Alcalá de Henares
Avila
Baeza
Caceres
Cordoba
Cuenca
Ibiza/Eivissa
Mérida
Salamanca
San Cristóbal de La Laguna
Santiago de Compostela
Segovia
Tarragona
Toledo
Ubeda
THE NIGHTS
HERITAGE 2026
HERITAGE NIGHTS 2026
In its ninth edition, it will once again be held simultaneously in the 15 World Heritage cities of Spain on September 11/12 and 18/19
TWO WEEKENDS TO EXPERIENCE WORLD HERITAGE
The 2026 edition marks the beginning of a new stage with the evolution towards HERITAGE NIGHTSextending its celebration over two weekends: 11 and September 12 in fourteen of Spain's World Heritage cities and 18 and September 19 en San Cristóbal de La Laguna
The new phase will strengthen the relationship between citizens, heritage, and contemporary creation through more diverse, accessible, and time-distributed cultural experiences, encouraging longer stays for visitors and programming capable of more intensely activating the historic centers of participating cities.
During these nights, heritage ceases to be merely a place to visit and becomes a space to experience, listen, explore, dance, discover and share.
In 2026, HERITAGE NIGHTS will once again transform Spain's fifteen World Heritage Cities into a great shared cultural stage through a program structured around three great complementary experiences: OPEN HERITAGE , EXPERIENCE HERITAGE and HERITAGE STAGE , three different and complementary ways of approaching World Heritage.
OPEN HERITAGE
OPEN HERITAGE invites you to discover World Heritage from an exceptional perspective. Iconic monuments and usually closed spaces—towers, walls, convents, archaeological sites, palaces, museums, and historic buildings—will open their doors free of charge at night, offering new ways to explore and understand cities.
The program proposes a unique journey through the fifteen Heritage Cities, such as:
En Alcalá de HenaresVisitors will be able to discover the Cervantes Birthplace Museum and ascend to the historic Saint Mary's Tower; In Avila, walk the Superunda Palace, the Catedral, Museum and walk on its iconic Muralla; In Baeza, to delve into the Archaeological Site of Cerro del Alcázar, access Medieval Tower and visit the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady.
En Caceres, will exceptionally open the Archaeological Area of the Baluarte de los Pozos, the Oven Tower and the Cáceres Holy Week Dissemination CenterWhile Cordoba will once again allow nighttime access to some of its most iconic spaces, including the Mosque-Cathedral, historic courtyards and other heritage sites of special value. Cuenca It will offer tours of the medieval city and allow access to spaces that are usually inaccessible.
En Ibiza/EivissaThe public will be able to tour the walls of dalt vila, participate in theatrical tours of the historic center and visit the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Puget Museum. Mérida will open the Aqueduct of Miracles, arch of trajan, Forum Portico and the Corbos PalaceWhile Salamanca will allow descent to the legendary Salamanca cave, visit the Museum of San Vicente Hill and ascend to the Clerecía Towers and the Catedral.
One of the big new features of this edition will arrive in San Cristóbal de La Lagunawhere, after a long restoration process, the historic Magistrate's Gate, next to the old Former Convent of Santo Domingo. In Santiago de CompostelaThey will open the old Zone C (Old Town Hall House), the Casa do Cabido and the Pazo de Xelmírez; In Segovia, they will be able to visit the Jewish Quarter Educational Center and Francisco Peralta Puppet Collection, located at the Santiago Gate.
The programming will continue in Tarragona with tours of the Passeig Arqueològic, the Canals House and the spaces of Roman Circus and Praetorian; In Toledo, with the extraordinary opening of the Puerta del Sol, Convent of Santa Clara la Real and the Museum of the Councils and Visigothic Cultureand will conclude in Ubeda, where the public will be able to go up to Clock Tower Bell Tower and discover the extraordinary Sacred Chapel of the Savior.
Each city offers a different route, but they all share the same invitation: to discover World Heritage through an intimate, nighttime, and surprising experience.
LIVE HERITAGE
While OPEN HERITAGE invites you to discover monuments from a new perspective, EXPERIENCE HERITAGE focuses on the life that inhabits cities. Squares fill with music, gardens host performances, streets revive traditional trades, and historic centers become meeting places where residents and visitors share cultural experiences linked to tangible and intangible heritage.
The program once again reflects the extraordinary cultural diversity of Spain's fifteen World Heritage Cities, such as:
In Alcalá de Henares , the Chapel of San Ildefonso will host international violin and guitar concerts, while the Old Hospital of Santa María la Rica will be the setting for traveling workshops on crafts and traditional dance. Ávila will once again fill its squares with music with the Music in the Squares series and will offer new routes to rediscover the city through the Discover Ávila program.
En BaezaThe program will combine the concert by the marching band in the Puerta de Toledoastronomical observations in the Alcázar Hill and literary routes dedicated to San Juan de la Cruz. Caceres will bring together the Extremadura group Acetre in the Plaza Mayor, accompanied by special visits to Parador and Helga de Alvear MuseumWhile Cordoba It will feature concerts, family activities and participatory proposals linked to the richness of its historical heritage.
Cuenca will surprise with circus shows in the Mangana Square, traditional games workshops, concerts next to the Theater auditorium and visits to the Civil War air raid shelter. Ibiza/EivissaMusic will reach the walled enclosure with a concert in the Powder Magazine RoomWhile Mérida will transform the Arab citadel and the Temple of Diana with artistic actions, a show of show painting and a musical tribute to Manolo García.
En SalamancaThe program will combine the show The Choir Boys at the Center for the Performing Arts and Music with TACTUS, an immersive experience that combines contemporary dance, live music and heritage in the gardens of the Santo Domingo de la Cruz Exhibition Hall. San Cristóbal de La Laguna will once again fill its streets with the traditional University Student Band Parade and the traveling theater proposal The lagoon is curiousinviting you to discover the city from a playful and participatory perspective.
Local creativity will also play a leading role in Santiago de Compostelawhere the night will be filled with workshops and open spaces dedicated to contemporary jewelry, art and crafts with Susi Gesto, Kinga Haudek y Brigantia Ourivaria. In SegoviaCandlelit musical recitals will take place Courtyard of the Trees of the Lozoya Tower, Courtyard of the House of Abraham Seneor and the Wall walkway, Whereas the Garden of the Poets and Antonio Machado House Museum They will host oral narratives and storytelling.
Tarragona It will combine historical reenactments, the activity Spases, dagues and festa simitares and the traditional Night Market around Central Market and Corsini Square. In Toledo, the piper Carlos Nunez will offer one of the most outstanding concerts of the edition in the Town Hall Square. Finally, Ubeda The program will be completed with the concert of Andrés de Vandelvira Plucked String Quartet, the puppet theater The Box of Boo-Boos at the Archaeological Museumfamily activities in the Interpretation Centre of the Walls – Torreón de la Cava and youth workshops juicer in the Vazquez de Molina Square.
Each initiative originates from the local area itself, transforming heritage into a shared space where residents and visitors alike experience the same cultural heritage. VIVE PATRIMONIO celebrates the traditions, local creativity, and intangible heritage of the fifteen cities, strengthening the sense of belonging and demonstrating that heritage is not only preserved: it is also lived, celebrated, and shared.
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