About festivals in Spain

Spain stands out thanks to its multicultural wealth, a feature that touches upon all aspects of social life. The diversity of festive manifestations extends throughout the entire country.

The popular fiestas and Spanish traditions stem from an unmistakably religious origin. It is a feature that shapes all expressions of the folklore, combining religious fervour with different pagan and recreational acts. The cultural diversity of the country means that from north to south the festive manifestations are very different and yet at the same time, coexist with common celebrations throughout the whole country. In Spain, the year beings with the traditional bell tolls in the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, that joins thousands of people in the capital and in all parts of Spain in celebration of the new year. For each toll of the bell, a grape is eaten.

Nevertheless, Easter week sees one of the most important traditional celebrations in Spain. This festivity is celebrated at the end of March or beginning of April and features popular, colourful processions. On the other hand, the majority of the fiestas are celebrated during the summer months, from June to September, depending on the location, as they combine religious and socio-economic events. Various fiestas are also celebrated throughout most of Spain at the end of summer (end of August, beginning of September) in keeping with the historic tradition whereby the fiestas coincide with the reaping of the harvest (especially the grape harvest).

Furthermore, each part of the country has its own specific fiestas. They include the Sanfermines in Pamplona, Sant Jordi and Mercé in Barcelona, las Fallas in Valencia, the Reconquest Fiesta in Granada, the April Feria in Seville and the fiestas of San Isidro and la Verbena de La Paloma in Madrid. But these are just an example of the thousands of celebrations held all over Spain almost all year long.