Fiesta- A Good Reason To Have A Party

The one thing that I remember most from my travels were the sheer amount of Fiesta’s everything from parties in a private house to street parties to fiestas or fetes involving the town or city. Although religious events are often celebrated the biggest been Semana Santa at Easter, overall, any excuse seems to be a good reason to hold a party for the fun-loving Spanish.

Fiesta or Fete translates to a party, holiday or feast and usually its a mix of all three. The verb is festejar which is to celebrate, and this certainly the case from what I has seen.

In Barcelona in August, the neighbourhood of Gràcia explodes into celebration. The Festa Major de Garcia lasts a week, in the day and evening. Taking part in over 20 streets in Gràcia. Although drinking, dancing and partying dominate the evening, the festival also features cultural activities and a fire run (correc) as well as activities for children during the day.

I feel that certainly the street events brought the communities together much more than in the UK. Both young and old taking part. Although the recent pandemic has affected this and people in Britain are now more community- spirited than previously. I spent several months working in a rural location in Andalusia and the nearest small village held fiestas regularly with everyone in the village attending. Every village, no matter how small, has its own, unique celebrations.

Whilst thousands of festivals are celebrated all over Spain throughout the year there are only a few that bring overseas visitors specifically for the event. In mid- March the Falles Festival takes place. It’s a traditional celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph in the city of Valencia, Spain. The term Falles refers to both the celebration and the monuments burnt during the celebration. It has been declared an event of Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The whole of the city becomes an enormous street party, with parades, paella competitions and bullfights. Each night there is a firework display culminating in La Nit de Foc on the 18th March. The following night la Cremà takes place when all the ‘ninots’ which have been stuffed full with fireworks are burnt.

The official focus for the festival is San José, the patron saint of carpenters. Starting in the Middle Ages, carpenters hung planks of wood called ‘parots’ in the winter to support their candles whilst working. In spring these pieces of wood were burned as a way of celebrating the end of winter. After a while they began to put clothing on the ‘parot.’ These became the forerunners of the contemporary ‘ninots’ the enormous papier-mâché figures of today. It’s a loud, busy, colourful festival, not for the faint-hearted but a wonderful experience.

Medieval history is celebrated in many of the festivals in Spain. The annual Medieval fair in Capdepera, in Majorca, is set in the streets leading up to the Medieval castle that overlooks the town and is a popular event for adults and children alike. Blacksmiths, silversmiths, carpenters, shoemakers and ceramists are among the long list of artisans who offer Medieval inspired products to sell. Expect to see jousting, jugglers, falconry displays, stilt-walkers and fire-eaters. Traditional food and drink stalls are scattered throughout the event selling all kinds of Medieval fair. It wouldn’t be a Spanish fair without an excessive amount of food! The finale is a walk up to the castle by candlelight, which was atmospheric and an unforgettable memory.

 A similar festival takes place in Ibiza. To celebrate the declaration of Ibiza's Dalt Vila as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, every May the old- town hosts vibrant celebrations including three days of street parties, musical performances, artists and medieval re-enactments. As an added bonus, entry to all galleries and museums in Dalt Vila is free during the festival.

If you are planning a holiday do look in the local guides and see what is going on as not only is this great, often free entertainment it’s a wonderful way to see the culture and understand the history of the area.Many festivals have been cancelled for 2020 but I am sure they will be back with a great big bang in 2021.

Markets- Indoor and Outdoor

I love visiting markets, as a child my grandmother often took me and my sister to our local market, so this has stuck with me as a favourite memory. Today in the UK many of the original indoor markets have closed but these are now having a revival as well as numerous farmers markets, which I think is great as this is encouraging local businesses.

In Spain, the markets both inside and outside are a riot of colour and a buzz of activity, a celebration of the Spanish love of good food and drink. The array of fresh produce, seafood, meats, breads, delicatessens, wine, spices, freshly squeezed fruit juices and cheese are wonderful I can smell the oranges and lemons and fresh bread in my head,  It makes me hungry just thinking about it!

Many of the famous markets are tourist attractions however, the amazing architecture of La Boqueria in Barcelona, with 200 stalls is the oldest and largest market, and the Art Nouveau inspired Mercado Central in Valencia are still worth going to see. Perfect to have tapas and a glass of wine or Hotcha and Churros and watch the world go by and one of the best ways to observe the local culture.

I try to go to the markets that the locals visit, the produce is better and there is a chance to practise my language skills: In Mallorca: Santa Maria Del Cami is a small outdoor market on Sundays with a good selection of Organic vegetables, the Market in Pollenca also on Sunday is more expensive but more varied in produce and it’s a beautiful town to visit. Arta, on Thursdays has an Authentic craft and Artisan market, which is a big step up from the other weekly markets, which tend to have stock imported from China and are really just for tourists. If you do go to the larger markets like Inca  always haggle because the prices have been inflated, you could end up paying half the marked price if you do.  The covered markets:Mercat de Oliver in the centre of Palma and Mercat De Santa Catalina (Food Co-op) are both good markets for local foods and are surrounded by small eateries. In Madrid, Mercado San Miguel is a lively market to eat and drink and perfect for the day and evening. In Malaga the Mercado Central De Atarazanas is away from the main city but well worth a short walk as this is an upcoming area, with smaller independent shops and bars and this lively market has a stunning glass arch.  

Many hotels and travel companies do offer trips to local markets but if you can go on your own do, as you will find this to be a much more authentic experience.