentpartsoftheCity:
• Porch of the Church of San Nicolás de Bari
Date:1Decemberto6January
• Cloisters of Santiago Cathedral. Date:1Decemberto6January
• Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga Civic Centre
Date:14Decemberto6January
• MDiocesan Museum of Sacred Art:EThe“NativityScenesfromAroundtheWorld”exhibitionwillbeheldinthemuseum’scloisters.
Date:25Novemberto5January.
• Museum of Holy Week Procession Floats:ExhibitionofNativityScene,organisedbytheBizkaiaAssociationofNativitySceneMakersandtheGuildofPenitentialBrotherhoodsoftheCityofBilbao.
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Date:1Decemberto6January.CLOSEDonChristmasDayandNewYear’sDay.
CHRISTMAS PARADES: OLENTZERO AND THREE KINGSYetagainthisyear,theOlentzeroand Melchior, Gaspar andBalthazar will visit our city tobringtonsofseasonalexcitement.ThisChristmas,manynewfeatu-resandsurpriseshavebeenorga-nisedtowelcomeTheirMajestiesof theOrientandOlentzero,ourlovablecharcoal-maker.
This yearmore than ever, theseevents are realmusts not to bemissed.
Olentzero
23 December. OlentzerocomestoBilbao.
TheOlentzero, themagical cha-racterwhobringsgiftstoBasquehomes,ridesintothecapitalonahugePottoka–abreedofhorsenativetotheBasqueCountry.Heisaccompaniedbyhisentourage:
his partner, Mari Domingi, andBasajaunmountedonalargegoo-seandLamia–anothercharacterfromBasquemythology-andthegalzagorris-elvesinredtrousers-onboardahugetricycle.
Olentzeroappearsasifbymagicon the Gran Via at 7 p.m. andthe parade then moves on tothe Arriaga Theatre, where hespendsthenight.
24 December. Olentzeromeetsthe children at Arriaga Theatrefrom11.00a.m.to2.00p.m.
After a good night’s sleep andfeelingrefreshed,OlentzeroandMari Domingi spend the mor-
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ning meeting and listening tothewishesoftheboysandgirlsthatcometotheArriagaTheatre.Then, in theafternoon, theysetoff around BIlbao’s neighbou-rhoods to continue spreadingexcitement.
The Three King’s Parade
5 January
6.00 p.m. The parade sets offfromthejunctionwhereGranVíameetsMaríaDíazdeHaro.
Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazarsweep into Bilbao in a specta-cularparadeburstingwith light,sound and colour. This year,Their Majesties will make theirway along the Gran Via to theTownHall.
8.15 p.m. Meeting the childrenintheArabRoom:Theyoungestmembers of the family can visittheArabRoomtodelivertheirlet-terswiththeirwishesanddreams.
First Christmas Conference
On 14 and 15December, Bilbaowill host the First ChristmasConference thatwill feature themaincharactersfromaroundtheworldof thismagicalseason.As
theguestsofOlentzeroandMariDomingi, and Mrs. Claus fromtheNorthPole,St.NicholasfromCentral Europe, Befana - Italy’sChristmasWitch,DedMorozandSnegutchkafromRussia,DunCheLao Ben from China, ApalpadorfromGaliciaandTioNadal(UncleChristmas) from Catalonia willvisit the capital of Bizkaia. TheywillallbewelcomedbytheMayorofBilbao,IñakiAzkuna.Thechil-drenwillalsohavethechancetohandintheirChristmaslettersatAlhóndigaBilbao.
PIN - Kids’ Christmas Park
ChildrenaresuretohaveafuntimewhentheyvisittheKids’ChristmasPark,whichhasbecomearealtraditionontheChristmascalendar,intheBilbaoExhibitionCentrepavi-lions,whichwillbehometoa
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broadandvariedprogrammeofentertainment,funandleisureactivities.Thisyear’seventwillofferanoutstandingselectionofgames,sportingactivities,work-shopsandthetraditionalstalls.
Date:15Decemberto5January.
Ice Rink
Thisyear, theLaCasillaPavilionhasbeenturnedintoaicepalacewhereyoucanhavefunskating.
Date:5Decemberto13January.
Venue:LaCasillaPavilion.
Openinghours:
5to9December.14to16December.20to23December.26to30December.2to6January.11to13January.10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.and 3.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.
10to13December.17to19December.7to10January.5.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.
24and31December:10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.and 3.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.
25December.10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.and 5.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.
1January.5.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.
New Year’s Concert
Inspiredbythetraditionalmusi-calhighlightinViennaeachyear,theNewYear’s Concert returnsafter the success of previousyearswithanattractiveselectionof the best waltzes, polkas andmarchesbytheAustriancompo-ser,JohannStrauss.
The Strauss Festival Orchestrawillplaysuchwell-knownpiecesby the composer known as theWaltzKingasNapoleon,FantasyFlowers,KlippKlapp,theEmperorWaltz or Champagne. And ofcourse, theywill play themostfamous waltz of all, the BlueDanube,andtheRadetzkyMarch,
whichwillroundofftheeveningastheaudienceclapsalong.
Date:1JanuaryVenue:EuskaldunaConcertHallTime:8.00p.m.
Choral Music
On Friday 14 and Saturday 15December, you will be able toenjoy live choral music right inthe heart of the shopping cen-tre of Bilbao. A dozen of choralgroups, which are deep-rootedin the traditions of the BasqueCountries,andmusicalensemblesfromBilbaofeaturingsaxophones,flutes, txistu, albokas and trikitixabrightenupthestreetstoentertainthepeopleastheygoabouttheirChristmasshoppinginthecity.
