Spain: worth knowing
Cultural events
The Fallas, a festival week at the end of winter from 12.3. until Midsummer Night on March 19th, there is a parade with huge colorful figures made of paper mache (ninóts), which are burned in a large fire (the créma) at the end. The stronghold of the Fallas is Valencia.
Another well-known event is the festival of San Fermin (also called Sanfermines) in Pamplona, which begins on July 6th and which annually impresses TV viewers all over the world. The fighting bulls are driven through the closed streets of the city to the arena, where the bullfights take place in the evening. Hundreds of young men, mostly in traditional white clothing with red belts, prove their courage and run before the bulls. During the following days, the whole city celebrates.
Religious festivals or holidays
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year |
6th January | Epiphany (Epiphany) |
19th March | Saint Joseph |
March April | the holy week |
15th of August | Assumption Day |
Corpus Christi | |
Feast day of Saint John the Baptist | |
November 1 | All Saints Day |
December 8 | Immaculate conception |
25 December | Christmas |
Source: Countryaah – Spain Holidays
In addition, the patron saints are particularly venerated in the respective areas on certain days.
An important expression of Spanish piety are the processions and popular pilgrimages (Romerias).
Other public holidays
Date | Holiday |
1st of May | Labor Day |
October 22 | National Day (Day when Columbus discovered America) |
6th of December | Constitution Day |
Sporting events
Cycling
race The Vuelta a España cycling race is one of the three major cycling events in Spain and, after the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, the most important stage race in the world. For the first time in 1935 and annually since 1955, the Vuelta leads within three weeks in alternating routes across Spain and partly neighboring countries. The next Vuelta will take place from August 27th. to September 18, 2005.
The Tour of the Basque Country is a stage cycle race in the Spanish Basque Country. It was first held in 1924 and has taken place regularly since 1952. The profile of the race is very demanding as a large part of the route is in the mountains.
The Tour of Catalonia is a stage race in Catalonia, Spain. The Tour of Catalonia, held annually in May/June, took place for the first time in 1911 and is also one of the most important regional stage races in Spain.
Public holidays
National customs
The bullfight is an old deep-rooted tradition in Spain, originally from Andalusia. The bullfighting season opens at Easter, with performances starting at 6 p.m. in summer and 5 p.m. in autumn. The most beautiful and famous bullring is in Seville.
The country of origin of flamenco is also Andalusia. This is where the Gitanos settled in the 15th century. At first, flamenco only meant a type of singing (cante), later dance (baile) and guitar music were added.
In July every year on a series of days in Pamplona 6 fighting bulls and 6 tame oxen are herded through the streets of the village. In these “encierros” young men (mozos) run in front of the bulls. From 1924 to 2006, the spectacle cost a total of 14 lives, and numerous participants are injured every year. The spectacle is the highlight of the festival in honor of Pamplona’s patron saint, San Fermín, and became world famous through the novel “Fiesta” from 1926 by Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961).
Climate
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Presents the way that ES stands for the nation of Spain as a two-letter acronym.
Spain has a share in several climate zones.
In the northern areas there is a rainy maritime climate with relatively cool summers and mild winters. The daily and annual fluctuations in temperature are relatively small there. In contrast, the climate in the greater part of Spain is subtropical-Mediterranean with a continental character. The temperature differences are very high during the year, especially in the Meseta. The main rainy seasons in central Spain are spring and autumn. The area in the coastal lowlands in the southeast is one of the driest in Europe. In the Balearic Islands the winters are relatively mild and the summers very hot. The Canary Islands have pleasantly higher temperatures all year round due to their southern location.
Note:
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Travel times
The ideas of what is meant by a particularly favorable travel climate depend on a number of factors. For example, cultural travelers see the climate very differently than people who want to spend a pure beach holiday, for example. The state of health or age can also play an important role. Therefore, our travel time recommendations are divided into the following two categories:
For sun seekers
Summer and autumn are generally well suited for a beach holiday in Spain, although summer on the mainland and the Balearic Islands can be very hot. The bathing season in the Canary Islands runs from spring to autumn.
For people who prefer a temperate climate
Autumn and spring are suitable for a cultural holiday in Spain. For the northern part of Spain, the best time to travel is summer. The Canary Islands are great for hiking in winter.