España: a country famed for its relaxed drinking on terraces, beautiful beaches and party lifestyle. However, what many tourists don’t realise is that it’s also the land of a different type of fiesta: festivals. Annually welcoming millions of tourists from all over the world, Spain saw an influx of more than 60 million tourists last year alone. And yet, many holiday goers, especially my fellow Anglophones, visit Spain without ever experiencing the diverse cultures it houses, opting instead for package holidays in locations almost completely inhabited by other tourists. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with this type of holiday, surely it’d be a shame to visit such an incredible country without ever taking the opportunity to experience one or more of its diverse traditions?
One of the best ways to gain insight into Spain’s multifaceted culture is by going to one of its many diverse national and regional festivals which take place throughout the year. There are too many to list here, but I’ve summarised some of the best (many of which I was lucky enough to experience first-hand) :
Las Fallas, Valencia (Falles, 15th-19th March): One of the most unforgettable experiences you’ll ever have! This four-day long festival in honour of Saint Joseph involves a contest between the huge paper-machier floats (falles) scattered throughout the city, which are then one-by-one set alight before the winner is finally burnt down on the final evening. The floats are often caricatures of political figures whilst others are just simply beautiful to look at. Prepare yourself for amazing fireworks displays, an incredible atmosphere of joy and celebration, and a lot of smoke… You have to see it to believe it! PS don’t forget to try paella in its birthplace before you leave.
Semana Santa, Seville (Holy Week, March/April)
Some of the most impressive and ominous religious Easter processions take place in the Andalusian region of Spain, the most famous of which takes place in Seville.
Feria de Abril, Seville (April Fair, April)
This is the big party following the rather ominous Easter processions just a few weeks earlier. The April Fair in Seville is one of the best opportunities to experience traditional Spanish festivities with women and girls dressed in typical Sevillana/ flamenco style and men in their traditional suits. There are also stalls for eating, drinking and dancing, as well as an actual funfair for all the family to enjoy! If that’s not enough to tempt you, Seville is one of the most beautiful and interesting cities I’ve ever seen!
San Fermín, Pamplona (Running of the Bulls, July)
Bullrunning is possibly the most famous- and most controversial- Spanish tradition along with bullfighting. Whilst I, along with others (including many Spaniards), don’t agree with such activities, this renowned festival continues to attract tourists every Summer and it doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.
Tomatina, Bunyol, Valencia (Tomato Festival, August)
The ultimate food fight… The Tomatina is another well-known Spanish festival. Fairly self-explanatory, it involves hundreds of people throwing tomatoes at one another on the last Wednesday of August. Highly entertaining for some, very strange for others. I’ll leave it up to you to decide for yourself.
La Mercè Festival, Barcelona (September)
Barcelona’s biggest street party! Every year, in the week leading up to 24th September, the Catalan capital hosts a huge festival to honour the city’s patron saint Mercè and also mark the end of Summer. Common activities include: the parade of giants (giant wooden figures), human pyramids, traditional dance, and a concert and fireworks on the beach. And as if that were not enough to draw you in, the weather still tends to be nice at this time of year, so it’s not to be missed!
Día de la Hispanidad/ Fiesta Nacional de España (Hispanic Day/ National Day of Spain, 12th October)
The 12th October marks another national holiday in Spain which celebrates Colombus’ ‘discovery’ of the Americas (1492), and more generally, all aspects of Hispanic heritage, culture and language from around the world. Due to controversy surrounding its association with colonialisation, the name was changed in the 1980s to Fiesta Nacional (National Holiday). Celebrations throughout Spain include a huge military parade in Madrid and the Fiestas del Pilar in Zaragoza.
Fiestas del Pilar, Zaragoza (12th October)
This festival in honour of the Aragonese capital’s patron saint Virgen del Pilar is the city’s biggest annual celebration and it coincides with the Spanish national holiday (see above). The festival includes lots of traditional food, music and theatre in the run up to and on the day itself with people typically donning the traditional red and black neckscarf and laying flowers in honour of Pilar. Don’t forget to have a botellón- tradition of drinking in the park/outdoors with friends- too!
Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos, Spain (Wise Men Parade, 5th January)
Christmas in Spain is a bit different from what we’re used to in the English-speaking world. In general, the country’s Christmas tradition revolves around the figures of the Three Wise Men (los Reyes Magos) from the Bible, rather that that of Santa Claus. Every year on the eve of 5th January, immense, spectacular nativity scenes and parades take place throughout the country as a reenactment and celebration of the Epiphany (the arrival of the Three Wise Men). Then, the following day, kids traditionally recieve gifts from the Reyes Magos. Yet another example of how Spanish culture can be so similar and yet so different to our own!
Carnaval, Cadiz and Tenerife (Carnival, February)
Carnival is a huge event across Europe and beyond, notably in Cologne and Rio de Janeiro. However, few people realise just how big these celebrations are in Spain as well, especially in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, and the Andalusian city of Cadiz. With a colourful explosion of music, parades and fancy dress which could rival that of Rio, party-lovers need look no further than Spain!
Remember, this is only a small selection of the HUGE range of national, regional and municipal festivals which take place all over Spain. With so much choice all year-round, there’s no excuse for missing out on an amazing traditional Spanish/ Catalan/ Galician/ Valencian/Basque/Balearic (etc., etc.) experience next time you visit the land of fiesta, siesta and cerveza!
