The best fiestas in Spain in 2019

The Spanish are well known for their fiestas, and if you relocate to Spain you certainly won’t be bored as there are fiestas across the country all through the year.

If you’ve recently moved to Spain, or have been on a Spanish holiday during a fiesta, you might be wondering what some of these Spanish festivals are all about.

Read on to find out more about the different Spanish fiestas and traditions across the country, what they represent, and where and when on the Costa Blanca you can find them.

What does ‘fiesta’ mean?

A fiesta is a religious festival but the word can also relate to any party or celebration.

Fiesta celebrations differ throughout the country but usually involve music and dancing, traditional costumes, local cuisine, and fireworks.

One thing you can guarantee is that fiestas in Spain will be colourful, noisy, and great fun!

What fiestas are held in Spain?

There’s always something being celebrated in Spain, so whatever time of year you visit you can usually find a fiesta nearby. Fiestas often differ on a local, regional and national level but the major religious festivals such as Christmas, Easter and All Saints are celebrated across the country.

The first celebrations of the year start with the parades and processions of El Dia de Los Reyes (Three Kings Day) on 5th January, representing the journey made by the kings on their way to Bethlehem to visit the baby Jesus. The Three Kings throw sweets into the crowd and that evening, children leave their shoes by the door with the hope that the kings will leave presents inside.

In February/March (40 days before Easter and always on a Sunday) colourful Carnivals are held in many places across Spain. Carnival marks the start of Lent and involves street parties, colourful processions and extravagant costumes. The most famous Carnivals are held in Cadiz and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

With Easter comes Semana Santa (Holy Week) one of the most popular religious festivals across Spain. People march through the streets during the last week of Lent carrying the statue of their church’s patron saint surrounded by hundreds of candles. There are floats with sculptures that depict different biblical scenes and these are often are accompanied by marching bands.

Fiesta season really kicks off during the summer months starting with the San Juan bonfires at sunset on 23rd June. The evening of celebrations is held before the Feast Day of Saint John the Baptist.

Many villages and towns hold fiestas to celebrate the start of summer including street parties, parades, music, dancing, fireworks, and the crowning of the Princesses. Some of the best celebrations are right here during the Costa Blanca fiestas.

Villages and towns across the Valencian community celebrate Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians) in July. This fiesta is a very old tradition dating back to the 16th century to commemorate the battles between Moorish and Christian soldiers in the 13th century and the eventual victory for the Christians. The events are held in honour of the local town’s patron saint who played an important role in helping the Christians defeat the Moors. These fiestas involve the arrival of both armies in the town, a mock battle where thousands of kilos of gunpowder are used, and various local groups dressing up in spectacular costumes to represent the Moorish and Christian factions before marching through the streets.

Moros y Cristianos

In November the Spanish Celebrate Todos Los Santos (All Saints Day) when they will return to their hometown or village to lay flowers on the graves of deceased relatives. It is a very important national public holiday and roads around local cemeteries will often be packed with traffic and flower sellers.

Famous Spanish fiestas

Other popular and well known Spanish fiestas across the country include the traditional San Fermín bull runs held in Pamplona in July, La Tomatina tomato festival in Bunol in August, Feria Del Caballo (Horse Fair) celebrated in Andalucia in May, and Feria De Málaga (Malaga Fair) in August.

One of the most fun fiestas of all is the fantastic Las Fallas festival (Festival of Fires) in Valencia which takes place in March. The city is packed with people watching hundreds of giant papier-mâché statues go up in flames in the streets.