BBK Live 2026: Bilbao Festival Guide, Dates, Lineup Strategy and Kobetamendi Tips

BBK Live is Bilbao's main summer music festival, held every July on Kobetamendi hill overlooking the city. It's one of Europe's most atmospheric festival sites: forested stages, views across the ría, the Guggenheim on the horizon. In 2026 it continues its three-day format with international headliners across indie, electronic, hip-hop and Spanish acts. This guide covers what you need to land prepared.

Dates and Site

BBK Live 2026 runs across three days in mid-July, typically Thursday to Saturday. The site is Kobetamendi, a forested hill 15 minutes by shuttle bus from central Bilbao. Main stages, a tucked-away Basoa forest stage for electronic nights, food plaza, craft beer area and camping field spread over the hillside. Capacity is around 40,000 per day.

Lineup Strategy

BBK Live lineups historically mix guitar-driven indie headliners (Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, The Strokes, Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía in past editions) with Spanish acts (C Tangana, Vetusta Morla, Zahara) and a strong electronic programme on Basoa stage. Lineups typically drop across three phases from December to March. Buy tickets in phase 1 or 2 for the cheapest prices.

• Phase 1 (December): cheapest 3-day passes, around 150 to 175 euros, before full lineup.
• Phase 2 (February): around 180 to 200 euros, partial lineup confirmed.
• Phase 3 (April onwards): 200 to 240 euros, full lineup.
• Door price: 260 to 280 euros if tickets still available.
• Single day: around 95 to 110 euros.

Getting to Kobetamendi

Shuttle buses run from Abando, San Mamés and Plaza Moyúa from around 4pm to 2am on festival days. Price is included in the festival ticket for most passes. The ride takes 15 to 20 minutes. Car access exists but parking is limited and the hill gets packed. Metro to San Mamés then shuttle is the cleanest route from anywhere in the city.

Camping at Kobetamendi

The camping field is right next to the festival site. Tents only, no caravans. Add-on is around 30 euros for three nights. Showers, toilets, charging stations, breakfast stands. It fills up quickly for international attendees because Bilbao hotels are expensive in July. Arrive Wednesday to set up. If you want quiet, request a pitch away from the main road.

Basoa: The Electronic Forest

BBK Live's most loved-on stage is Basoa, a forest clearing that hosts electronic music programming from midnight to 6am. Past programming has included Dixon, Amelie Lens, Ben Klock, Peggy Gou, Folamour. For techno and house heads, Basoa alone is worth the ticket. Wear layers, the forest gets cold at 4am even in July.

Bilbao After-Parties

Kobetamendi closes around 5 or 6am but the festival leaks into Bilbao for another few hours. BBK Live partners with city venues to program official after-parties, usually at Back & Stage, Kafe Antzokia and Fever Bilbao. Pop-up venues appear in Bilbao La Vieja. Check the festival app during the event for real-time after announcements.

Accommodation

• Hotel in Abando or Indautxu: 150 to 300 euros per night during festival, book by March.
• Hostel in Casco Viejo: 45 to 80 euros per bed, loud but central.
• Airbnb: widely available, expect 2x normal pricing. Book 2 to 3 months ahead.
• Camping at Kobetamendi: cheapest, most atmospheric, 30 euros total for 3 nights.
• Nearby towns (Portugalete, Getxo, Santurtzi): 20 to 30 min by metro, half the hotel price.

What to Pack

1. Layers: Kobetamendi is cool at night, warm during the day.
2. Poncho: Bilbao can rain in July. The hill has limited shelter.
3. Sturdy shoes: the site is uneven forest terrain.
4. Water bottle: refill stations on site.
5. Cash plus card: card works at most bars, some food stalls are cash-only.
6. Portable charger: the festival app is essential for running order and shuttle info.

BBK Live is one of the most complete festival experiences in Spain: the setting, the programming and the city around it. If you're planning a festival trip in 2026, this should be on the shortlist alongside Primavera and Sónar.