A multi-brand shoe store, an exclusive emporium for gentlemen, a shop that specialises in children’s shoes and another in espadrilles and slippers, the place to go for the most sustainable shoes on the planet… these are the retailers you just need to know!
We’re going to take a stroll through five really special shoe shops in Bilbao. One of them has been in business for more than 80 years, another for less than a year, but they all deserve mention for their specialisation, for their commitment to quality and products on a completely different level, for the fact that they only work with the best brands of the day, for their philosophy and sustainability; in short, five Bilbao shops that you need to know when the time comes to buy new footwear.
FOR HER…: FOXTER SHOES (Diputación 2 / Máximo Aguirre 30)
A multi-brand store offering quality and design. At Foxter Shoes it’s easy to find the perfect pair of shoes for every time of day or a special occasion. They have two shops in Bilbao and in both of them you’ll find a wide range of footwear for men and women, from formal and elegant shoes for a wedding or a special occasion, to sandals and more casual, modern boots, without forgetting about their selection of casual trainers and sneakers for everyday wear.
Every season, Foxter Shoes brings us proposals from leading Spanish and European brands such as Apepazza, As 98, Dolomite, Flower Mountain, NeroGiardini, Pertini, Pons Quintana, Voile Blanche, United Nude, Calce, Candice Cooper, Makis Kotris and Panchic. Quality and design, in abundance.
FOR HIM…: CALZADOS ALONSO (Astarloa 2)
The only shoe shop in Bilbao that specialises in shoes for men. Alonso has been putting shoes on the feet of our city’s most elegant men since 1940, all of whom have been won over by the quality and range of its dress shoes, shoes for special occasions and trainers, by the different brands and stitchings on offer (Goodyear, Blake or moccasins from the likes of Kiova), and by the wide range of fits and special widths. Here you’ll find everything from handmade shoes to house slippers and from classic Oxfords to espadrilles They work with only the best: Pertini, Loake, Jesús Canovas, George’s, Barrats, Lottusse, Calce, Cordwainer, Sebago, Aida, Sergio Serrano, Clarks, Baudot, Pielsa, Romika…
Alonso is a legendary shop that you simply must visit. Its façade is one of the city’s finest and its very British interior, with noble woods and perfectly aligned rows of green shoe containers, creates a quite exceptional atmosphere.
Casual: BASQ COMPANY (Ercilla 29)
The most sustainable shoes on the planet. Basq Company is the brainchild of a young man from Biscay who was determined to combine his passion for surfing and fashion with respect for the environment. He set out to create sustainable footwear that doesn’t harm the planet or the oceans. After more than two years of research and hard work, his workshops in Spain finally succeeded in transforming some of the most polluting waste that abounds in our seas into shoes made from 100% recycled, vegan materials.
His surfing-inspired designs are on sale in his shop on Calle Ercilla, in sizes ranging from 36 to 46. The public is delighted by their design and comfort and, of course, by the philosophy behind them.
FOR CHILDREN AND FOR GROWN-UPS TOO!: CALZADOS JARDILÍN (Doctor Achúcarro 2)
The shoe shop with the merry-go-round. Bilbao’s children’s shoe shop par excellence. Who hasn’t tried on a pair of shoes while sitting on one of the horses on its merry-go-round? Jardilín has been putting shoes on the feet of boys and girls and babies since 1967. Shoes for all types of occasions, from important events such as christenings, communions and weddings, to shoes for school, for the rain, or for holidays on the beach.
Their sizes range from 17 to 45, so many adults still choose Jardilín when they need a new pair of shoes. They work with leading children’s brands and with some of the most fashionable brands on the market, such as Birkenstock, Gorila, Camper, Conguitos, Geox, Havaianas, Hunter, Kickers, Natural World, Condor, Andanines, Reef, Timberland, Ugg and Victoria, to name but a few. So there you have it: Calzados Jardilín has shoes for all ages, tastes and needs.
FOR THE HOME: ZAPAGATAS (Askao 2)
The shop for slippers and espadrilles made in the Basque Country. Right in the heart of the Casco Viejo there’s a shop whose name is a bit of a giveaway if you speak Spanish: Zapagatas. Slippers (zapatillas) for traipsing around the house, and espadrilles (alpargatas). When spring and summer come around, this shop is filled exclusively with espadrilles of every shape, size and colour imaginable, with or without ribbons, plain, printed, striped, even hand-painted… And all made by hand in the Basque Country. More than a thousand espadrilles, and each one quite unique and original.
But when autumn sweeps in and you begin to feel a hint of cold in the air, the espadrilles give way to slippers for all the family, from newborn babies to grandparents. Zapagatas have a guaranteed variety of styles, colours and fabrics – there’s more to life than classic checks or Cotorruelos! There’s an almost endless choice of comfortable styles.
These are just five of the many shoe shops there are in Bilbao, but they all stand out for their specialisation, quality, philosophy and experience. Which is your favourite?
