Murcia Fair

The fair offers a wide array of activities which take place in spaces such as the Huertos del Malecón fairground and in the Plaza Romea square. There are a multitude of amusements, a cattle fair, a pilgrimage, and a Festival of Moors and Christians. ...

Bajada y Subida de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción: Procession of the Virgin of “Los Pegotes”

The first references to Nuestra Señora de la Concepción date from the 16th century, when a shrine with that name was built. In 1745 it was agreed that this ritual of taking the Virgin down and up the hill should become a tradition. ...

"Fiesta del Cordero" (Lamb Festival)

Every year more and more people gather to taste spit-roasted lamb in the field known as Prau Llagüezos. A group of friends started to build a mountain refuge in this spot in 1965, and to celebrate they spent the day roasting and eating lamb. That is the origin of this festival, which has been held every year ever since. ...

Vaqueira Festival

The festivity is dedicated to the vaqueiros or cattle-herders (an Asturian group with deeply-rooted traditions and ancestral customs, devoted primarily to migratory cattle herding). ...

Mystery of the Passion

This play has been performed since 1481. A curious anecdote, found in a chronicle from 1570, tells that during the passage regarding the Crucifixion of the Lord, several people were injured when the crowd, worked up over what they saw, attacked the stage with sticks to punish the soldiers and the Jews. ...

Festival of San Martín, or the Humanitarians’ Festival

The festival is organised by the San Martín Humanitarian Association, and begins with the traditional sung mass of San Martín, accompanied by the sound of the typical Asturian bagpipes. ...

Santo Domingo patron saint's day fiesta

These fiestas were declared of National Tourist Interest for their antiquity, originality and the diversity of the events that take place in memory of Santo Domingo and his works and miracles. On 10 May, the Branches are blessed outside of the temple. The day before, at 11:00, Mass is held in the hermitage of the Saint. ...

Pilgrimages to Orreaga-Roncesvalles

The most interesting pilgrimages include the one in the Arce valley, which has been in existence since the 16th century; and the one in the Aezkoa valley, which is the most visually striking and colourful. All over the area in May and June you'll come across pilgrims dressed in dark tunics, or barefoot penitents covered with black veils. ...

Pilgrimage of Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza

The Shrine of the Virgin of la Cabeza is found on a hill in Sierra Morena. Thousands of pilgrims from across the region gather in Andújar dressed in Andalusian style and riding various types of steeds and visit the Shrine on the third day of the festivities. During the night, people sing and dance in front of the Shrine. ...

La Passió

As a testament to the ancient “auto sacramental” as well as the “mysteries” and “miracles” of medieval European theatre, the performances of La Passió have been taking place in this town since the 16th century, staged and performed by local amateurs, with roles sometimes passed down from parents to children. ...

Faldeta Day in Fraga

These festivities are a tribute to the important role played by women in running the household economy. It highlights the traditional dress they wore in the past, comprising seven layered skirts, a bodice, jerkin and shawl, and normally worn with an attractive hairstyle. ...

Fiestas of San Antón and the International “Noche de San Antón” Urban Race in Jaén

Fiesta of Sant Antoni Abat

An enormous bonfire (“la foguera”) is burned in honour of the saint on 16 January, but preparations start on 7 December when the townspeople begin piling up firewood. In fact, the bonfire is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest bonfire. The religious celebrations are held on 17 January. ...

Alriza Fallas celebrations

Huge allegoric papier mâché statues are consumed by fire on the night of San José. This is the culminating moment of the celebrations, where you will also come across the acrid smell of gunpowder from the mascletás (a spectacle of firecrackers), music bands, orchestras, paella and parades with traditional costumes.

Las Carantoñas de Acehúche

The fiesta is held over two days on or around 20 January, the feast day of Saint Sebastian. It reenacts the moment when wild animals received the saint after his martyrdom, with several key figures in the ceremonies. ...

Navia Estuary Swim

In August, Navia, a coastal village in Asturias, holds its Estuary Swim, a prestigious international event which attracts swimmers from all over the world, but especially from Europe. ...

Natural Cider Festival, Nava

The Cider Festival, the most emblematic event of the year in the town of Nava in Asturias, takes place over the second weekend in July, and the preceding week. Celebrated for the first time in 1969, all sorts of cultural activities connected with the region’s favourite drink take place during the festival. ...

