Best local produce, at the farmers’ market
All the towns and villages in Bizkaia hold markets where you can find the freshest in-season foods, right from local farmhouses.
Farming and livestock fairs are held all year round in Bizkaia.
They sell fresh vegetables like peppers or tomatoes, meat like pork or poultry, and artisan specialty foods like honey. Quality is guaranteed.
At these fairs you can browse the stalls, meet local producers and try the foods in a festive atmosphere where you can feel the presence of tradition and popular culture.
Gernika's Fair, Bermeo's Fish Market or many villages' Txakoli Day are some of the most popular not-to-be-missed attractions, not to mention the Durango Basque Book and Record Fair, our most important cultural fair.
The flavours will stay with you, coming to mind whenever you think of your trip to Bizkaia.
All things Basque
Basque people are unique: They speak a language of their own and stick to deeply-rooted traditions
There is always a food market or competition in Bizkaia, so you can come at any time of year. In Bilbao you will find La Ribera Market, next to the San Antón Bridge. Housed in a recently renovated building, it is the largest indoor food market in Europe.
On 21 December, feast of St Thomas, Bilbao draws thousands of people to the market stalls in the Arenal and Plaza Nueva, serving all kinds of typical foods: cheese, talo (corn tortilla) and chorizo, txakoli wine, cider… Beyond the capital, there are all kinds of markets and fairs across the region: farming, livestock, fishing, cheese, crafts…
In Gernika-Lumo there is a highly popular fair at Plaza del Mercado on Monday all year round. In it, local baserritarras (farmers) offer the best products from their gardens and farms in more than 350 stalls. The big event takes place in October: Last Monday in Gernika (Último Lunes de Octubre). In June, Urdaibai hosts Idiazabal Cheese and Txakoli Wine Day, so if you are interested in these two products from Bizkaia, you know where to go.
Bizkaia is a heaven for fish lovers. There are many places where you can have dishes prepared with fresh-off-the-boat catches. Bermeo holds its fish fair, Arrain Azoka, in May. And to wash the seafood down, have a glass of txakoli, Bizkaia’s wine. Many villages celebrate Txakoli Eguna (Txakoli Day) with special events: Gorliz, Lezama, Gernika-Lumo, Zalla…
Durangoko Azoka, a very special fair
In addition to farmers’ fairs, Bizkaia plays host to several cultural fairs, the most important being the Durango Basque Book and Record Fair, aka Durangoko Azoka, held in the first half of December.
It is the largest cultural fair in Euskadi, aimed as a showcase for Basque culture. It gathers over 100 stands from Basque publishing houses and record labels. It has so much to offer culture vultures that it has become a major meeting place for them, both Euskaldunes (Basque language speakers) and fans of everything Basque who cannot speak the language.
The Durango Fair draws thousands of visitors every year. It is also a big festival, where you can get the latest books or records by Basque artists as you listen to Basque music or engage in street activities. It is really a must for Basque culture enthusiasts.
How To Get There
Durango is a major town in the interior of Bizkaia, which is easily accessed by means of public transport (bus or train) and by car. It is only a 30 minutes’ drive from Bilbao.
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Train
Euskotren line E1 comes to Durango from Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebastián and smaller towns in both Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa.
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Bus
Several Bizkaibus lines come to Durango from different towns across Bizkaia. From Bilbao, the shortest route is served by line A-3933 (Bilbao-Durango via motorway). Other options from Bilbao are lines A-3923 (Elorrio-Durango-Bilbao) and A-3911 (Bilbao-Hospital de Galdakao-Lemoa-Durango-Elorrio).
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Car
Durango lies 34 kilometres away from Bilbao. Take road N-637 and then drive onto the AP-8. When you come to Iurreta, take exit 88, leading to Durango.