The Teatre Serrano is Gandia’s largest theatre and the main venue for the town’s municipal performing arts programme. It occupies a building with a modernist façade on the Passeig de les Germanies, Gandia’s central promenade, and hosts theatre, dance, music, opera and film all year round.
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Its history begins in the early 20th century, runs through a long closure and continues since 2006 with a renovated auditorium. For visitors to Gandia, it is an easy way to round off the day with a performance right in the centre, a few minutes’ walk from Hotel Borgia.
From Teatro Circo to Teatre Serrano
The theatre stands on the site once occupied by the old Teatro Circo de Gandia, built in the early 20th century. In 1913 it was renamed Teatro Serrano in honour of the composer José Serrano (1873-1941), born in Sueca and known for his zarzuelas.
Serrano composed the anthem of the 1909 Valencian Regional Exhibition, which was later adopted as the anthem of the Valencian Community. The theatre’s name therefore keeps a direct link with Valencian music.
A modernist façade on the Passeig de les Germanies
The present façade dates from 1921 and belongs to late Valencian modernism. It has a ground floor and one upper storey, and its highlights are the stone balconies with geometric decoration, the tilework and the crowning section with pinnacles and wrought-iron railings with floral motifs.
It is worth a look even if you are not going to a performance: notice the long balcony and the panels of green tiles above the windows.
Closure in 1995 and reopening in 2006
The building kept its original structure until 1995, when the theatre closed and became the property of the Ajuntament de Gandia (Gandia Town Council). The restoration preserved the façade and completely transformed the interior to meet today’s staging requirements.
The Teatre Serrano reopened on 27 March 2006, a date that coincides with World Theatre Day, and has since offered a regular, council-run performing arts programme.
Two auditoriums for different formats
- Sala A: the main auditorium, with around 600 seats across the stalls and the circles, including four spaces for people with reduced mobility. It hosts the large theatre, dance, opera and concert productions.
- Sala B: a space with around 200 seats for films, screenings, cycles and small-scale productions.
The seats in Sala A are tiered and set slightly off-centre from the row in front, so the view of the stage is good from most seats.
What’s on at the Serrano
The season combines professional theatre and dance companies, opera, concerts by bands and orchestras, and family shows. Film has a strong presence of its own: the Filmoteca de Gandia screens recent auteur films in Sala B, and the Infància al Cinema cycle brings together screenings designed for children.
The theatre is also the venue for some of the town’s annual events. In October it hosts Cortoons, the international animated short film festival, which uses both auditoriums; during the Fira i Festes it programmes indoor performances, and the Tardor Literària and the Setmana de Cinema i Muntanya (SetDeCIM) also hold part of their events here.
Upcoming performances, with date, time and price, are gathered in the Teatre Serrano programme in our events guide, which is updated as new shows are announced.
Tickets, prices and getting there
- Address: Passeig de les Germanies, 29, 46702 Gandia. You can find it on Google Maps.
- Tickets: on sale on the Cultura Gandia ticketing platform and at the theatre box office before each performance.
- Prices: these depend on each show. Film screenings are usually the most affordable; check the price of each performance in the events guide.
- Theatre telephone: +34 962 959 650.
- Casa de Cultura Marqués de González de Quirós: on the same promenade, at number 13, it is the hub for the council’s cultural information. Telephone +34 962 959 535.
A cultural walk through the centre
A short walk from the theatre, the Casa de la Marquesa lets you round off the afternoon with architecture and a garden. For a more intimate programme, the Teatre del Raval offers independent theatre, music and family shows in a hall with around 200 seats.
If this is your first stay in Gandia, our selection of must-see places in Gandia will help you combine a performance at the Serrano with the heritage of the Centre Històric.