The deadline for declaring world assets and crypto assets, new Schengen entry rules at the Gibraltar border, several strikes, new flights, clocks change – here’s everything that’s new about life in Spain in March 2026.
International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day takes place on March 8th. Spain typically focuses on issues to do with gender violence and women’s rights on this day, and protests and marches occur throughout the country.
Valencia’s Las Fallas takes place
Valencia’s fire-cracking Las Fallas festival takes place in March. The festival begins on March 2nd, but the best and most important part runs from March 16th to 19th. During the event, huge paper mâché sculptures called fallas are set up across the city and on the last night, they are burned in a crazy fiery ceremony. The event is also a celebration of Valencian culture with lots of traditional costumes and music.
Spanish Father’s Day
Father’s Day takes place on slightly different days of the year, depending on what country you’re in. In Spain, it’s held on March 19th and coincides with the festival of San José or Saint Joseph who was a father figure to Jesus. Here it’s much like Father’s Day in other countries – children might make handmade presents at school to bring home, and shops sell specialised Father’s Day gifts such as mugs, t-shirts and cards.
Spring officially begins
Spring officially starts in March with the official date being March 20th, which is the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere.
Spring, along with autumn is typically one of the wettest months in Spain, but as we’ve already had a very wet winter and several severe storms, it’s not clear yet what will happen this spring as weather patterns are becoming more unpredictable. Spring in Spain is also becoming increasingly shorter as the hot weather begins earlier and earlier. In the past 70 years, summer higher temperatures have been seen between 20 and 40 days earlier than they should. According to Spain’s state meteorological agency Aemet, summer is now 40 days longer now than it was in the 1980s.
The clocks change
Daylight savings time comes into force, and the clocks will move forward by one hour in the early hours of March 29th. This means that when the clock strikes 2am on March 29th, it will jump one hour ahead to 3am. This means longer and lighter evenings heading into the warmer part of the year.
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Deadline for declaring world assets and crypto assets
By March 31st, anyone who is a resident in Spain and owns assets or money or assets abroad which exceed €50,000 will have to declare it to the Spanish tax authorities via Modelo 720. This includes properties, private pension funds and bank accounts which were worth that amount or more on December 31st 2025. You are not required to do this every year but must do it if your assets have changed such as purchasing or selling a property abroad or if money in your accounts has increased by €20,000.
Those who own crypto currency assets abroad must also declare these by March 31st if they were worth €50,000 or above on December 31st, 2025. This is for crypto held in exchanges abroad. This must be done via Modelo 721.
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Civil servants to start 35-hour work week
Those working for the Spanish General State Administration will begin working a 35-hour work week this March, which was agreed upon at General State Administration’s general negotiating table on Tuesday February 17th. Their current work week is 37.5 hours. The new rules are expected to affect approximately 250,000 public employees.
New flights in March
There’s a whole raft of new flights launching between Spain and other countries March. This includes Tenerife to London Gatwick with Jet2 starting on March 26th. Wizz Air routes will also start operating this month from Valencia to London Luton and Seville to London Luton on starting on March 29th and Reus to Newcastle in the UK on March 31st. To other destinations further afield, Barcelona will have a new direct route to Mexico City, operated by Aeromexico starting on March 26th. Ryanair will also start flying from Valencia to Rabat in Morocco from March 31st.
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Doctors to go on strike again in March
There have been several doctors strikes in Spain over the last few months, and it looks like they’re set to state several more walkouts up until this summer. The proposed strike days in March are from the 16th to the 20th. Health authorities have established minimum services guaranteeing emergency and vital treatments, but delays are expected for appointments, check-ups, and diagnostic tests. Doctors demanding their own statute, separate from that of other healthcare professionals and want a maximum 17-hour on-call limit, a minimum of 12 hours of rest between shifts, a 35-hour work week, and voluntary access to partial retirement.
More rail strikes to be held in March
Spain’s rail networks have had a lot of disruptions over the past couple of months, with several collisions, train cancellations and walkouts. Now unions are calling for more strikes on several different days and times to protest against the management of the Ministry of Transport. Renfe and Adif unions have also called for a seven-day strike before Easter over the transfer of Rodalies to the government of Catalonia. No concrete dates have been given so far.
Andalusia to pass sustainable tourism law in March
Andalusia’s new Sustainable Tourism Law is expected to be approved in March. The law is designed to help fight against illegal tourism offerings and incorporates a comprehensive vision of tourism and its impact on Andalusian society.
“The law is based on a very clear idea: tourism is not just about numbers. It’s about people, territory, and coexistence,” the Andalusian Tourism Minister Arturo Bernal explained. “The future law understands the territory as a strategic asset that must be cared for and planned to guarantee orderly development, compatible with hospitality, quality of life, and the sustainability of destinations,” he continued.
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Teacher’s strike in Alicante
Teacher’s in the Valencian province of Alicante are due to strike on March 31st after a failed attempt at dialogue between the Regional Ministry of Education and the unions in order to improve working conditions. On top of this, unions have announced an indefinite strike for May. Demonstrations may also be held on February 28th in Alicante, Valencia, and Castellón, at noon.
A blood moon will take place
A total lunar eclipse will occur on the evening of March 3rd, causing blood moon to appear when it turns a dark red colour. This astrological phenomenon happens when the Earth is positioned between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow on the on the moon until it is completely covered.
This blood moon will be the first of two lunar eclipses due to take place in 2026.
New Schengen entry controls at Gibraltar border
The Spanish Government is preparing to fully implement the new EU Entry and Exit System (EES) at the land border crossing between La Línea de la Concepción and Gibraltar from March 30th. This digital system replaces the traditional manual passport stamping at the external borders of the Schengen Area and will mean fingerprinting and the recording of biometric from third-country nationals such as those from the UK, entering the Spain. It is not required for residents in Spain.