Dantza Plazetan 2012 Programme
It isoneof themost acclaimedculturalprogrammesinBilbao.ItaimstoshowcaseBasquepopu-lar folklore by organising pilgri-mages, danceperformanceandstreetentertainments.
• BetiJaiAliaGroup
Date:24December. Venue:PlazaAitaDonosti
square Time:7.00p.m.
• SalbatzaileDantzaTaldea
Date:29December. Venue:PlazaSantiagosquare Time:8.00p.m.
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• OndalanErraldoienKonpartsa Date:31December. Venue:Luzarra(Giantsonstilts) Time:11.30a.m.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. “Egon Schiele”. “Claus Oldenburg. The Sixties”
TheGuggenheimMuseumishos-tingthe“Egon Schiele”exhibition,a comprehensive approach tothegreatAustrianExpressionist’s
universe, through a selection ofdrawingsandwatercolours fromthe Albertina, Vienna. The exhi-bition featuresnearly ahundredworksthattracethestylisticevo-lutionoftheartist.
“Claus Oldenburg. The Sixties”. This is the largest exhibition co-vering the early ground-breakingand iconic work from the Sixties
of Claus Oldenburg, one of themost influentialfigures in thede-velopmentofart since theFifties.Oldenburgisnotonlyafundamen-talfigure inpopart,performanceandinstallation,buthislarge-scaleprojectshavealsogreatlyinfluenceartforpublicspaces.
Fine Arts Museum. Fernando Botero
Underthetitle“Fernando Botero. Celebration”,theMuseumofFineArtsishostingananthologicalex-hibitionofthisColombianartist.Itbringstogethereightyworkspro-ducedinthelastsixty-fiveyears,themajorityofwhicharefromhisprivatecollection.Itisaseriesofvigorous compositions, opulentformsandexuberantcoloursthatcelebratethegreatBotero’sparti-cularvisionofpainting.
Durango Basque Record and Book Fair
Thisfree-entryeventandopentothegeneralpublicisabenchmarkofBasqueculture.Thefairfeatu-respublishers,distributors,recordcompanies and cultural institu-tions and agents whose worksare in Basque orwhich addressBasqueissuesinanylanguage.
Date:6to9December2012
Venue:LandakoErakustazokadeDurango
Openinghours:10.30a.m.to8.00p.m.
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Olentzero
TheOlentzeroisundeniablythemain figure ofChristmas in theBasque Country. His name co-mes from the expression Onenzaro, which in Basque meansgoodera,abountifultime.Eachwinter,thischarcoalmaker,withhis big belly and beard, comesdownthemountainsidetobringthe presents that the childrenofBilbaohaveaskedfor intheirletters. This character is todayaccompaniedbyhis friendMariDomingi and different figu-res from Basque mythology,including the Lamia and the
Galtzagorrielves.Theentourageof theOlentzeromakes itswaythrough thestreetsandsquaresof Bilbao followed by the othermembersoftheparadewhoco-llect thechildren’s letters to thesoundoftraditionalcarols.
The Bread Ritual
EDuring the Christmas Evedinner on 24 December, somehomescontinue toperform theritual of the bread, which con-sistsofblessingthisfoodbyma-kingthesigningofthecrosswithaknife.Apieceisthencutoffandthepeoplecrossthemselveswithit.Thistipoftheloafiskeptuntilthenext year.According topo-pularbelief,ithasbeneficialpro-
TheChristmas festivitiesarepartof the ritualce-lebrations to mark thewinter solstice. Eventhough the passing oftime has meant thatsomecustomsnolongerhave their original role,someritualsstillcarryonbut have been adaptedtothepresent.
TRADI -TIONS
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perties. During the dinner, theysing carols and songs such as“Ator,ator”,“HorraMariDomingi”,“Mesiassarritan”andthenthefa-milyplayscards.
New Year’s Eve Singing
Asregardsthecelebrationson31December and 1 January, NewYear’s Eve andNewYear’s Day,an ancient song is sung duringthe dinner tomark the passingfromoneyeartoanother.:
New new yearTheonethathastotheonewithnothingIhavenothingandformePig’searNew new yearTheonewhohastotheonewithnothing
Ihavenothingandforme
Pig’sear
Up Mount Gorbea
On 1 January,itisusualtohavehot chocolate for breakfast.Another tradition dating backmanyyearsistoclimbupMountGorbeaonthemorningofNewYear’sDay,whichattracts thou-sandsofpeopleinBizkaia.
Typical dishes and Sweets at Christmas
In the past, themajority of thefood eaten at Christmas camefrom the local farmsteads, andincluded pork, cured beef, eggs,poultry, nuts, honey, freshly-baked bread and vegetables,particularly,cabbage,etc.Peoplealsoalwaysboughtspecialtreatsto celebrate these dates, funda-mentally, fish and sweets, foodthatdidnotcomefromthefarms.
Sometypicaldisheswerecabbagewithoil,cod,breamandsnailsintomatosauce,foodthatcouldbeeatenwhen keeping vigil. As re-gardsthedesserts,theintxaursalsa(a walnut cream) and compotewerethesweetsparexcellence.
Nowadays, these products areusuallymixedindisheswithothermoremodern tastes and turrón
(nougat), polvorones (almondcookies) and marizpan featureamongthedesserts.Today’sme-nusfeaturetastydishessuchas:
• Fresh Chorizo dishes withsnailsorsaltcod.
• Greensauceforanyofthecutsof hake, from the Kokotxa orcheekstothetail.
• Treatsfromthevegetablegar-den: Cauliflowers and sproutswith garnishes from the St.Martinpigslaughter.
• Seafood always boiled inseawater.
• Christmas soup, seafood con-sommésandfarmstocks.
• St. Thomas capon with bitterrocketsalad.
