SPANISH HOLIDAYS &FIESTAS GUIDE FOR 2024
JANUARY
NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION
WHEN?
Sunday 31.12.-01.01.
WHERE?
WHAT TO EAT?
12 GRAPES
One of the most anticipated New Year's eve activities in Spain is to eat 12 lucky grapes at midnight. They are eaten one by one, one for each chime of the clock.
CAVA&GOLD
Cava is a sparkling wine that is popular in Spain, especially on New Year’s Eve. For a monetary fortune in the new year, some Spaniards drop a gold ring or coins into their cava! After you toast your friends in Spanish, glug down the entire glass to retrieve your gold object—otherwise, the charm won’t work!
WHAT TO WEAR?
RED UNDERWEAR
TIPS:
Book far in advance, dress appropriatelly for the chilly weather and be prepared for the crowds. If you are choosing Madrid as your destination, keep in mind there is a limit for people on the square, which means you need to arrive some hours earlier to claim your spot.
LOS REYES MAGOS
Los Reyes Magos is celebrated on the 6th of January, while the parade takes place on the 5th of January each year, in most of Spanish cities. This parade is known as the "Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos", or Three Kings Day parade. It brings dancers, musicians, and other brilliant performers to the streets. Children get excited seeing Three Kings as well as picking up candies thrown by the performers and everybody has a great time!
WHEN?
5th\6th of January
WHAT TO EAT?
ROSCON DE REYES
TURRON
TIPS
This is a national holiday in Spain, which is why you shouldn't wait long to book your stay regardless of which place you choose.
FEBRUARY
CARNIVAL OF SANTA CRUZ TENERIFE
The Tenerife Carnival is world's second most visited&largest carnival, right after Rio de Jeneiro, which means for the fans of these occasions it's a must see.
WHEN?
Friday January 12th - Sunday February 18th
WHERE?
WHAT TO WEAR?
Most of the locals will be dressed in costumes during the street parties, so if you want to blend in, you should come prepared. A lot of Chinese shops and supermarkets will sell costumes during the carnival season, so it won't be difficult to find something simple and cheap. Each year the carnival comes with a theme, and the 2024 theme is "Television".
WHAT TO EAT?
Where you should stay during the carnival:
Mid-range option
High-end option
CADIZ CARNIVAL
The Cadiz carnival is known throughout the world as a huge street party. Eleven days of non-stop fun, originality and, more than anything else, mass participation. The whole city is transformed, the streets are filled with people and everybody is having a great time.
WHEN?
From 8th-18th of February
WHERE?
WHERE TO STAY?
Mid-range
High-end
MARCH
LAS FALLAS
The tradition of Las Fallas began hundreds of years ago with Valencia's carpenters creating a communal bonfire in the neighbourhood square to celebrate the beginning of spring. This tradition has now become Valencia's biggest festival, spreading over 19 days and attracting over 2 million visitors to the city. Other then a huge party, during Fallas the unique handmade monuments are on display all around Valencia. They compete with eachother for official awards, and are burned on March 19 as a part of the festival.
WHERE?
WHEN?
The main activities are from March 15th-19th, though the city gets festive since the first day of the month.
WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T MISS
Mascleta - Plaza del Ayuntamiento - 1st-19th March at 2PM
Fire Parade
Firework spectacle - Evenening of 15th to 18th of March (Nit de Foc) - at Palau de Les Arts
La Crema - Burning of scalptures - Evenening of Match 19th all around the city
TIP
If you are planning on seing the main activities, which are previously listed, make sure to arrive 1 to 2 hours in advance, to claim your spot. It gets extremely crowded, and i've learned in the hard way. Also, don't get frustrated if the shows start a bit late, and are not super punctual.
WHERE TO STAY?
Budget friendly
Mid-range
High-end
WHAT TO EAT?
Buñuelos de calabaza (pumpkin)
Paella! Though everybody seems to believe this dish is great anywhere in Spain, Valencia takes the lead and it shoud be THE place to try an actual spanish Paella.
Cafe Cremaet - Flamed Valencian coffee with a touch of brandy, rum, whisky or aniseed, with sugar or honey, cinnamon and coffee.
SEMANA SANTA (EASTER)
Semana Santa is a week long celebration for Easter in Spain. The entire country gets very festive, and streets get filled with processions of religious passion using decorated floats. It is certainly a unique experience, you can't experience anywhere else.
WHEN?
Sun, Mar 24, 2024 – Sat, Mar 30, 2024
WHERE?
All over the Spain, but the especially famous options are Sevilla and Toledo.
WHAT TO EAT?
Torrijas
APRIL
FERIA DE ABRIL
One of the Spanish most charming festivals, Feria de Abril, takes place in Sevilla right after the Semana Santa. This festival is a unique chance to experience Andalusian culture.
WHEN?
Sun, Apr 14, 2024 – Sat, Apr 20, 2024
WHAT TO WEAR?
If you want to match with locals colorful flamenco style dresses for women and suits for men are the way to do so.
TIPS
It sure will be a challenge finding affordable accommodation and transportation in Sevilla around these dates. Make your reservations MOOONTHS ahead.
WHERE TO STAY?
