Pasaia Itsas Festibala: The Great International Maritime Culture Gathering in Gipuzkoa
Pasaia Itsas Festibala: The Great International Maritime Culture Gathering in Gipuzkoa
From May 14 to 17, one of the most anticipated cultural events of the year will be held at the Pasaia Port: the Pasaia Itsas Festibala international maritime festival. Conceived as a biennial event, its inaugural edition in 2018 welcomed, among others, L’Hermione, the magnificent replica of the historic French ship first launched in 1779. Since then, the festival has transformed the majestic Pasaia Bay into a stage for legendary vessels from around the world — such as the Dutch schooner Oosterschelde (built in 1917), the emblematic Saltillo (constructed in Amsterdam in 1932), and the replica of the Shtandart, a Russian frigate that belonged to Tsar Peter the Great, built in 1999 in St. Petersburg.
This year, alongside these star vessels and dozens of other participating ships, the program will unfold across the bay’s four districts: San Pedro, Donibane, Antxo, and Trintxerpe. For four days, visitors will be immersed in the maritime traditions of different nations, expressed through their gastronomy, music, and traditional seafaring trades related to the abyss.
In addition to this festival, Gipuzkoa will host another unmissable maritime celebration on September 6: the Desembarco de Elcano (to celebrate the landing of Juan Sebastián Elcano) in Getaria, the birthplace of the explorer. Held every four years, this reenactment pays tribute to the sailor who completed the first circumnavigation of the Earth. Through a faithful recreation of the landing, the 17 crew members of the Nao Victoria will walk to the San Salvador Church with candles in hand to give thanks to the Virgin for their safe return home. Afterwards, now dressed in their most formal attire, they will go before Emperor Charles I, who granted Elcano a coat of arms in recognition of his feat, as the townspeople sing the Elcano Hymn in their honor. The day is rounded off with a medieval fair to provide even more atmosphere for the celebration of an achievement that, in 2022, marked its 500th anniversary.
Pasaia Itsas Festibala
