Best time to visit Bilbao
The best time to visit Bilbao is June–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11.2 °C / 52 °F | 6.1 °C / 43 °F | 127 mm / 5 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 12.1 °C / 54 °F | 6.2 °C / 43 °F | 110 mm / 4.3 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 13.5 °C / 56 °F | 7.5 °C / 46 °F | 112 mm / 4.4 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 15.1 °C / 59 °F | 9.1 °C / 48 °F | 88 mm / 3.5 in | good month |
| May | 17.3 °C / 63 °F | 11.3 °C / 52 °F | 84 mm / 3.3 in | good month |
| June | 20.3 °C / 69 °F | 14.4 °C / 58 °F | 82 mm / 3.2 in | best month |
| July | 22.2 °C / 72 °F | 16.3 °C / 61 °F | 45 mm / 1.8 in | best month |
| August | 22.8 °C / 73 °F | 16.5 °C / 62 °F | 50 mm / 2 in | best month |
| September | 21.4 °C / 71 °F | 14.9 °C / 59 °F | 69 mm / 2.7 in | best month |
| October | 19.2 °C / 67 °F | 12.8 °C / 55 °F | 87 mm / 3.4 in | good month |
| November | 14.6 °C / 58 °F | 9.6 °C / 49 °F | 147 mm / 5.8 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 12.3 °C / 54 °F | 7.2 °C / 45 °F | 106 mm / 4.2 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: good
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- June–September
- Good
- April–May, October
Bilbao is best for exploring from June through September, warm, sunny and driest, with April, May and October as solid but rainier shoulder months; November through March bring the heaviest Atlantic rain and the least sun, especially in stormy November.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 74%, feels like (high) 13.7 °C / 57 °F, average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, days with heavy rain 2.1 days, average daily low 9.1 °C / 48 °F.
Against: wet days 14.8 days, precipitation 88 mm / 3.5 in, relative humidity 78%.
Also on: Semana Santa processions.
Watch out for: Semana Santa accommodation crunch.
May · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 17 °C / 63 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, average daily high 17.3 °C / 63 °F, days with heavy rain 2 days, average daily low 11.3 °C / 52 °F.
Against: wet days 15.2 days, precipitation 84 mm / 3.3 in, relative humidity 80%.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.2 °C / 70 °F, average daily high 20.3 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 72%, days with heavy rain 2.4 days, average daily low 14.4 °C / 58 °F.
Against: wet days 12.6 days, precipitation 82 mm / 3.2 in, relative humidity 82%.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.8 °C / 75 °F, average daily high 22.2 °C / 72 °F, precipitation 45 mm / 1.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, average daily low 16.3 °C / 61 °F, wet days 10.2 days.
Against: relative humidity 81%.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.3 °C / 76 °F, average daily high 22.8 °C / 73 °F, precipitation 50 mm / 2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, wet days 10 days, average daily low 16.5 °C / 62 °F.
Against: relative humidity 80%.
Also on: Aste Nagusia / Semana Grande, Parque Etxebarria fun fair.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.9 °C / 71 °F, average daily high 21.4 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, precipitation 69 mm / 2.7 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, average daily low 14.9 °C / 59 °F.
Against: wet days 11.6 days, relative humidity 80%.
October · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.5 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 19.2 °C / 67 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, days with heavy rain 2.6 days, average daily low 12.8 °C / 55 °F.
Against: wet days 12.2 days, precipitation 87 mm / 3.4 in, sunshine per day 8.1 h, relative humidity 78%.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Estación de esquí de Valdezcaray, 111 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 8.4 °C | 9.2 °C | 11 °C | 13.7 °C | 17 °C | 21.2 °C | 23.8 °C | 24.3 °C | 21.9 °C | 18.5 °C | 12.4 °C | 9.6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 4.3 days | 4.1 days | 3.4 days | 2.1 days | 2 days | 2.4 days | 0.8 days | 1.1 days | 1.9 days | 2.6 days | 5.6 days | 3.2 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 9 pm | 10 pm | 6 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 11 pm | 9 am | 5 pm | 6 pm | 3 pm | 9 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 6 h | 7.3 h | 8.8 h | 10 h | 10.9 h | 11.1 h | 11.6 h | 11.2 h | 10 h | 8.1 h | 6.5 h | 6 h |
| Relative humidity | 79% | 77% | 76% | 78% | 80% | 82% | 81% | 80% | 80% | 78% | 78% | 78% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 6 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 11.3 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 10.5 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 5.7 µg/m³ | 6.4 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 10 µg/m³ | 14.2 µg/m³ | 12 µg/m³ | 14.1 µg/m³ | 14.1 µg/m³ | 16.6 µg/m³ | 14.1 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 12.2 µg/m³ | 12.8 µg/m³ | 9.6 µg/m³ | 11.2 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos
5 January
- New Year's Eve celebrations
31 December–1 January
- Semana Santa processions
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Aste Nagusia / Semana Grande
16–30 August, dates vary from year to year
- Parque Etxebarria fun fair
August
Worth knowing before you go
- Semana Santa accommodation crunch
March and April, dates vary from year to year
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Vizcaya Bridge
10 km away