Tools Zone - Tourism in Spain
festivities of tourist interest
Carnivals - Los Carnavales
The most famous carnivals take place in Cadiz y en Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
As for the nearest ones the one of Ciudad Rodrigo has to be underlined. Many people from all over the Spain visit it every year.
Las Fallas de Valencia
The Fallas are enormous statues made out of papier mache, wood and wax, and often characaturing Spanish social and political life. The models are burnt on the night of 19 March in a festival of fire and fireworks.
Feria de abril
La Feria de Abril is basically a week long event consisting of Flamenco Parties, Horse shows and a large agricultural show.
The festivities are full of life and colour. The men wear traditional Andalucian Wear, Short jackets, boots and chaps, the women dress in the traditional Spanish Dresses of strong colours.
Seville is the home of Flamenco and during La Feria de Abril you are able to see some of the world's top Flamenco dancers.
Moors and cristians festivities - Fiestas de moros y cristianos
In Alicante the festival starts with a huge parade with people dressed in the period costumes of the Moors and Christians.
These days the festivals and battles are held in good humour and again the principle focus of the event is eating, drinking, singing and dancing.
Noche de San Juan
The festival starts at midnight on the 23rd of June each year when large paper Mache caricatures (called "juás", represent Judas, the leaker of Jesus Christ) are put on top of burning bonfires. People dance, sing, eat and drink on the beach. In the region of Malaga people normally prepare barbecue on the beach.
San Isidro
San Isidro is the patron saint of the peasants and laborers and is also the patron saint of Madrid.
Many people dress up in the traditional dress called "Chulapo or Chulapa" which is Madrid's national dress.
San Isidro is Madrid's most melodious fiesta. During every day and night, people can enjoy various concerts and traditional dancing.
San Isidro has been an official festival in Madrid since 1947. The festival begins with the Mayor's speach and ends with the ever popular Cocido Madrileño or public Cookout.
San Fermín
The Festival of San Fermin or the Pamplona Bull Run is about as mad a festival as you can get. It starts at midday on July the 6th each year.
The people who want to out run the bulls are in the streets and the Bulls are not allowed to roam freely.
Most of the people in the chase are locals and doing the Bull Run in Pamplona is a sign of virility and manhood. The run starts at 8 am.
Although the main focus of the Festival of San Fermin is the Bull Run the whole event actually lasts for eight or nine days and usually involves a lot of fireworks, drinking, singing and dancing.
La Tomatina
The Festival La Tomatina is one huge tomato fight and each year around 30,000 people take part.
The festival starts early in the morning when everyone turns up and dines on a breakfast of Chorizo and Rose wine.
Each year the Tomatoes throwing Festival last two hours and in total some 125,000 kilos of tomatoes are squashed and thrown.
La Tomatina Festival, The Tomato throwing Festival, is held on the last Saturday of August every year and has been a regular event since 1945.