“Turrón de Soconusco” nougat.
Particularly chocolate, whitepraline, toasted praline, truffleand coated with chocolate.Theseare thebasic ingredientstraditionallyusedtoprepare“Tu-rróndeSokonusko”nougat.Theoriginofthisnougatisamixofhistory and legend. The storygoesthatatthebeginningofthe17thcentury,amanfromBizkaiacalledIñigoUrrutisetofftotheNewWorldtomakehisfortuneand to search for themythical“El Dorado”, but he found so-mething much sweeter on hisjourney, the cocoa tree. Thewise Urrutia saw a good busi-nessopportunityandaftertrave-llingthroughdifferentprovinces,hereachedSantaAnadeSoco-nusco, on the border betweenMexico and Guatemala, wherehe came across the native co-coaofthatzonethathebroughtbacktothebakerythathisfamilyraninBilbao.
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St. Thomas’s Market
On 21 December, the streetsaround the PlazaNueva squareandElArenalbecomethelargestshowcaseof localfarmproduceandmeatproductsThousandsofpeopleflocktheretotrythelocalproductsand,aboveall, thetra-ditional talo cornflatbreadwithchorizo sausageand the txakoliwine. Another fundamentalingredient is the festive atmos-pherethankstothestreetenter-tainersandBasquemusicplayinginthebackground.
Thismarketwasfirstheldinthe19th century. At that time, thetenants from the Bizkaia farm-steadsusedtocometoBilbaoon21stDecembertopaytheownersofthefarms,mostofwhomlivedinthecity, therent for theyear.Apartfrommoney,thebaserrita-rrasorfarmersbroughtalongthebestproductsfromthelandtheyworked:vegetables,cheese,fruit,txakoliwine,cider,taloflatbread,homemade bread, honey, ani-mals,plantsandflowers.
La Ribera Market
The recently refurbished LaRiberaMarket, a temple to gas-tronomy on the banks of theriverestuary, isanothermust inthesearchforsucculentfood.Itis a retail flagship for thewho-le of Bizkaia. In the run-up toChristmas, thousands of peo-pleflock there toshopwith theguaranteethattheywillfindthebestofthebestbeingsoldatthemarket.
www.mercadodelaribera.net
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BILBAO by Land, Sea and AirYou just have to choosethe bestway to discoverBilbao and the one youprefer.Wehavecomeupwithdifferentwaystovi-sitthecitythatcaptureitsessence and history. Byland,seaandair,differentandspectacularperspec-tivesofaBilbaobrimmingwithhistoryandspotstobephotographed.
Guided Walking Tours
DiscoverBilbaoanditsChristmastraditionsasaprofessionalguidetakesyouaroundtwoareasthatcapture the seasonal feelof thecity:theCascoViejo[OldTown]andEnsanche-Abandoibarra.
Saturdays and Sundays:CascoViejoat10.00a.m.andEnsan-che-Abandoibarraat12.00noon.
6 to 9 December, everyday: CascoViejoat10.00a.m.andEnsanche-Abandoibarraat12.00noon.
26 and 28 December:Ensanche-Abandoibarraat12.00noon.
27 December:CascoViejoat10.00a.m.
6 January:Therewillbenovisits.
Forfurtherinformationandpri-ces,call94 479 57 60
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Departures every 15 minutesfrom7.15a.m.to10.00p.m.Service on Sundays and PublicHolidaysfrom:8.15a.m.Service.on24and31Decemberstopsat.9.00p.m.25Decemberand1January:9.15a.m. to2.30p.m.and14.30p.m.to10.00p.m.
Sailing through Bilbao
LearnaboutthehistoryofBilbaoinaculturalboat tripdown theriver estuary. This is an oppor-tunitytoenjoyadelightfulboattrip on amodern vessel as youseethecityfromadifferentanglefromthewaterasyousailalong.
Tel.:946424157and 644 442 055
DailySailingthroughBilbao(1hourtrip)
Departures:1.00p.m.,4.00p.m.,5.30p.m.
SaturdaysandSundays:OfftoSea(2hourtrip)
Departuretime:10.30p.m.
Noserviceon24,25,31Decem-berand1and6January
www.bilboats.com
Visit to the City Hall and the Ibaigane Palace
Learn everything there is toknowabouttwoiconicbuildingsofBilbao:TheCityHalland theIbaiganePalace,officialhometoBilbao’s Athletic Football Club.During the visit to the city hall,you will be able to visit roomssuch as the spectacular ArabRoomortheAssemblyHall.Thevisit to the Ibaigane Palacewillbeanopportunity tovisit a keybuildingintheNeo-Basquestyle.
The visits are organised at11.00 a.m. on every Sunday inDecember. Tickets are availablefrom the Bilbao Turismo Officelocated in the ground-floor oftheArriagaTheatre.
For further informationandpri-ces,call94 479 57 60
Tourist Bus
A comfortable way to see thecityfromadifferentperspective.BilbaoTouristTourBusoffersyouacomprehensiveandprivilegedviewofthecapitalofBizkaia.
Thetouristbusrunsuntil31De-cemberatthefollowingtimes:
6,7and8December:11.00a.m.–12.00noon–1.00p.m.–3.00p.m.and4.00p.m.
Restofthemonth:11.00a.m.–12.00noonand1.00p.m.
NoserviceonTuesdays.
Departuretime:AlamedaMaza-rredo(OppositeNo.67)
www.busturistikoa.com
Panoramic View of the City
One of the best panoramicviewsofBilbao is from the topof Mount Artxanda, which isreachedinthefunicularrailwaythat came into service in 1915.Youcanseeallthearchitecturallandmarks of the city and thewindingriverestuarybelow.Itisalsoanidealspottoenjoybeingoutdoors,dosomesportoren-joyatraditionaldish.