Feast day of Our Lady of Rosario de Luarca

The procession, known as the Saleo de la Virgen del Rosario is the high point of the celebrations in this little village in Asturias. The statue of the Virgin is carried out to sea by boat, escorted by a flotilla of small craft all sounding their sirens in a festive way. ...

Asturias Day in Gijón

On this day, all the mayors of the Asturias Region head for Gijón as guests of honour. The mayor of the host city receives them in a solemn act in Plaza Mayor Square, where many people gather dressed in typical regional costume. ...

Fiesta of the Cuadrillas in Barranda.

A total of around 15 groups from all over Spain take part in the event. Throughout the morning the groups take up their positions around the squares and streets, where they sing and dance in the midst of the crows of onlookers. ...

Olive and olive oil sessions

Many activities including exhibitions, conferences, tasting sessions, workshops and competitions, as well as music and folklore, complete this renowned event.

La Bañeza Carnival

The festivities start on Saturday evening with the grand Carnival dinner, the opening speech and the presentation of the Queen and Muse, which give way to the "Night of Sparks". People wear costumes ands gather in the Plaza Mayor to wait for the chispazo mayor (great spark). ...

The Three Kings mystery play

With the arrival of the Three Kings to the town to worship the Child, the streets of Sangüesa, on the Way of Saint James, become the site of a re-enactment of the meeting with Herod, the conversations with the shepherds and shepherd boys, and the angel’s warning of King Herod's evil intentions. ...

Yecla Festival of the Immaculate Conception

Yecla, in Murcia, commemorates the Virgen del Castillo festivities at the start of December. The procession with the image of the patron saint, on the 8th, is the culminating moment of these festivities. ...

Baptism of the Child Jesus in Palencia

It is performed in honour of the Cofradía del Dulce Nombre del Niño Jesús (Brotherhood of the Sweet Name of the Child Jesus), which was founded in the 16th century in the area surrounding what was formerly the Jewish quarter of the city. ...

The day of the Almadía

Almadías were boats which, until the mid 20th century, used to transport wood along the rivers between the valleys of Navarre. This trade has disappeared, but its memory lives on thanks to this celebration. Thousands of visitors come to this festive day every year, and there is a descent of the Esca River in various almadías. ...

Los Mayos in Alhama de Murcia

Los Mayos is a festival that takes place on the first Sunday in May in Alhama de Murcia. Although its origin is unknown and much earlier on, the first written references to it date from the 1920s. ...

Villarrobledo Carnival

The streets are full of joy and partying in Villarrobledo those days. The celebration starts on Thursday with the "arrival of the Juanes" - characters dressed up with masks with a crow's beak, and wolf's claws as shoes. They are in charge of starting the festival. ...

Festival of the Vaquilla

The event recreates the driving of the cattle (“vaquillas”) through the streets of the town, but in a uniquely distinctive way. The animals are not real, but artificial, and are created out of structures decorated with coloured silk ribbons, silk shawls and horns which are displayed with great gusto by all the participating groups as they ...

Botillo (local cured meat) Festival

This fiesta is held in the town of Bembibre (León province). It began its history in 1973 during a procession that is held every seven years known as the Saint’s Outing. Each February (may vary according to Easter date) since then, it has been traditional for all the restaurants in the region to offer “botillo” on their menus for a week. ...

Almería Cathedral

This is the first temple in Almeria designed for use as a fortress-temple. It is built in a predominantly Gothic style, and was originally intended to defend the town against attacks by pirates.

La Asunción de Nuestra Señora Cathedral

Ávila Cathedral

Construction was originally begun in the Romanesque style, but the project was subsequently taken over by the master architect Fruchel, who built one of the first Gothic cathedrals in Spain.

Baeza Cathedral

It is built on a Roman temple, which later became a mosque and, during the reign of Ferdinand III, was converted to Christian worship in honour of the Natividad de Nuestra Señora y San Isidro.

Barbastro Cathedral

This shows the evolution of the Gothic towards the Renaissance style.

Barcelona Cathedral

It is built on the site of an early Christian basilica. Work began on the building during the Romanesque period, but it is mainly in the Gothic style.