Guide To Best Spanish Fiestas In July
It doesnt get hotter – in fact July usually beats August for temperatures across the Iberian Peninsula.
But that doesnt stop the revellers from partying for days on end. We take a look at some of the best fiestas of the month. It is said that every day somewhere in Spain there is a local fiesta – one that celebrates a saint or a virgin whose patron it is. Some last for a day others for a week – some with bulls others without – but all with wine and some of the finest food in the world.
The Big Daddy of them all and in fact one of the most celebrated in the world is San Fermin – the patron saint of the Navarra town of Pamplona whose daily running fo the bulls is broadcast live and viewed by millions across the world.
Festival de la Guitarra de Córdoba
Córdoba’s contribution to Spain’s impressive calendar of musical events, this fine international guitar festival ranges from flamenco and classical to rock, blues and beyond. Headline performances take place in the city’s theatres.
Running of the Bulls
The Fiesta de San Fermín is the weeklong nonstop festival and party in Pamplona with the daily encierro (running of the bulls) as its centrepiece. PETA (www.peta.org.uk) organises eye-catching protests a couple of days before.
Celtic Pride
Groups from as far off as Nova Scotia come to celebrate their Celtic roots with the gallegos (Galicians) at Festival Ortigueira, a bagpipe- and fiddler-filled music fest held in Galicia.
Día de la Virgen del Carmen
Around 16 July in most coastal towns, particularly in El Puerto de Santa María and Nerja, the image of the patron of fisherfolk is carried into the sea or paraded on a flotilla of small boats.
Fiestas del Apóstol Santiago
The Día de Santiago (25 July) marks the day of Spain’s national saint (St James) and is spectacularly celebrated in Santiago de Compostela. With so many pilgrims around, it’s the city’s most festive two weeks of the year.
Festival Internacional de Benicàssim
Spain is awash with outdoor concert festivals attracting big-name acts from around the country and abroad, especially in summer. This one, in the Valencian town of Benicàssim, remains one of the original and best.
Santander Summer
Semana Grande in Santander (around 25 July) is this northern Spanish town’s big summer blow-out, with music, shows and plenty of partying all day and all night.