Pace of life
The pace of life in Bilbao, like in most urban areas, is set by the working hours. People tend to have their meals later than in the rest of Europe. Breakfast is from 9 till eleven. Lunch at home is normally around 2–3 in the afternoon, and dinner at 9–10 in the evening. Restaurants serve lunch between 1 and 3:30, and dinner from 9 until 12. Increasingly, there are restaurants that serve lunch all day long.

Shops open at around 9 or 10 in the morning, close for lunch around 2, and open again at 4 or 5 until 8 or 9. Department stores, shopping centres, supermarkets, and some fashion shops don´t close at lunchtime. All shops are opened on Saturday, and pretty much all of them close on Sunday.

Cinemas tend to hold three screenings a day, the first one being around 4 in the afternoon, and the last one at around 10 in the evening. Most theatres hold one performance a day, at around 9 or 10 on weekdays, and at 6 or 8 on sundays.

Pubs and bars are opened until 3 or 4 in the morning, and clubs until later.