{"id":776,"date":"2022-06-27T08:54:34","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T08:54:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/?p=776"},"modified":"2022-06-30T09:40:34","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T09:40:34","slug":"las-fiestas-the-best-festivals-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/ko\/las-fiestas-the-best-festivals-in-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Las fiestas: The best festivals in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s take a look at some of the biggest and most widely celebrated fiestas in this extraordinary country<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
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The land of the fiesta<\/b> (festival<\/i><\/b>)<\/i>, Spain has hundreds<\/b> (probably!) of local and national festivals which will allow you to immerse yourself in Spanish culture while you\u2019re studying here. From throwing tomatoes<\/b> to burying the sardine<\/b>, Spain has it all!<\/p>\n<\/div>

1. La Tomatina \u2013 Tomato throwing festival<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
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Every year in the town of Bu\u00f1ol<\/b> in the Valencia<\/b> region, locals and tourists alike gather to take part in the annual tomato festival. This quirky (poco convencional<\/b>) event originated as a result of a fight between festival goers at a local parade in 1945. One of the participants was so angry that he started throwing anything he could find at the other attendees, including overripe (pasado<\/b>) tomatoes! As a result, the town decided to make this an annual tradition and now thousands of tons<\/b> of this red fruit (or is it a vegetable?) are launched throughout the town in August each year. If you go, prepare to get absolutely covered<\/b> in tomato juice so make sure you wear clothes you don\u2019t really care about!<\/p>\n<\/div>

2. Las fallas de Valencia<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
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Another amazing event, not far from La Tomatina in the city of Valencia<\/b>, this traditional festival lasts for 5 days<\/b> every March. With a huge fireworks <\/b>(fuegos artificiales<\/b>) battle across the river, traditional dancing <\/b>and the burning of the fallas<\/b>, you\u2019ll surely be entertained during your visit. The fallas<\/b> are huge papier-m\u00e2ch\u00e9 models which are built during the year prior to the festival. They often represent political figures<\/b>, traditional customs<\/b> and are often satirical comments<\/b> on societal issues. These gigantic effigies can reach up to 30 metres <\/b>in height and are displayed all around the city. You can take a wander around the streets, drinking a refreshing glass of horchata<\/b> (tiger nut milk<\/b>) during the first few days of the event. However, don\u2019t wait until the final day as all the statues are burnt to the ground<\/b> in celebration of the arrival of spring<\/b> (primavera<\/b>). However, don\u2019t despair as the favourite falla<\/b> each year is saved and preserved in a museum to enjoy for years to come.<\/p>\n<\/div>

3. El carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife \u2013 Carnival time!<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
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While there are carnivals (carnavales<\/b>) all over Spain, the biggest and most famous of these takes place in the capital of Tenerife, Santa Cruz<\/b>, in the Canary Islands (las Islas Canarias<\/b>). This three week<\/b> festival takes place in June and is an amalgam of vibrant costumes<\/b>, over-the-top parades<\/b> and, of course, the famous entierro de la sardina <\/b>(<\/i>the burial of the sardine<\/i><\/b>)<\/i>. Like with any carnival, the main events are the huge street parties <\/b>(fiestas en las calles<\/b>) and the fantastic parade<\/b> (cabalgata<\/b>). Also, no carnival would be complete without the crowning of the carnival queen <\/b>(la reina del carnaval<\/b>) after the contenders strut their stuff<\/b> (lucirse<\/b>) on stage. On one of the final days you can see the entierro de la sardina <\/b>where a giant sardine<\/b> is paraded through the streets and ceremonially burned <\/b>(quemada<\/b>) to celebrate the end of the festival and the hope that it will happen again next year. Have you noticed yet that Spaniards seem to love festivals with something being burned?<\/p>\n<\/div>

4. La noche de San Juan<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
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The noche de San Juan <\/b>(<\/i>Saint John\u2019s Eve<\/i><\/b>) <\/i>is actually a religious<\/b> festival celebrating the birth of Juan el bautista <\/b>(<\/i>John the Baptist<\/i><\/b>)<\/i> who was born six months before Jesus. Nowadays, it is also somewhat related with the solsticio de verano<\/b> (<\/i>summer solstice<\/i><\/b>)<\/i> and is celebrated on the 23 june<\/b>. The festival is most widely celebrated in coastal<\/b> regions of the country, most notably in Catalu\u00f1a<\/b>, Valencia<\/b> and Galicia<\/b>. One of the biggest San Juan<\/b> events takes place near Albacete<\/b> where it is also a local festival. Thousands of people gather on beaches <\/b>(playas<\/b>) and huge bonfires<\/b> (hogueras<\/b>) are built to mark the event. Legend has it that you must jump over a (small!) bonfire three times<\/b> in order to be purified of your sins! Whilst celebrating, you should also try a coca de San Juan<\/b> which is a flat pastry-like food covered in various toppings such as tomato, vegetables and meat \u2013 delicious!<\/p>\n<\/div>

5. La Merc\u00e8 \u2013 Barcelona\u2019s local festival<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
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Every 24 September<\/b>, Barcelona celebrates the festival of one its patrons <\/b>(patr\u00f3n<\/b>) La Merc\u00e8<\/b>. Multiple events take place through the city to mark the day including the parade of the gegants <\/b>(<\/i>giants<\/i><\/b> in Catalan) <\/i>which are huge wooden figures which are taken around the city and represent famous historical figures<\/b>. Also, there are groups dancing the sardana<\/b> \u2013 a traditional dance from the Catalu\u00f1a<\/b> region and who compete to show which one can do it best! Not only is there a dancing competition, but also one in which groups of people try to form the highest human tower (castell<\/b>) which can reach up to 11 metres<\/b> high! And how do you form one of these structures? Well, a group of people form the base of the tower, then more and more people climb on top of this base, stand up and then climb on the shoulders of the person below! Fancy a go?<\/p>\n<\/div>

6. San Isidro \u2013 Patron Saint of Madrid<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
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You didn\u2019t think we\u2019d forgotten about Madrid<\/b>, did you? Here at Hablamos<\/b> we obviously all celebrate the festival of San Isidro<\/b> here in the capital. Taking place over a week in May, the main day is 15 May<\/b>. Over these 7 days there are all sorts of concerts <\/b>(conciertos<\/b>), parties<\/b> (fiestas<\/b>) and displays of the traditional dance el chotis<\/b> all over the city. The local madrile\u00f1os<\/b> dress up in traditional costumes as chulapos<\/b> if you\u2019re a man and chulapas<\/b> if you\u2019re a woman and take to the streets to celebrate. I actually live very close to the Parque de San Isidro <\/b>(<\/i>San Isidro Park<\/i><\/b>)<\/i> just south of the Manzanares<\/b> river where the main festivities take place. Let me tell you, it\u2019s an extremely noisy affair but it\u2019s also a perfect opportunity to get to know some locals and take part in the cultural life of this beautiful city in which you\u2019ll be studying Spanish<\/b>!<\/p>\n<\/div>

We hope that\u2019s given you a taste for the fantastic fiestas on offer here in Spain. Come and do a course here at Hablamos<\/mark> and take advantage of Madrid\u2019s central location to visit these festivals and more!<\/span><\/h3><\/div>
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