Basque Culture Highlights You Shouldn’t Miss in March 2026

Spring begins to reveal itself in March 2026, unfolding a delicate spectrum of Basque culture expressions. It is no coincidence that this month honors, across the world, those who shape human sensitivity — writers, sculptors, performing artists, puppeteers, and the voice of the piano. Each invites us, in its own way, to contemplate life more deeply.

The Basque Country continues to affirm its place among Europe’s most dynamic cultural destinations. Institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the San Sebastian International Film Festival stand alongside Madrid’s great museums in national rankings, reflecting a program of remarkable quality and diversity. Contemporary spaces like Artium Museoa, Azkuna Zentroa, and Tabakalera further enrich this vibrant cultural landscape.

Bilbao resonates in March with music and quiet aesthetic intensity. The International Classical Music Festival and the Sacred Art Festival fill the city with refined soundscapes that invite a contemplative stay. Painting enters into dialogue with this atmosphere through the work of Basque artist Adolfo Guiard, whose luminous sensibility can be discovered at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum or at San Telmo Museum.

On March 1st, Europe’s grand operatic legacy quietly touches the Basque Country: El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez — inspiration for Giuseppe Verdi — links the gypsy Azucena to the mountains of Biscay. It is no coincidence that Verdi is most revered in Bilbao. That evening, his music will grace the Kursaal Palace in San Sebastian. An intimate encounter with the region’s most refined cultural soul.

Literature adds another layer of depth. March is an ideal moment to rediscover the Bilbao-born poet Blas de Otero, whose voice reflects the tensions and hopes of twentieth-century Europe. His verses resonate with the urban and coastal landscapes he wandered tirelessly. Following his footsteps offers a profoundly emotional understanding of a region where the written word holds enduring significance.

San Sebastian reveals a particularly intimate beauty at this time of year. A slow walk along La Concha Bay or through the elegant Belle Époque avenues allows the city to be experienced with unusual calm. It becomes easy to understand why its film festival placed it on the international cultural map, transforming the city into a meeting point of art, society, and Atlantic elegance.

The arrival of spring also highlights the Basque tradition of celebrating life through culture, music, and nature. Early blossoms, concerts, exhibitions, and artistic gatherings create a luminous atmosphere that invites unhurried travel and genuine immersion in local character.

Toward the end of the month, the European daylight-saving time change and the approach of Holy Week signal the transition into a new season. These dates offer an ideal opportunity for a stay that combines rest, cultural discovery, and personalized experiences away from the crowds.

March in the Basque Country offers more than a calendar of events — it proposes a distinctive way of experiencing time, art, and landscape. Choosing among these experiences is, in itself, the beginning of a deeply personal journey.

Essential Basque culture highlights in San Sebastian and Gipuzkoa – March 2026

• “Cristóbal Balenciaga: Technique, Material, and Form”. A profound and educational exploration of the couturier’s work, influence, and legacy. Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum. March 7th, 2025 – January 10th, 2027.
• Exhibition “Elcano-Urdaneta: The Discovery of the Oceans” Commemorating the 500th anniversary of Juan Sebastián Elcano’s little-known second voyage. Basque Maritime Museum. December 4th, 2025 to October 4th.
• “Our new cider!” The cider season begins in the Basque Country. At the cry of “txotx!” you pour the natural cider directly from the kupelas (barrels). Astigarraga, Hernani, Usurbil, and Urnieta. Mid-January to the end of April.
• “Structure, Space, Time” An exhibition of 71 works, many previously unseen, by Elena Asins, from 1968 to 2011. In collaboration with the Reina Sofía Museum’s, Madrid. Kursaal Palace – Sala Cubo. From February 27th to May 24th, 2026.
• Il Trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi. Opera. Excelentia Choral Society of Madrid and Santa Cecilia Classical Orchestra. Kursaal Palace. March 1^st.
• A concert in homage to Aita Donostia (Basque composer). Alexandre Da Costa (violin) and Josu Okiñena (piano), as part of the Batura cycle. T. A. Vitali, Čajkovskij, Guridi, Aita Donostia, Ravel, Albéniz, Brahms and J. Bock. Victoria Eugenia Club. March 10th.
• ‘Return to Via Dalma‘. Tour of Italian songs by singer Sergio Dalma. Premiere. Kursaal Palace. March 14^th.
• 32nd dFeria. Donostia / San Sebastián Performing Arts Fair. High-quality theatre and dance performances. Victoria Eugenia Theatre, Principal Theatre and other venues. March 14th-18th.
• Schumann / Respighi. Euskadiko Orkestra (Basque Country Orchestra). Guests: the Abestu Euskadiko Orkestrarekin choir, the German cellist Johannes Moser and the Italian conductor Riccardo Frizza. Kursaal Auditorium. March 16th and 18th.
• “Piaf! The Show“. A dramatized concert featuring the most iconic songs of Edith Piaf. 110th anniversary of her birth. Victoria Eugenia Theatre. March 21^st.