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KUTXABANK MENDI FILM FESTIVAL BILBAO
Kutxabank Mendi Film Festival Bilbao
14 to 23 December
The V Kuxtabank InternationalMendiMountain Film Festival iscomingtoBilbao:amagnificentopportunity to enjoy the bestfilmsonmountains.
Kutxabank Mendi Film Festivalseekstodisseminatethemoun-tain culture that it showcasesfrom different aspects: films,literature,photographyandmu-sicunderpinnedbythevaluesofrespectingtheenvironmentandthe spirit of improvement andteamwork.
ThisInternationalFestivalisakeyeventandmeetingpoint for the
bestfilmdirectorsandtheouts-tandingfiguresinthedifferentac-tivities,includingskiing,climbing,ethnography,extremesports,etc.Duringoneweek,thegeneralpu-blicwillbeabletoenjoythebestaudiovisualworksandfilmsmadesincelastJanuary.
Yet the festival also boasts pa-rallel activities: audiovisual andphotography courses, exhibi-tions,vertical theatre, slack line,amountainhiketoPagasarriandtreeplanting.
Bilbaowillbecomethecapitalofmountainculture.Comeandjoininthischallenge.
More information on the pro-grammedactivitiesat:
www.medifilmfestival.com
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Pagasarri
People who love the greatoutdoors have their own Christ-mas tradition. The hike to Paga-sarri isbeingorganisedyetagainthisyear.ThedatewiththeBilbao“txapela” on Sunday 23 Decem-ber on this occasion.Thousandsof people enjoy this mountainpilgrimage to enjoy nature andthemagnificent view from theseheightsoverthecapitalofBizkaia.
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CULTURALAGENDAYou will find hereeverything you need toorganiseyourleisuretime:Information, dates, ope-ninghours,etc.onall thesportandculturalactivitiesplanned for this monthand during the Christmasholidays.
MARKETS AND FAIRS
IV Bilbao Nativity Scene Markers’ Fair
TheBilbaoNativityScenecrafts-peopleandassociationswillsellitems andminiature figures foryou tomake yourownNativitySceneathome.
Date:Until9December.
Venue:ElArenal
Openinghours:10.00a.m.to2.00p.m.and5.00p.m.to9.00p.m.
XXXVI Desembalaje Antiques Fair
Furniture, paintings, sculptures,lamps,costumejewellery,gems,porcelain, items for collectors,garments, walking sticks, fieldtools,etc.,allofwhichhavetobeatleast40yearsold.
Date:15and16December:
Venue:BilbaoExhibitionCentre
Openinghours:10.00a.m. to8.00p.m.
EXHIBITIONSArealmustamongthewideva-rietyofculturalactivitiesavailableinBilbaoistovisitthemajorexhi-bitionsbeinghostedbythecity’smuseumsandexhibitioncentres.
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Bilbao Fine Arts Museum
www.museobilbao.com
The Bilbao Fine Arts Museumboasts a permanent collectioncovering from the 13th centuryto the present, with importantpaintings from the Spanish andFlemish schools, alongwith thebest collection of Basque ar-tists. It includesmajorworksbyMartín deVos, ElGreco, Ribera,Zurbaran, Murillo, Gentileschi,Goya, Sorolla, Cassatt,Gauguin,Zuloaga, Bacon, Chillida, TápiesandBarceló.TheMuseumisalsocurrentlyhostingtwotemporaryexhibitions:“Celebración”bytheLatin-American artist FernandoBotero and “Giovanni Battista Piranesi” with works by thismasterofengraving.
Guggenheim Bilbao Museum
www.guggenheim-bilbao.es
Themost important artists fromthe second half of the 20thcentury are showcased at theGuggenheim Museum Bilbao,including Eduardo Chillida,Richard Serra, Yves Klein, JeffKoons, Jenny Holzer or RichardLong.The temporaryexhibitionscurrentlybeingstagedalongsidethecollectionare“Egon Schiele”,Claus Oldenburg. “The Sixties”and“Inhabited Architecture”.AndtheyarealsoonatChristmas…
• TreasureHuntanddrawing Childrenaged3to12willneedto use their detective skillswhentheysetoffontheTrea-sureHuntattheMuseum.The-re is also a drawing and playarea designed specifically forthemintheatrium.
Date:17Decemberto6January.
Venue:AtriumandroomsoftheMuseum.
Openinghours:10.00a.m.to8.00p.m.
Alhóndiga Bilbao
www.alhondigabilbao.com
This former wine warehouse,whichwasrefurbishedandtrans-formed under thewatchful eyeof Philippe Starck, has becomeaninnovativecultureandrecrea-tionalcentre.Visititsexhibitions,be seduced by its spectacularspaces, wander around the 43columnsthatmakeupitscentral
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courtyard and enjoy the exce-llentprogrammeofactivities.
• ‘Project Bilbao’. Photographyexhibition that focuses on thegrassroots input as a drivingfactoroftheurbantransforma-tionoftheNewBilbao.
Date:Until13January2013
FreeEntry.
• GabonakArte
Activities forchildrenbetween5and12whichfocusonthedi-fferentarts(science,technolo-gy, architecture,dance,music,films,etc.).
Dates:26,27and28December2012, and 2, 3 and 4 January2013.
Openinghours:11.00a.m.to2.30p.m.and5.00p.m.to8.30p.m.
Diocesan Museum
www.eleizmuseoa.com
The Diocesan Museum is hos-tingtheVIII“NativityScenesfromAround the World” exhibition.Date:Until5January.
Venue:Museumcloisters
Time: Tuesday to Friday: 10.30a.m.to1.30p.m.and4.30p.m.to7.00p.m.
