If you’re planning a holiday to Spain, it might be worth considering timing your visit to coincide with one of the country’s many, often unique festivals. From flamboyant, fabulous carnivals to street food fights, there’s something to cater to almost any imaginable whim or dabbling. So, before you book your flights, read on for a round-up of its most exciting celebrations.
February: Sitges Carnival
Visit Sitges in February, and you’ll find this beautiful seaside town has been ignited with colour, feathers and eleganza for the Sitges Carnival. A predominantly LGBT event, this extravagant celebration involves a parade, shimmying drag queens, and the sombre ‘burial of the sardine’ ritual which takes place on Ash Wednesday. Loud, proud and wonderful, this epic party is one of Europe’s gay cultural epicentres, so book your visit early to avoid being disappointed.
June: El Colacho Festival
If you find the thought of dressing up as Satan (albeit a yellow jumpsuit wearing iteration) and attempting to jump over newborn babies troubling, seek your kicks somewhere other than El Colacho Festival in Castrillo de Murcia. This religious festival dates back to 1620 and is said to rid the brave babies who volunteer of evil spirits and protect them from illness. If this doesn’t sound wacky enough, if you attend, you might be chased through the streets by a whip-wielding member of the Brotherhood, who will not hesitate to give you a lash. Ouch!
July: Running of the bulls
It came to international attention in 2014 due to a somewhat daring selfie-snapper, but if you’re planning on attending the running of the bulls in Pamplona, taking snapshots is the last thing you’ll be worrying about. As a cavalcade of charging toros is unleashed, you must hotfoot it to the finish line through hazardously cobbled and winding streets. Or you could just show up for the after party.
August: La Tomatina
Have you ever glanced at a jar of ragu and wondered what it would like to be slathered from head to toe in tomato sauce? Then you might want to book a place at La Tomatina, the world’s largest organised food fight, in which truckloads of ripe tomatoes are lobbed in the village of Bunol until the streets resemble the prom scene from Carrie.
While any old city can have a film festival or comic-con it takes a certain level of eccentric allure to attract tens of thousands of people to being doused in tomatoes or potentially gored by a rampaging bull. Spain has this by the bucketload, so don’t neglect to pursue the more alternative aspects of its culture next time you visit. You might just become a regular, catching your flight to Spain to be part of the fun year in, year out.
Images by Oh-Barcelona,com, LpsktLibrarian and fearghalonuallain, used under Creative Commons license
