Page 44 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

42  INTRODUCING SP AIN

The Fiestas of Spain

On any day of the year there is a fiesta happening
somewhere in Spain – usually more than one. There isn’t
a village, town or city in the country that doesn’t honour
its patron saint, the Virgin or the changing seasons with
processions, bullrunning, fire works, re-enacted battles,
some ancestral rite or a romería – a mass pilgrimage to
a rural shrine. Whatever the pretext, a fiesta is a chance
for everyone to take a break from normal life (most shops
and offices close) and let off steam, with celebrations
sometimes going on around the clock.

During the festival of Los Many romerías wind through the
Spring Fiestas
Mayos, on 30 April and the countryside during the year
The end of winter and the following days, crosses are
start of spring are marked by decorated with flowers in The best Semana Santa (Easter
Valencia’s great fire festival, Las parts of Spain. Week) processions are held
Fallas (see p259), in which huge in Seville (see p437), Granada,
papier-mâché sculptures are Málaga, Murcia and Valladolid.
set alight in a symbolic act Easter Brotherhoods of robed men
of burning the old in order Most communities observe carry pasos, huge sculptures
to make way for the new. Easter in some form with depicting the Virgin, Christ or
Alcoi’s mock battles between pomp and solemnity. It is scenes of the Passion, through
costumed armies of Moors and heralded by the Palm Sunday the streets. They are accom-
Christians in April (see p259) proces sions. The most panied by people dressed as
are the most spectacular of impressive of these is in Elx, biblical characters or penitents,
the countless fiestas which where intricate sculptures in tall conical hats. In some
commemorate the battles of are woven from blanched towns passion plays are acted
the Reconquest. Seville’s April leaves cropped from the out. In others, people carry
Fair (see p437), is the biggest most extensive forest of palm heavy crosses. Sometimes
celebration held in Andalucía. trees in Europe (see p265). the centuries-old ritual of self-
flagellation can be witnessed.

Summer Fiestas
The first major fiesta of the
summer is Pentecost (also
known as Whitsun), in May
or June, and its most famous
celebration is at El Rocío (see
p469), where many thousands
of people gather in a frenzy
of religious devotion.
At Corpus Christi (in May or
June) the consecrated host is
carried in procession through
many cities in an ornate silver
monstrance. The route of the
procession is often covered
with a carpet of flowers. The
main Corpus Christi celebra-
tions take place in Valencia,
Toledo and Granada.
On Midsummer’s Eve (La
Víspera de San Juan), bon fires
are lit all over, especially in the
areas along the Mediterranean
coast, to herald the celebration
The Brotherhood of Candlemas, Semana Santa (Easter Week) in Seville of St John the Baptist on 24 June.

042-043_EW_Spain.indd 42 26/09/17 11:52 am