| Fiestas take place throughout the year in various | | | | with each stroke of the clock will bring good luck for |
| parts of Spain. The ones in small villages are certainly | | | | the coming year. After that you can enjoy music and |
| worth a visit, but if you want to experience | | | | dancing until the early hours of the morning. |
| something truly spectacular, try one of these; | | | | THE FALLAS FESTIVAL |
| SEMANA SANTA | | | | Valencia hosts the Fallas Festival in mid March. This |
| Easter week in Spain is something to behold. | | | | week long extravaganza of bonfires and fireworks is |
| Processions take place every day across the | | | | quite possibly one of the loudest in Spain and that's |
| country, culminating with 'the big one' on Good Friday, | | | | saying a lot. Over two million tourists make their way |
| when members of the various brotherhoods carry | | | | to the city to watch the giant papier-mache Fallas, |
| huge floats through the streets until the early hours | | | | which are made in the image of famous people and |
| of the morning. The most impressive ones are to be | | | | characters from all walks of life, burnt at the end of |
| found in Cordoba, Granada, Malaga and Seville. | | | | the festivities, whilst worried fire-fighters stand by. |
| THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS | | | | The figures, which are made during the previous |
| Known locally as San Fermin, the patron saint of | | | | twelve months, are displayed in the city during the |
| Pamplona, this week long celebration begins on July | | | | week, before they are burned amid a frenzy of |
| 7th. Each morning the runners gather at 8am at the | | | | noise and heat. |
| start of the route named 'Cuesta de Santo Domingo' | | | | THE BABY JUMPING FESTIVAL |
| and through song, ask San Fermin to protect them | | | | Yes, you read that properly. The El Colacho baby |
| during the Bull Run. A rocket signals the release of | | | | jumping festival takes place in Castrillo de Murcia in |
| the first bull, followed by another one when the last | | | | the foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains every May. |
| bull has left the corral and entered the streets of | | | | All newborns from the previous twelve months are |
| Pamplona. A third rocket tells us that the bulls have | | | | eligible to be leapt over by a man dressed as the |
| reached the 'Plaza de Toros and a fourth indicates | | | | Devil, and consequently purged of evil. If you get to |
| that the bulls are in their pens and the run is over. | | | | the town during the week before the Baby Jumping, |
| LA TOMATINA | | | | you may have the dubious pleasure of being |
| Surely the craziest fiesta on the planet. On the last | | | | terrorised by one of the two individuals who go |
| Wednesday of each August in Bunol near Valencia, | | | | around with their truncheons and whips at ready. |
| thirty thousand visitors join the nine thousand | | | | Then on the Sunday, the babies are laid out on the |
| residents for a food fight, or to be more precise, a | | | | ground ready for the Devil, who has been hiding in |
| squashed tomato fight. The event begins when | | | | the church, to leap forth and hurdle the infants |
| someone has successfully retrieved a ham from atop | | | | before disappearing into the distance. |
| a large greasy pole. More than one hundred thousand | | | | Hopefully, this will have whetted your appetite for a |
| tomatoes are thrown in just over one hour. Those | | | | visit to a Spanish fiesta. Whether you opt for a large |
| taking part in the event are advised to wear safety | | | | fiesta or the more intimate village celebration, the |
| goggles. The fiesta was banned under Franco but | | | | common denominator is fun. This is just a small |
| returned during the 70's after his death. Don't forget | | | | sample of the fiestas that take place around Spain. |
| to take a change of clothes. | | | | It's up to you; do you fancy being chased by a bull, |
| CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR | | | | being pelted by a soggy tomato or seeing the Devil |
| For the Spanish, Christmas is a time to be spent with | | | | himself leaping over innocent babies. You must admit, |
| the family. New Year's Eve however is celebrated | | | | there's quite a choice, and every one promises be a |
| across Spain with huge parties organised by the | | | | memorable experience. Buen Viaje! and hasta pronto. |
| various town councils. At midnight, a grape eaten | | | | |