The La Mercè Festival in Barcelona is the Catalan capital’s annual city festival and its most significant celebration. Officially designated as a city holiday in 1871, La Mercè commemorates the Roman Catholic feast of Our Lady of Mercy (‘La Mare de Déu de la Mercè’). While the feast day itself …
The Spanish Armada of 1588 is often romanticized as a straightforward tale of English naval triumph, complete with legendary anecdotes like Sir Francis Drake’s alleged reluctance to interrupt a bowls game at Plymouth Hoe. The reality, however, is far more complex and fascinating – a intricate narrative of strategic miscalculations, …
The Festa de la Fil·loxera, or Phylloxera Festival, is an annual celebration held in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia (Catalonia). This distinctive event commemorates a critical juncture in the region’s viticultural history: the phylloxera plague that devastated European vineyards in the late 19th century. Initiated in 1982, the festival serves as both …
Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) was a navigator and explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean opened the way for European exploration and colonization of the Americas. Sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Columbus undertook four expeditions between 1492 and 1504, believing he had found a westward route to Asia. Instead, …
La Vuelta a España, the Tour of Spain cycling road race, is used to being regarded as the little brother of the three Grand Tours of Europe, lacking some of the history and tradition of the tours of France and Italy. The fact remains, however, that La Vuelta has come …
Holy Week in Córdoba (Semana Santa) is officially recognised as a Festival of National Tourist Interest. This extraordinary celebration is far more than a religious observance, it is an immersive spectacle that captures the city’s soul. Ornate processional floats, or ‘pasos’, glide through the narrow, cobblestoned streets, their beauty illuminated …
Semana Santa in Spain (Holy Week) is one of the country’s most culturally and spiritually significant events. Held during the week leading to Easter Sunday, it is a profound expression of religious devotion, blending historical tradition, art and community spirit. Each year, towns and cities across Spain come alive with …
Holy Week in Seville (Semana Santa) stands as one of the most extraordinary celebrations in Spain, offering visitors an unparalleled experience of religious devotion, artistic splendour and cultural tradition. This iconic event, held annually during the week leading up to Easter, transforms the city into a living canvas of spiritual …
The festival of San Fermín, or the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, as it’s more commonly known outside Spain, officially begins at midday on 6th July every year with the ‘Chupinazo’ which takes place on the balcony of the Casa Consistorial in Pamplona. Thousands of people congregate in the …