Bilbao, Spain — Shopping
Shopping in Bilbao, Spain
The beauty of shopping in Bilbao is that as well as having all the major chain shops, it is packed with unique boutique stores for that special something.
Markets
Bilbao's Old Town is home to the largest covered city market in Europe (10,000 sq m/108,000 sq ft). In 1990, the Riverside Market event entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most complete city market in the world, since it has the highest number of stalls and shopkeepers. The market has nearly 200 shops on three floors.
Shopping centers
Central Bilbao, on the other side of the river, offers high street shopping and big department stores. Zubiarte, Calle Lehendakari Leizaola 2, is a shopping center in which exclusive design and avant-garde architecture blend to great effect. The center has 70 shops on four different levels and is great for clothes and footwear.
Key areas
In the Ensanche and Old Town areas there are shops selling the best from national and international fashion designers. The Old Town offers a bustling combination of pedestrianized streets, historical monuments, cultural institutions and over 800 shops selling everything from handicrafts to designer clothes.
Basque craft items, from pottery and crystal to leather products and traditional furniture, are available from many shops. Basandare, Calle Iparraguirre 4, near the Guggenheim Museum, is a good option.
Shopping hours
Shops in Bilbao are open from 1000 to 1330 and from 1700 to 2000. Many shops are open on Saturdays. Shopping centers are open from 1000 to 2100.
Tax information
Visitors from outside the EU are entitled to tax refunds on purchases of over €90. Look for the signs that say ‘Global Refund TAX FREE SHOPPING’ and ask for your ‘GLOBAL REFUND CHEQUE’ after you have paid. Validate your check at customs when you leave the EU and exchange your validated check at any International Cash Refund Office in the world.