Sundays and public holidays:10.30a.m. to1.30p.m.OnMon-days, on 25 December and 1January:CLOSED
And it is running children’swork-shops for 5-9 year olds at Christ-mas.10.00a.m.to1.00p.m.on26to30Decemberand2to4January.
Furtherinformation:944320125
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Arkeologi Museoa Archaeological Museum
www.bizkaia.net/arkeologimuseoa
The permanent exhibition takesthevisitorsthroughthehistoryofBizkaiabymeansofthematerialsunearthed archaeological digs.The“Euskal Herria in the 5th to8thcenturies”exhibitionwillrununtilApril2013.
Family workshops: The Christ-masworkshopswillberunfrom11.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. from 26Decemberto4January.
Furtherinformation:[email protected]
Basque Museum
www.euskal-museo.org
BasedinaBaroque-stylebuildingintheCascoViejoorOldTownofBilbao,theexhibitionsofthismu-seumshowtheculturalandhisto-ricalevolutionofBasqueSociety.
Reproductions Museum
www.museoreproduccionesbilbao.org
Copies of the most importantsculptures down through theages are on show at this mu-seum. At Christmas, you canvisit the“Akropolis:Mito Biziak”,whichwilltakeyouthroughtheAcropolis as amythical and re-ligioussymbol,bymeansofthesculpturesbelongingtothemu-seumcollection,and“ZubizZubi”exhibitions.
Maritime Museum
www.museomaritimobilbao.org
Locatedinthedockareasoftheformer Euskalduna shipyards,in Abandoibarra, the MaritimeMuseum offers the followingprogramme:
• “Light Skin”. Central sculptureofthe“BilbaoGuggenheim++”exhibitionareaattheShanghaiWorldFair2010.
• “R.M.S.Titanic,HowitwasBuiltandWhyitSank”,“ACenturyofSurf” and “Memories of JoséRamón de la Rica: Vessels ofBasqueShippingCompanies”.
• Youcanalsovisitthe50-metrelongDutchSailingShip,“Merce-des”,atthemuseumdockuntilnextMarch.
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Athletic Club Museum
www.athletic-club.net
Situated in the heart of SanMamés Stadium, the museumshowcases the history of ourhundred-year-oldclubbymeansof the kit, flags, photographs,trophies,etc.TheentrancetotheMuseumalso includes aguidedvisit of the stadium (VIP lobby,boxes, press room, changingroom,benchesandstands).Thecurrent temporary exhibitionsare“ACenturyofStickers”,“2011-2012, a Season to Remember”and“50YearsofIribaratAthleticClub”.
CONCERTS
Fito & Fitipaldis Concert
On this tour, Fito and Fitipaldiscreates a cosier andmore inti-mate atmosphere. During theconcert, theband ledbyAdolfoCabrales,Fito, fromBilbaoplayshis best knownhits, alongwithsongsthatdonotregularlyfeatu-reinhisrepertorythathavebeenrecoveredforthisoccasion.
Date:6,7and8December:
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Times: 6 December: 8.30 p.m 7and8December:9.00p.m.
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Music Legends Series. Jorma Kaukonen with Barry Mitterhoff
JormaKaukonnenisconsideredaleadingperformerandmasteroffingerstyleguitar.Jormagetshisinspiration from the most livelyand energetic rock on the cu-rrentsceneandfromthetraditionof the Blues and American folkmusic.
Date:11December.
Venue:SalaBBK
Time:8.00p.m.
Mónica Molina
MónicaMolinashowcasesherla-testrecordingwork,“MarBlanca”,inmemoryofherfather,AntonioMolina,alegendofSpanishmu-sicandcoincidingwiththe20thanniversaryofhisdeath.
Date:13December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre,TheatreRoom
Time:8.30p.m.
Els Amics de les Arts
Coming under the so-calledCatalanfolkpop,theirsongsaresmalleverydaystoriesproducedwithsimplemelodies,with tou-ches of electronics, puns and agreatdealofirony.
Date:13December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatreCúpulaRoom.
Time:8.30p.m.
Mamba Beat
MAMABEATwassetupinBilbaoin2006andfeaturestheelectro-nicrhythm.
Date:14December.
Venue:AlhóndigaBilbaoatrium
Time:8.00p.m.
FreeEntry.
Musiketan series. Tom Russell
Tom Russell is a master of thenarrativeandMesabi,hisnewal-bum,featuressomeofthemostacclaimedandirresistiblestoriesofthissinger-songwritersofar.
Date:16December.
Venue:SalaBBK
Time:8.00p.m.
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Tontxu
In thisconcert,Tontxuwillper-form a selection of the songsthatherecordedonhis8recordsreleasedsince1997.Someofhisteachersandfriendsofhisyouthwill be here to support him onsucha specialday.Theconcertopens with Kepa Junkera withhis magical Trikitixa (Basqueaccordion).
Date:17December.Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatreTime:8.00p.m.
Mikel Urdangarín
Mikel Urdangarin, the Basquesinger-songwriter,hasproducedarecordthatoozesautumn,withanunpublished format and a soundthathasneverbeenheardbefore.Date:6JanuaryVenue:ArriagaTheatreTime:7.00p.m.
Niña Pastori
Niña Pastori returns to the stageafterhertimeawaytohaveachildinher“YaNoQuieroSer” tour. Inthis show, the singer from Cadizperformsherpasthitsalongwithsomebrandnewnumbers,suchastheonethatthetouriscalledafter.
Date:16December.Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatreTime:7.00p.m.
JAZZ
Arturo Stable 4tet.Date:6December.Venue:BilbaínajazzclubTime:10.00p.m.
Kasper Tranberg Trio
Date:13December.Venue:BilbaínaJazzClub
Time:10.00p.m.
