Horse races on the beach

Since 1845, during the evening's low tide in the month of August, the beaches of Sanlúcar de Barrameda have been used for horse races. Popular tradition has it that the origins of these celebrations go back to the informal competitions that took place between fishmongers, to see who could get to market first. ...

La Tomatina tomato festival

The “Tomatina” is held on the last Wednesday in August in the town of Buñol. This unusual fiesta brings together crowds of people every year, ready to have a great time of laugher and fun, hurling tomatoes at each other. Participants at this joyful pitched battle have a wonderful time throwing tomatoes at anything that moves. ...

International Habaneras and Polyphony Contest

The Torrevieja International Habaneras and Polyphony Competition is the most outstanding event of its type in Spain. This village on the shores of the Mediterranean has been hosting the competition since 1955. Its gentle songs serve as a point of encounter for people from many different countries. ...

Moors and Christians Festival in Vila Joiosa-La Villajoyosa

Moors and Christians is Villajoyosa’s most important festival. It’s one that’s been celebrated for over 250 years in honour of Santa Marta, and commemorates events that took place in 1538, when Barbary pirates commanded by Zalé-Arraez tried to attack the town. ...

Festivities in honour of Saint James the Apostle

The appearance of the remains of James the Apostle led to the creation of the Galician capital, according to legend. Santiago de Compostela soon became a holy city along with Jerusalem and Rome, and a pilgrimage destination, resulting in the Camino de Santiago (World Heritage). ...

Viking Pilgrimage

Thousands of people flock to this town in Galicia every year on the first Sunday in August to attend this fun festival. Since 1960, the inhabitants of Catoira, dressed as Viking warriors, recreate a pirate attack on the town. ...

"Cascamorras"

In September, Guadix and Baza, in the province of Granada, live one of the most long-awaited moments of the year: the "Cascamorras". This fiesta dates back to the Middle Ages, and the appearance of the statue of the Virgen de la Piedad, which made enemies of the two towns. In the end, the statue remained in Baza. ...

Bull and Horse Droving in Segorbe

Excitement and risk go hand in hand at this unique, spectacular celebration, which brings thousands of people to the village of Segorbe year after year. The Droving of Bulls and Horses takes place during the second week of the patron saint’s fiestas in Segorbe. ...

Grape harvest festival in Jerez de la Frontera

The celebrations pay tribute to the three emblematic elements in the culture of Jerez de la Frontera: wine, horses and flamenco. Grape stomping, gastronomy, street theatre, music and popular culture fill the city’s streets with fun and high spirits. ...

Carthaginians and Romans Fiesta

A landing commemorates the capture of the city in 209 BC by the Roman troops of Escipion, marking a festive week in which alternate days are devoted to one or the other band. ...

Fiesta of the Moors and Christians in Crevillente

In October, Crevillent, in the province of Alicante, celebrates its Moors and Christians fiesta in honour of its patron saint, Francis of Assisi. The fiesta is packed with parades, colour, music and fun, filling every corner of the town with joy. ...

Tamborada drum festival and Easter Week in Hellín

At midnight on Maundy Thursday, the most important tamborada of these festivities takes place. In stark contrast to this tremendous hum of drums, on Good Friday night the procession of the Holy Burial takes place, marked by silence and solemn reflection. ...

Pilar Fiestas

These are the main annual fiestas in the regional capital of Aragon, characterised by a broad range of activities that fill the streets with fun, colour and entertainment for a week at the least. The programme brings together theatre performances, concerts, children's entertainment (puppet shows, clowns, magic... ...

Albacete Fair

Originally this event was a livestock fair, but over time it evolved into a festival with great popular participation. It is held in honour of the Virgin of the Plains and has a varied programme: concerts, theatre plays, street parties, activities for children, parades, bullfights, sporting competitions, among other events. ...

Canoe festival. International descent of the Sella River

Every year, on the first Saturday in August, canoeists from all over the world come to Asturias to take part in the Sella River race. In order to participate you must have a valid competition license. ...

Arrival of the Caravel La Pinta Festival

In order to remember this important historical event, there are many celebrations in March. A real medieval festival takes place on the streets in the old quarter and in the nearby avenues, selling typical 15th-century crafts. Musicians, minstrels, jugglers and artisans provide entertainment for visitors. ...

Courtyards Festival in Cordoba

The people of Cordoba proudly open the gates of the courtyards in the old quarter of the city during the days of the festival. They deck the courtyards out specially for the occasion with pots full of geraniums, carnations and jasmines that hang from the whitewashed walls. ...

Festival of the Horse

The Jerez Horse Fair is full of joy, fun and purebred animals. The nobility of the creatures that you can admire during this event has made it internationally famous. Dating back to ancient times (1284), it was originally a livestock market, evolving over the centuries to become the festival it is today. ...

Los Caballos del Vino

Santísima y Vera Cruz Fiesta

This fiesta has been celebrated since the Middle Ages and is a mixture of culture, history and legend, where all the locals get involved. It has two main spectacles: the Wine Horses, and the Moors and Christians celebrations. The latter represent the battles that took place between the two sides way back in history. ...

Misterio de Elche religious theatre

It is a lyric drama of medieval origins, that has been staged since the 13th century, one of the customary representations of the Assumption in Mediterranean Europe. The play is based on several texts from the Apocryphal Gospels, quite popular during the Middle Ages. ...

Moors and Christians Festival, Alcoy-Alcoi

The festival of Moors and Christians is the most important event of the year in Alcoy. It is dedicated to San Jorge, a figure shrouded in ancestral traditions. They have been celebrated since the sixteenth century and commemorate a battle that took place in 1276. ...

Main Fiestas in Almansa

Every year, an extensive programme of events pays tribute to the patron of this town in the province Albacete, the Virgen de Belén. The streets are decked out to receive colourful cavalcades such as the Opening Speech Parade, the Moors and Christians Parade, and the Festive Parade. ...

April Fair

The April Fair is one of the most international and popular of Seville’s fiestas. It was created in 1847 as a cattle fair, and over time the festive atmosphere that had grown up around the occasion took over the business aspect, and it became a permanent fixture in Seville’s social calendar. ...