San Blas Festival

On February 3, the traditional procession of San Blas is held in Bilbao, in honour of the Christian martyr who is attributed with the miraculous healing of throat ailments.

In the Plaza del Arenal, stalls are set up where you can buy the traditional doughnuts and coloured cords of San Blas. The inhabitants of Bilbao bless the cord before the image of the Saint in the church of San Nicolás, which stands in the same square.

Afterwards, according to tradition, the faithful wear the cord around their neck for nine days, after which it must be burnt. If the process is carried out correctly, San Blas will protect the throat of the wearer for the whole year.