Jam Session
Date:20December.Venue:HikaAteneoTime:7.30p.m.
New Year’s Super Jam SessionDate:26December.Venue:BilbaínaJazzClubTime:10.00p.m.
Bilborock
This former church, which hasbeenrefurbishedforculturalacti-vities,islocatedrightintheheartofthecity’soldtown.Itputsona varied programme for peopleof all ages: concerts, children’sactivities,ballet,etc.
www.bilbao.net
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CLASSICAL MUSIC
Bilbao Municipal Band
The oboe player sponsored byYamaha, Roberto Turlo Bernau,who has performed with mu-sicians of the ilk of AlfredoKraus, Teresa Berganza, PlácidoDomingo, Joaquín Achúcarroor Mstislav Rostropovich, herechangesregistertosharethesta-gewiththeArabdancer,NesmaSabatinanewconcertbyBilbaoMunicipalBand.Date:2December.Venue:12.00noonTime:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
“Handel’s Messiah” participative concert
Date:5December.
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:20.00p.m.
BOS - Bilbao Symphony Orchestra Chamber Concert
Theorchestrawillplaypiecesby:G. Bottesini, G. Rossini and M. GlinkaDate:10December.Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.Time:8.00p.m.
Our Lady of Begoña Basilica Christmas Concert
Invitations from the Bilbao 700Foundation.Limitedcapacity.Date:14December.Venue:OurLadyofBegoñaBasilicaTime:8.00p.m.
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BOS - Bilbao Symphony Orchestra Concert
With Mateusz Borowiak on thepianoandconductedbyGünterNeuhold, theorchestrawillper-formthefollowingworks:
W.A. Mozart, S. Rachmaninov and W.A. Mozart.
Date:13and14December:
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:8.00p.m.
Bilbao Municipal Band
Conducted by Mark Whitlock.This renowned musician hasconducted someof the leadingbandsof theUnitedNationsonnumerousoccasions.
Date:16December.
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:12.00noon.
Bilbao Municipal Band’s Christmas Concert
Date:19December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:7.00p,m,.
Bilbao Symphony Orchestra Concert
Date:20and21December:
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:8.00p,m,.
“Kantika de Leioa” Choir and Bilbao Municipal Txistularis Accordion Band
Date:20December.
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:8.00p,m,.
Bilbao Sings at Christmas
The San Antonio de IralabarriChoir performs this concertas part of the “Bilbao Sings atChristmas”series.
Date:21December.
Venue: Arteria Campos EliseosTheatre
Time:8.00p,m,.
Christmas Choral Concerts
At Christmas, many churchesin Bilbao host traditional choralconcerts:
ChurchofSanAntón(CascoViejo)at7.30p.m.on14December
29
ChurchofLaEncarnación(Atxuri)at8.15p.m.on14December
ElCarmeloChurch(Santutxu)at8.30p.m.on15December
ChurchofOurLadyofElRosario(Rekalde)at8.30p.m.on20DecemberQuintaParroquiaparishchurch(Abando)at7.30p.m.on21December
ChurchofLaInmaculada(Basurto)at7.30p.m.on22December
SanPedroChurch(Deusto)at8.00p.m.on27December
ResidenciaPadresJesuitasChurch(Abando)at7.30p.m.on28December
ElSalvadorChurch(Castaños)at8.00p.m.on29December
OPERA AND ZARZUELA OPERETTA
Król Roger by K. Szymanowski
Date:3December.
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:8.00p,m,.
“La Tabernera del Puerto” Zarzuela
Date:14and15December:
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:7.30p,m,.
“Cuartito Lírico”: Programme of French music
Date:17December.Venue:ArriagaTheatreFoyerTime:8.00p,m,.
International Opera Gala
This performance features threeleadingsoloistsfromthebestandmost renowned theatres in theworld, New York’s Metropolitan,Venice’s Fenice Theatre, Milan’sScalaandVerona’sArena,accom-paniedbythepianistItziarBarredo.
Date:22December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:8.30p,m,.
XII Tribute to Alfredo Kraus Charity Concert
Orfeón Donostiarra and OrfeónTxiki, the soprano ItziarMartínezGaldósandtheBilbaoSymphonyOrchestrawillperformatthetribu-tetothegreattenorAlfredoKraus.
Date:30December.
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:7.00p,m,.
A Christmas Carol -Abao Txiki
Thisoperaissuitableforchildren4 years and older. Based onDickens’spopularstory,ittellsthestoryofthemiserlyMr.Scroogewhobecomesakindandgene-rousmanonecoldChristmas.
Date:3to5January.
Venue:ArriagaTheatre
Time:At12.00noonandon7.00p.m.on3and4January
12.00noonon5January
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DANCE
The Invisible Woman
Date:2December.
Venue:LaFundición
Time:7.00p,m,.
Swan Lake
“SwanLake” isconsidered tobethe most spectacular classicalballetwithaplotbrimmingwithromanceandbeauty.
Date:4December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:8.00p,m,.
The Nut-Cracker
A Christmas classic. This workbyTchaikovskysweepsusawayto a kingdom of fantasy andimagination.
Date:5and6December:
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:8.00p.m.on5December
7.00p.m.on6December
Swan Lake
TheCrown of Russian Ballet ofMoscow performs this uniquework and captures the essenceandthebeautyofthestoryandthe harmony of Tchaikovsky’smusic.
Date:22December.
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:8.00p,m.
The Nut-Cracker
Thismovingfairytaleballetcrea-ted by Tchaikovsky has beco-meaclassic anda realmust atChristmas.
Date:25December.
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:8.00p,m.
