Spain: Culture and Traditions - Festivals 1

The cultural diversity of Spain favors that the festive manifestations are very different in the whole territory and that, nevertheless, coexist with celebrations common in all the country. Although for legal purposes Spain is a non-denominational state, most of the popular festivals and traditions of Spain have a Catholic origin, which is sometimes combined with pagan and ludic traditions.

The year begins with the traditional New Year bells, during which twelve grapes are taken to start the year with a good footing. It is said that the tradition was popularized in 1909 when after a harvest with surplus of grapes the farmers decided to give them exit selling them like grapes of the luck.

Another celebration with great roots in Spain is Holy Week. This feast is celebrated at the end of March or in April (according to the first full moon after the spring equinox) and recalls the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ through processions and different acts of great tourist interest.

In summer the local festivities multiply. Even the smallest villages enjoy three or four holidays in which joy invades its streets and is filled with dances, games and shows for all ages. Many of these feasts coincide with the Assumption of the Virgin which is celebrated on August 15. Other localities delay them until the end of the month or beginning of September because of the historical tradition of making them coincide with the harvesting of the harvests.

The Sanfermines of Pamplona, ​​the Fallas of Valencia, the Tomatina de Buñuel, the Feria de Abril de Sevilla, the fiestas of the Pilar de Zaragoza, the Carnivals of the Canaries, the Descent of the Sella in Asturias or the Moors and Christians of Alicante are so Just a few examples of the thousands of celebrations that are distributed throughout the Spanish geography throughout the year.

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