Fiestas Calendar
Fiestas are an absolutely crucial part of Spanish life. Even the smallest village gives at least a couple of days a year over to partying, and happening across a local event can be huge fun, propelling you right into the heart of its culture. But as well as such community celebrations, Spain has some really major events: most famously the Running of the Bulls at Pamplona, the April Feria of Seville, and the great religious processions of Semana Santa, leading up to Easter. Any of these can be worth planning your whole trip around. Following is a very basic calendar of fiesta highlights . For more detailed information, consult local tourist offices. Outsiders are always welcome at fiestas, the one problem being that it can be hard to find a hotel, unless you book well in advance.
Note that saint's day festivals - indeed all Spanish celebrations - can vary in date , often being observed over the weekend closest to the dates given in our listings. Contact local tourist offices for more details.
JANUARY 16-17: San Antoni's day is preceded by bonfires and processions, especially on the Balearic Islands . FEBRUARY Carnaval (the week preceding Ash Wednesday and Lent) is an excuse for wild partying and masques, most riotous in Cadiz (Andalucia), Sitges (Catalunya), and Aguilas (Valencia). MARCH 12-19 Las Fallas in Valencia is the biggest of the bonfire festivals held for San Jose, climaxing on the Night of Fire when enormous caricatures are burnt and firecrackers take over the streets. Easter (March/April) Semana Santa (Holy Week) is celebrated across Spain with religious processions, at their most theatrical in the cities of Sevilla, Malaga, Murcia and Valladolid , where pasos - huge floats of religious scenes - are carried down the streets, accompanied by hooded penitents atoning for the year's misdeeds. Good Friday sees the biggest processions. APRIL 22-24: Moros y Cristianos - mock battle between Moors and Christians - in Alcoy, Valencia. (Similar events take place throughout the year all around Spain. 23: San Jordi - Catalunya's patron saint's day is a big party across the region and is also celebrated on National Book Day throughout Spain. Last week: Feria de Abril - spectacular week-long fair at Sevilla. MAY Early May: Horse Fair at Jerez (Andalucia). 7-22: San Isidro - Madrid's patron saint (15th) - is a signal for parades, free concerts, and the start of the bullfight season. Pentecost (Whitsun:7th Sunday after Easter): the great pilgrimage to El Rocio, near Huelva (Andalucia). Corpus Christi (Thursday after Trinity; May/June) is a focus for religious processions, accompanied by floats and penitents, notably in Toledo, Granada and Valencia. Many town fiestas also take place, including the spectacular costumed events of the Festa de la Patum (Catalunya). JUNE 23-24: San Juan and midsummer's eve is celebrated with bonfires all over Spain - particularly in San Juan de Alicante, where a local version of Las Fallas takes place. 29: San Pedro - patron of fishermen - is honoured by flotillas of boats, and partying all along the coast. JULY 7-14: San Fermin - the famed running of the bulls at Pamplona . 25: Santiago - Spain's patron saint, St James - is honoured at Santiago de Compostela, with fireworks and bonfires. AUGUST 10-11 : Elche (Valencia) hosts mock battles between Christians and Moors, ending with a centuries-old mystery play. First/second week : Mass canoe races down the Rio Sella in Asturias. Third week : Toledo's main fiesta, climaxing in amazing fireworks at the weekend. Last week: Gigantones (giant puppets) are paraded in Alcala de Henares (Castile). Last Wed (usually): La Tomatina in Bunol, near Valencia: the country's craziest fiesta, a two-hour tomato fight. SEPTEMBER First week: Vendimia (grape harvest) celebrations at Valdepenas (New Castile), Jerez (Andalucia) and other wine towns. 21: Rioja wine harvest celebrated in Logrono (Old Castile). OCTOBER 1: San Miguel Villages across the country celebrate their patron saint's day 12: La Virgen del Pilar - the patron saint of Aragon - is an excuse for bullfights and jota dancing at Zaragoza and elsewhere. DECEMBER 31: Nochevieja New year is celebrated by eating a grape for every stroke of the clock in Plaza del Sol in Madrid.