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Mayumana: Racconto
Unique show, brimming withrhythm,movement,poetry,tech-nologyandhumourthatcombi-nes thebest that thegrouphascreatedovertheyears.
Date:22to30December.
Venue:ArriagaTheatre
Time:
6.00p.m.and9.00p.m.on22,26,28and29December
5.00and8.00p.m.on22and30December
8.00p.m.on27December
BASQUE DANCES AND BERTSOLARIS STORY TELLING
Argia and Juan Antonio Urbeltz: “Besta Berri”
ThisperformanceshowcasestheBestaberritraditionaldances,theLapurdi and Baja-Nabarra pro-cessions; theAurreskuof JorgeOteiza’sApostlesandaChristiansand Turks Pastoral inspired bySouletinpopulartheatre.
Date:2December.
Venue:ArriagaTheatre.
Time:7.00p,m.
Bertsolaris Story Telling Bizkaia Championship
Liveperformanceofoneoftheol-desttraditionsofBasqueculture.
Date:15December.
Venue:BilbaoArena
Time:5.30p,m.
THEATRES, MUSICALES AND CIRCUS
The Beauty and
the Beast
Impressive scenery, dazzlingcostumes and real-life fairytalecharacters make this a uniqueshow, brimming with imagina-tion,fantasyandemotion,whichimmersedtheaudienceintothemostromanticandmagicalstoryevertold.
Date:7to19December:
Venue:ArriagaTheatre.
Time:
5.00p.m.and9.00p.m.on7,8,14and15December
4.00and8.00p.m.on9and16December
8.00p.m.on11,12,13,18and19December
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Little Red Riding Hood, the Musical Tale of the Red Cape
The discovery of a red cape ishere the simple plot that is thestarting point for this new ver-sion of the popular children’sstory,LittleRedRidingHood.
Date:8and9December:
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Openinghours:5.00p.m.and7.30p.m.on8December
5.00p.m.on9December
The Guardian of the Tales
Fantasystorywherea librarian istaken throughour favourite talesinthesearchforamysteriousfairy.
Date:9December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:12.30p.m.and5.30p.m.
“San Lorenzo Mártir”
Date:15and16December:
Venue:LaFundición.
Time:8.00p.m.on15December
7.00p.m.on16December
www.lafundicion.org
Unfinished Business at Christmas
Agroupofneighbours,whohavebeenfriendsas longastheyre-member,arrangetoplayagameamong themselves. They willhave towrite threewishes thattheywant to come true duringthis festiveseasonandtheywillreadthematNewYear.Aperfectcomedyforthistimeofyear.
Date:23and26December:
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:6.00p.m.on23December
8.30p.m.on26December
Big Sister
Three nuns, a convent and asingle winner. A real realityshow when three nuns will doeverything possible to win thecontestandtobethebestnunintheconvent.
Date:26December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Mag Lari, Laughter and Magic
What can be better than ma-king people laugh and performmagic at the same time? Thisperformance,whichwill appealtoyoungandoldalike,willsur-priseandmakeyoulaughasyouwatchMagLari,thebestknownillusionistinourcountry.
Date:27December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:5.00p.m.and8.00p.m.
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Sensormen
Comedy,music,percussionanda dazzling staging of event arewhatthisshowoffers. Itcombi-nesYllana’sgestualhumourwiththe technological and rhythmi-cal performances of Bulbul, thepercussionist and multimediaperformer.
Date:28to30December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:8.00p.m.on28and29December
7.00p.m.on30December
The First Dog in the World
Asungfablethatwilldelightever-yonewho believes that animalscanbelovedandstealourhearts.
Date:2and3January
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:5.00p,m.
Peter Pan On Ice
A cast of twenty top-class ar-tists,withgenuineEuropeanandWorld skating championships,singers, acrobats and actors,bringtolifetheadventureoftheboythatrefusedtogrowup.
Date:28,29and30December
Venue:BilbaoArena
Time:5.00and7.30p.m.on28December
5.00and7.30p.m.on29Decem-ber
6.00p.m.on30December
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The Dog in the Manager
ThiscomedybyLopedeVegaisoneof thebest knownandac-claimed plays from the SpanishAgeofEnlightenment.
Date:2and3January
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:8.00p,m.
“Cantajuego, Cosquillas”
“Cosquillas” narrates the dreamoftheAdventurousFleatomakeeveryone laugh and spreadhappiness.
Date:4January
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:at4.30p.m.and7.00p.m.
Eoloh!
EOLOH! is a circus beyond theconventionalone.Trapezecho-reography, special effects withsnow, water, fire, the wind ofEOLOH!andalargevideoscree-ning. The 20 members of thecompany come from leadingcircuses such as the Cirque duSoleilorAfrika.
Date:6January
Venue:EuskaldunaConcertHall.
Time:at5.00p.m.and8.00p.m.
PUPPETS
My Uncle the Detective is Searching for the Mummy
Pedro Holmes and his nephewCarlitosWatsonsetofftolookfortheLostMummy. It isamarve-llousmystery story for childrenover 3. The Enigma of the LostMummy!
Date:2December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:1.30p.m.and5.30p.m.
Shadows of the World
Unique opportunity to travelthrough theage-oldeasternartof the shadow theatre, whichcombines the world of realityandfantasy,lightandshadow.
Date:16December.
Venue:ArteriaCamposEliseosTheatre
Time:12.30p.m.and5.30p.m.
Blue Bird
AnitaMaravillas takes you on athrillingadventurewithoutdialo-guesstarringtwoamazingreal-sizewoodenpuppets.
Date:Sunday23December
Venue:GuggenheimMuseumAuditorium
Time:12.30p.m.
