Page 37 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

NOR THERN SP AIN THROUGH THE Y EAR  35

Average Daily Hours of Sunshine Sunshine Chart
July and August
Hours are the sunniest
10
months in Northern
8 Spain, and also
the peak tourist
6
season. December
4 and January are
the cloudiest,
2 especially in
Galicia and in the
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec mountain areas.
Fiesta Patronales
Summer (end Jul), Tudela
Late summer is harvest time, (Navarra). Bull running,
with many fiestas celebrating dancing and singing
crop gathering. August is a takes place in honour
holiday month, and Spaniards of Santa Ana.
flock to the coastal towns and
beaches, or the mountains. August
Festa María Pita
June (Aug), A Coruña
Corpus Christi (Thu in May or (Galicia). Month-long
Jun). Religious processions. programme of
Festival of Flower Carpets concerts, corridas,
(weekend after Corpus Christi), medieval fairs and
Ponteareas & Gondomar sea battles in honour
(Galicia). Streets are laid with of this war heroine.
colourful carpets of flowers. Pamplona’s corrida during Los Sanfermines Descent of the Río
Wine Battle (29 Jun), Haro Sella (1st Sat Aug),
(La Rioja). Manic fiesta in which Danza de los Zancos (21–24 Jul Asturias. Spectacular kayak
thousands of people squirt & last weekend Sep), Anguiano and canoe race from
wine at each other. (La Rioja). Costumed dancers Arriondas to Ribadasella.
on stilts walk the steep streets Semana Grande (2nd week
July trying to knock each other off. Aug), Gijón (Asturias). Lavish
Rapa das Bestas (various Feast of St James (25 Jul), festival with concerts, dances,
weekends, late Jun–late Aug), Santiago de Compostela parades and food displays.
Pontevedra & Lugo (Galicia). (Galicia). Fireworks on the eve Feast of the Assumption
Wild horses are rounded of the saint’s feast day. (15 Aug). Festivities include
up to have their manes and a sar dine feast at Sada
tails cut. (A Coruña) and El Rosario,
Celtic Festival (mid-Jul), a fishermen’s festival in
Ortigueira (Galicia). Inter - Luarca (Asturias).
national festival with music Aste Nagusia (2nd week),
and piper parade. San Sebastián; (last week),
Semana Negra (1st or 2nd Bilbao. Week-long programmes
week Jul), Gijon (Asturias). This of parades, music, dancing
festival is entirely dedicated and Basque sports.
to noir fiction. Romería de Naseiro (late
Coso Blanco (1st weekend Jul), Aug), Viveiro (Galicia). Huge
Castro Urdiales (Cantabria). celebration of Galician cuisine.
Nighttime parade of carriages. Festival Internacional de
Los Sanfermines (6–14 Jul), Santander (Aug), Santander
Pamplona (Navarra). Bull (Cantabria). Cultural festival
running, with festivities. for lovers of theatre, opera,
Festival de la Sidra (2nd week classical dance and ballet.
Jul), Nava (Asturias). Cider Batalla de Flores (last Fri Aug),
festival with tastings. Laredo (Cantabria). Parade of
International Jazz Festivals extravagant floats, made of
Getxo (1st week); Vitoria (mid - Cider being poured during the Festival de flowers, ending in a flower-
Jul); San Sebastián (3rd week). la Sidra in Nava throwing “battle”.

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