Warming for Christmas in the Basque country

Traditional markets, the illuminated streets or the fair of St. Thomas are responsible for announcing the start of the Christmas season in the Basque Country

Christmas arrives and in Euskadi it shows. Fairs, markets and nativity scenes take the streets of cities such as San Sebastián, Irun, Hondarribia, Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz or Zarautz announcing to its inhabitants and to all those who visit them at this time that is already here one of the most beautiful times of the year: Christmas.

The thousands of lights that shine in its streets will give way to the traditional fair of San Tomás, an unmistakable sign that Christmas has arrived.

It is a festivity in which the rural environment reigns and enjoys a special importance in San Sebastián, Bilbao, Irun, Zarautz and Hondarribia, cities in which thousands of people are ready to taste all kinds of products, among which stand out the chorizo, the talus and the cider. Others will also be able to buy cheese, txakoli, donuts, honey, candies, fruits, vegetables and handicraft products. Apart from the pre-Christmas purchases that can be made, the fair hosts exhibitions of farm animals, bertsolaris and trikitilaris.

The lighting of the streets, as well as the Feria de Santo Tomás, as well as the placement of the monumental Bethlehem of the Vitoriano Park of Florida (a must visit with its more 200 figures and unique in the world) will be the Prolegomena that mark the arrival of Olentzero in Euskadi. The coal will be received in all the high on the 24th in all the Basque towns that unfold all its charms arranged to that the dear mythological character leaves in every house all the gifts that it carries in his sack of coal.