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SPORTS
Football. Athletic Club
6 DecemberAthleticClub–SpartaPraga(9:05p.m.)
9 DecemberAthleticClub–Celta
22 DecemberAthleticClub-Zaragoza
Venue: SanMamés.More infor-mationonthematchesorchan-gestothecalendarat:
www.athletic-club.net
Basketball. Bizkaia Bilbao Basket
2 DecemberBizkaiaBilbaoBasket–AssigniaManresaTime:12.15p,m.
9 DecemberBizkaiaBilbaoBasket–CajasolTime:12.15p,m.
12 DecemberBizkaiaBilbaoBasket–Belga-comSpirou(Eurocup)Time:8.15p,m.
19 DecemberBizkaiaBilbaoBasket–UCAMMurciaTime:8.15p,m.
23 December.
BizkaiaBilbaoBasket–Blusens-MonbusTime:12.15p,m.
Venue:BilbaoArena(MiribillaSportsCentre)
Moreinformationaboutthematchesat: www.bilbaobasket.biz
OTHER SPORTS EVENTS
2 DecemberIIIBilbaoMountainHike
9 DecemberXVIIIRunforHealth
30 DecemberXVIIILasArenastoBilbaoRace
Furtherinformation: www.eventosbhm.com
***Alltheactivitiesinthisleafletmaybesubjecttochange***
36
FESTIVE PARTIES AND BILBAO NIGHTLIFEBilbao’s sky turns dark blue, the sinuous shadowsof theGuggenheim being to grow and a new pace begins tobefelt inthecity.NightfallsandBilbaoistheidealplaceto lingeroveradrink,enjoyacoffee,pintxos (tapas)andtxikitos(glassesofwine),andsoon.Enjoytheconservation,theculinaryheritage,livemusic,dancing,youwillfindsomuch to choose from in the different atmospheres andareasinthecity.
TryourfamousGinTonics.Theirpreparationisarealartandashowfor thepeoplewatching.And tryoneof themore innovative and sophisticated combinations. Enjoythearomasofbergamot,lime,liquorice...justhavefunandenjoythisgiftforthesenses.
AndatChristmas,donotmissoutonthepartiesthatthetophotels, restaurants,barsanddiscosorganisetomakesureyoureallyhaveaMerryBilbao!
Linksofinterest:
www.gintonicbilbao.com
Gayfriendlywww.revistablue.com
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BIZKAIABilbao is the capital ofBizkaia, a territory withmodern and innovati-ve amenities, with theirown character, designedtomeettheneedsofanytypeofvisitors.
Urdaibai and Gernika.TheUrdaibai Biosphere Reserve is auniqueplacewheremanhasma-nagedtorespectthebalancewithanexceptional landscapeofsea,beachandmountains.GernikaisthesymboliccitytheBasques,thecradleoftheirhistoricalfreedomsand rights and victim, 75 yearsago, of the air-raid that Picassoimmortalized to denounce hu-manbrutality.(40min.).
Markina, Lekeitio and Ondarroa. Lea-Artibai is themosteasternregionofBizkaiaandthe coast is dotted with fishingvillages of great beauty such asLekeitioandOndarroa.Markinaisastunningtownthatisthebirth-placeofcesta-punta,avarietyofBasquepelota.(45min.).
The Transporter Bridge, the Beaches and the Cliffs by Metro.TheMetrowillwhiskyoufromthecentreofBilbaotothebeacheswhereyoucanrelaxorsurfatGetxoorSoplena,clifftopstowalkalong...andyoucanalso take it to the TransporterBridge,aUNESCOWorldHeritageSite.(20min.).
The Urkiola and Gorbeia Natural Parks. The limes-tone landscape of the UrkiolaNatural Park is covered withbeech and oak forests betweenrugged landscapes. And withinclose reach, you can enjoy theculturalheritageintheoldtownsof Durango and Elorrio brim-mingwithhistory.GorbeiaisthemountainousgiantofBizkaiaanda popular destination for hikingandmountaineering.(40min.).
Enkarterriak.LasEncartacionesor Encartaciones in the west ofBizkaia is a zone that combineswildnaturewithvillagesofgreatbeauty such as Balmaseda. (30min).TheKarrantzaValleyishometogeologicaltreasuressuchasthePozalaguaCavesorplacesforanentertainingfamilytripsuchastheElKarpínanimalrecoverycentre.
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CHRISTMAS CAROLS
HORRA MARI DOMINGIHorraMariDomingibegirahorrigurekinnahiduelaBelenaetorri.
GurekinnahibaduzuBelenaetorriaterabeharkoduzugonazaharhori.
Hatoz!Hatoz!zurebilanenbilenni.Hatoz!Hatoz!zurebilanenbilenni.
Hatoz,goazen,adoradezagunBelenenjaiodenhaurederhorihaurederhori
Irrintzietapozaalgarabetihoribehardiñagugukelkarrekin.
PozezadoradezagunJesushaurhoriberakemandezagungaurzorionik.
OLENTZEROOlentzerojoanzaigumendiralaneraintentzioarekinikatzegitera.AdituduenianJesusjaiodelalasterkaetorridaberrionaematera.
Horra!Horra!GureOlentzero!Pipahortzetanduelaeseritadagokapoiakerebaditu
arraultzatxuakinbiharmeriendatzekobotilaardoakin.
InolazezinduguOlentzeroasebakarrikjandizkiguhamartxerrigazte.SaiheskitasolomomakinabatesteJesusjaiodaetaalaituzaitezte.
Horra!Horra!...
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:BizkaiaProvincialCouncil,EuskalMuseoa,KutxabankMendiFilmFestival,AitorElizegiandalltheculturalinstitutions,associationsandorganisationsthathelpedwiththistouristguide.
tel:944795760www.bilbao.net/bilbaoturismo