spain-EATINGamanda says "when you go to spain you have to be epected to eat a continental original BIG breakfast, a light lunch and dinner at a late time and i mean late!!!" Peace HoCharles Darwin III says "Beans Beans there good for your heart the more you eat the more you fart!" We the Knights...Knights of Columbus says "i totally disagree with Mr. Darwin. i belive it is cabbage that dust makes the human body release excess gas or as Mr. Darwin says "fart". i totally disagree and demand a throw down right now!" It is onCharles Darwin III says "I respectfully disagree with the Knights of Columbus.I accept the "throwdown" officiated by the KFC.We must meet at the town hall in Grenage, England" (.)(.)Charles Darwin III says "Oh and say hi to your babies momma for me please.and goodbye" Tis it thou my saucey fellowTribonious says "put a screw in it. you men are far too immature and thus leaves me to belive the Knights of Columbus(founded in 1882) will not only throw down but as (.)(.) said "take you babies momma". hm? such a saucey fellow. i cannot belive this ransomness. tis thou dissare to throw down with KFC i shall join as well and make allies with the wetbacks. and yes peace ho.
- your beloved tribonious" The WETBACKS!Charles Darwin III says "Thats absoulutly absurd! the Wetbacks ! My only allie is my faithful horse Homburdeous. He alone will assist me in the capture of the K F C.
Babies Momma
CDIII" WE The Knights...(again)Knights of Columbus says "how dare thou mistake my name K OF!!! C no KFC. we art thou no familar with the blacks. we do no crave cheap chicken from ally ways en thou ghetto. HOW DARE YOU. the wetbacks have always been our saucey fellows. how dare tis i waste my time with you sauceless fellows and thust do bust a load in your babbie mommas face. thust ending the war.
peace ho hombre." Important... Please ReadAdministrator says "This forum was created in order to inform potential travelers about Spain. It is obvious from previous entries that some people are using this forum for the wrong reasons. We respectfully ask that you refrain from using profanity and this site and most importantly, stay on topic and discuss only things that will be useful. Keep your personal affairs out of our website.
-The Administration-" ITS GOOD FOR YOUBEER AND WEED says "I LIKE TO DRINK BEER AND SMOKE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF WEED!" IM SOO HOTHOT GUY says "IM THE KIND OF GUY THAT MAKES ALL THE FAT GIRLS HUNGRY!" Midgets with BIG nosesFTM says "My tip is to watch of for the midgets with noses bigger then their bodies, they can be quite frightening and scary, just ask darwin he should know all about them! Quite scary indeedddd...." Daves MomScuba Steve says "I once went to daves house
I saw his mom
and I conquered her!" im highdickhead dave says "i have the munchies,
bc im high" im a birdScuba steve says "i can fly
i will fly up yur moms ass" Tour Spain and Morocco On Line (Video + Stills)David Mundstock says "My film "From Flamenco to Fez” presents a 2 continent, 3 country trip to Spain, Morocco, and Portugal. It features Madrid, Toledo, Grenada (the Alhambra), Seville (Spain), Fez and Marrakesh in Morocco, Lisbon, & Fatima in Portugal, plus much more, including a lavish Berber spectacle of music, dancing, and horse riding.
The video can be seen on the web, if you have a high speed internet connection.
This is a free, non-commercial, streaming video on the Windows Media Player. No ads and no strings attached. I sell absolutely nothing.
With any modem you can view the new still photo gallery of this trip.
There are over 30 of my other amateur travel videos on-line including trips to China, Russia, Antarctica, Italy, Britain, Hawaii, Australia, Bali, Japan, American National Parks, Africa, Greece, and Turkey; see lions, whales, elephants, or penguins.
The planet is yours, including my Home Page giant galaxy of still pictures.
To watch the video and view the stills, please ask a search engine for:
Intrepid Berkeley Explorer"
Your Tip for Spain
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Spain - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Spain - visit the main Spain forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Spain webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