Essential Basque culture highlights in Vitoria-Gasteiz and Alava – March 2026

• Exhibition “Isaak Díez (1891-1962)”. Life and work of an artist from Álava. Painting, sculpture, illustration, film, etc.; and art in his political activism in the Basque Nationalist Party. Alava Museum of Fine Arts. From September 24th, 2020 to April 12th, 2026.
• Exhibitions: The Queens of Álava. 25 photographs and a short film (9 minutes) by Martín Barandalla about a pair of golden eagles in Alava. Ataria – Salburua Wetlands Interpretation Center. Suggestion: visit the wetland. From January 15th to March 1st.
• “Silver Ships” exhibition by Basque sculptor Karlos Martínez Bordoy. The material seems to hang suspended in a held breath. Former Water Reservoir of the Montehermoso Cultural Center. From January 30th to April 6th.
• SUNCINE Showcase – International Environmental Film Festival. The world’s first and longest-running festival of its kind (since 1993). A selection of the most outstanding films from each of its editions in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Aldabe Civic Center – Auditorium. From February 24th to March 12th.
• Phenology: “Feel the nature within you”. Patricia Nagashiro, scientific illustrator. An exhibition, through dreamlike scenes and from an interdisciplinary perspective, exploring the fusion of art, science, and the environment. Ataria – Salburua Wetlands Interpretation Center. March 5th to April 19th.
• Guitar duo: Luz del Mar. Works by Isaac Albéniz, Manuel de Falla, Sabicas, and original compositions. Flamenco guitarist Laura Calderón and classical guitarist Ekaterina Zaytseva. Jesús Ibáñez de Matauco Theatre (Hegoalde Civic Centre). March 14^th.
• Concert by singer-songwriter Alondra Bentley and keyboardist Érika López. Their music blends folk, pop, and indie. Featuring songs from their album La materia and previous works. Montehermoso Cultural Center. March 15th.
• ‘The art of dreaming…with sound storytelling’. Concert by the Municipal Band. Program: ‘Windy City Overture’ by Johan de Meij, ‘Who Killed Whom Concerto No. 1 for Clarinet and Symphonic Band’ by Ferrer Ferran, and ‘A Symphony of Fables’ by Julie Giroux. Europa Congress Palace. March 25th.
• Flamenco singer Reyes Carrasco performs in concert. A rising star of contemporary flamenco, she has won numerous awards. She has collaborated with Estrella Morente, José Mercé, Esperanza Fernández, and Rosario Flores. Jesús Ibáñez de Matauco Theatre (Hegoalde Civic Centre). March 28th.
• 32nd Mineral, Gem and Fossil Exchange and Exhibition. Basque Gemological and Mineralogical Association – Harribitxi. Green Room of the Europa Conference Centre. March 28th and 29th.

Essential Basque culture highlights in Bilbao and Biscay – March 2026

• “Ars ex Industria” Exhibition – Art as a Mirror of Basque Industrial Culture and Heritage. Group exhibition of contemporary art. 40th anniversary of the Basque Association of Industrial Heritage and Public Works. Bilbao Maritime Museum (Itsasmuseum). December 2nd, 2025 to April 26th.
• Earth Arts. Art committed to sustainability. The use of new, locally sourced, compostable, or recycled materials, and an innovative approach to exhibition logistics. They pave the way for a circular economy in art. Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. December 5th, 2025 – May 3rd.
• Shen Yun, “The Beauty of Divine Beings in Dance”. Shen Yun Performing Arts, a classical Chinese dance and music company from New York. Euskalduna Palace – Auditorium. March 3rd – 5th.
• Musika-Música. 25th International Festival of Classical Music (symphonic, overtures, opera, sacred, chamber or vocal). Euskalduna Palace and Arriaga Theatre. March 6th, 7th and 8th.
• Ruth Asawa: A Retrospective. A highly gifted and prolific artist who emerged in the US after World War II. An exhibition organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and the Museum of Modern Art, New York (MoMA). Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. March 19^th – September 13th.
• A.I. (Amalur Indarra). Basque company Lucia Lacarra Ballet. In the age of Artificial Intelligence, humanity awakens from its emotional slumber and attempts to reconnect with the power of Mother Earth. Arriaga Theatre. March 27^th – 29th.
• “Dausgaard and Bruckner’s 7th“. Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa (BOS) and conducted by the Danish Thomas Dausgaard. Euskalduna Palace. March 12th and 13th.
• Marta Sánchez: 40th Anniversary Tour (1985–2025). The “Queen of Spanish Pop” presents her new album. Campos Eliseos Theatre. March 28th.
• ‘Raphaelísimo‘. Tour 2026. The best of the musical career of Spanish singer Raphael, the eternal Divo of Linares. Euskalduna Palace – Auditorium. March 29th.
• BAS Festival, Bilbao Sacred Art. Church of the Incarnation. March 26^th – 30^th.

Enrich your springtime palette of emotions with the subtle hues the Basque culture reveals in March 2026. Complete this experience through privately guided, tailor-made cultural journeys, where every detail is shaped around your interests and sensibility.

Basque culture, personally curated.

Aitor Delgado Tours