If you are thinking of visiting Marbella why not visit during one of the many Spanish festivals that occur throughout the year. Here is a guide to some of the festivals celebrated in the region and their dates so you can get a culture rich experience from your trip.
Christmas and New Year
If you are thinking of visiting Spain for Christmas, you should be aware that the holiday is celebrated slightly differently to in the UK and it split into three stages. Christmas Eve tends to be a family affair, with families meeting up for the festive period and spending time together and sharing a meal.
Christmas day is one of the quietest of the year, it’s a fiesta day so all shops and banks are closed. The third and main part of the Christmas celebration is Los Reyes on the 6th January. The arrival of the three kings is like the arrival of Father Christmas in the UK, the kings replace Father Christmas and are the ones that bring the presents and the children write to them with their gift requests. The night before there is a procession and the kings arrive and work their way through the city throwing sweets from the floats. This is a festival with a real buzz and is worth attending, each town and city has their own parade so it’s almost impossible to miss.
New Year is celebrated similar to the UK with the exception that at midnight you need to eat 12 grapes one on each stroke of the clock.
Carnival
This celebration occurs immediately before Lent, it usually involves a parade and most people dress up similar to Halloween. Celebrations vary from town to town, but there tends to be a week or so of activities in this period associated with Carnival.
Semana Santa
This is the Easter week, huge floats are carried through the town adorned with candles and flowers. The floats are carried through by brotherhoods, and are followed by hooded penitents. The ceremony is a celebration but can be fairly solemn and some processions are watched in silence. It is an experience to watch but is a very different festival to the ferias.
Corpus Christi
This is a festival that occurs at the end of May that celebrates the triumph of good over evil, the streets are carpeted with flowers and herbs and there is a procession of the host through the streets.
Marbella Feria
The Marbella Feria occurs every night of the second week of June. Celebrating Saint Bernabé, the patron saint of Marbella, the festival has marquees selling tapas and drinks and there are plenty of dancing shows and cultural entertainment.
La Virgen del Carmen
This mid-summer event in the middle of July is spectacular and occurs in the Puerto Banus area of Marbella, there are masses held in the local chapels and fishing boats that line the coast. Sacred church statues are stored in caves at sea level and the festival ends with a spectacular display of fireworks
Feria de San Pedro
This occurs the second week in October and is a weeklong celebration of Saint Pedro de Alcantara, and occurs in the San Pedro district of Marbella. There will be people dressed up in flamenco costumes; there will be activities throughout the day, lots of food stalls and fairground rides and fireworks. It’s definitely worth a trip.
Fiesta del Tostόn
This fiesta is held on November 1st and celebrates All Saints Day. It’s celebrated with roasted chestnuts and local specialities and a party that goes on the next morning.
Whatever time of the year you visit Marbella, you can be sure there will be a fiesta or festival of some variety, so time your visit for one of these festivals and stay at our villa in Puerto Banus and take advantage of the luxury villa rental in Marbella to take some time out from the crowds while you experience a real taste of the Spain.
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