Hostel
Mid-range
High-end
MAY
LA FIESTA DE LOS PATIOS
This cute festival will take you to one of the most beautiful underatted places of Spain- Cordoba. Since 1921, the Town Hall has organised a competition of Courtyards where the owners decorate their houses with many flowers planted in pots, which either hang from the walls or are placed on a paving specific to Cordoba to try and win the prestigious award offered by the authorities. The participants open the doors to the public, so that everybody can visit the gardens. A festival runs in parallel with a number of performances by the best singers and dancers on the scene.
WHERE?
WHEN?
2nd-12th May
WHERE TO STAY?
Budget- friendly
Mid-range
High-end
FIESTAS DE SAN ISIDRO
This is one of the busiest times to be in Madrid, as well as the most festive it gets around capital. San Isidro is the local Saint, and the celebrations start the beginning of May up untill the day of the actual Saint. The city offers a lot of cultural activites, concerts in different locations and entertainment for each age group.
WHEN?
May 15th, however city gets festive with different activites since the beginning of the month.
WHERE?
WHAT TO WEAR?
If you feel like it, you can put on traditional clothes, or simply get one of the red flower decorations sold around the San Isidro park for your hair.
WHAT TO EAT?
Roscillas de San Isidro
"Lemonade" - If you fancy a non-alchocolic refreshment during the San Isidro, do not orther lemonade. As you will get a mixed alchocolic drink made out of white wine, lemons, cinamon, slices of peach and sugar.
WHERE TO STAY?
Hostel
Mid-Range
High-End
JUNE
NOCHE DE SAN JUAN
Noche De San Juan (St Johns eve) is a popular catholic celebration that marks the summer solstice and celebrates the arrival of the longest day of the year. You can expect fireworks, bonfires, food&drinks, good music and lots of fun!
WHEN?
Evening of June 23rd.
WHERE?
It's celebrated around Spain in many different cities, and it takes place on a beach. Good options to go experience this "beach party" are Valencia and Barcelona.
JULY
FIESTA DE SAN FERMIN
This is the biggest celebration in relation to bulls in Spain, and one of the best well known Spanish fiestas in the world. It takes place in the streets of Pamplona with the running of the bulls, as well as bullfights. In this unique festival you get a chance to run in front of the bulls. The bulls are out in the streets each morning of the festival (from 8AM), while the bullfights take place at the afternoon each day at 6:30PM. Each year around 1 000 000 people join this celebration.
WHERE?
WHEN?
Starts on July 6th and will end July 14th at midnight.
WHERE TO STAY?
Budget-Friendly
Mid-Range
High-End
AUGUST
LA TOMATINA
La Tomatina is a festival that is held in the Valencian town of Buñol, in which participants throw tomatoes and get involved in a tomato fight purely for entertainment purposes. Thousands upon thousands of people make their way from all corners of the world to fight in this 'World's Biggest Food Fight' where more than one hundred metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets.
WHEN?
Wednesday 28th of August (it always takes place on the last Wednesday of the month)
WHERE?
It takes place in a small village near Valencia - Buñol.
TICKETS
This is actually the only festival which requiers you to get the tickets. The prices of the actual event are sold for 15 euros, HOWEVER these tickets are already sold out as i am typing this (November 23'). You can still purchace some of the more expensive options and package deals including the party&after party as well as bus transportation from Valencia and Barcelona. (i will attach the link for you).
OCTOBER
DIA DE LA HISPANIDAD
This is not a typical fiesta, as others on the list, but it is a National holiday in the entire country, and it marks a day off from work and school for Spanish people.
WHEN?
Saturday, October 12
NOVEMBER
DIA DE TODOS LOS SANTOS
All Saints Day is a day to celebrate and remember loved ones who have passed away. It is a National Holiday in the entire country, where the locals visit cemeteries of their loved ones. As it is a national holiday, everybody gets a day off, and as it falls on a Friday, it's great to do a long weekend trip!
WHEN?
Fri, Nov 1
DECEMBER
Día de la Constitución&Día de la Inmaculada Concepción (puente)
The beginning of December each year, marks free days for Spanish, for the Constitutuion Day and the Day of the birth of Virgen Maria. Both are national holidays, however this year Constitution day is on Sunday, meaning there is only one day off on the 6th.
WHEN?
6th-8th of December (each year)
TIPS
When both of these holidays fall during the week, 7th is also considered a day off, making it a great time for a short vacation. It's important to book these dates early, to secure better prices, as many people from all around the country are traveling.
CHRISTMAS
WHEN?
Though the Christmas is on 25th, the holidays are all connected, meaning it's a national holiday all the way to Dia de Los Reyes on the 6th of January.
SPANISH TRADITIONS
These are some of the most intresting traditions for a Spanish Christmas:-El Gordo
-Portal de Beléns
These are the beautiful Christmas scenes found across Spain at Christmas time. They’re more than just a few figurines in a stable – these are huge and elaborate nativity scenes, with houses, markets, farms, rivers and all kinds of characters.
WHAT TO EAT?
Roscon de Reyes, Polvorones, Turron, Mazapan
This festive guide is coming to an end here, hope you enjoyed the ride! Check out my Thatch profile for more intresting guides and recommendations for Spain, and subscribe to not miss out on my new guides and itineraries. For any additional questions you can reach out to me on my travel instagram account.
HASTA LA PROXIMA!
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