Fiesta
No one knows how to party like the Spanish, says Joanna Booth
W
ith their propensity for starting dinner at 10pm
and then staying up till dawn, the Spanish make us Brits look like early-to-bed party poopers. So it’s little wonder that the destination has a packed programme of festivals that you can use to tempt fun-loving clients to book a trip. They don’t have to be late-night party animals, although those can, of course, be catered for. From throwing tomatoes in the street to fiestas that celebrate religious holidays or historic events, there’s plenty of day-time fun, too.
w CARNIVAL CELEBRATIONS In the lead-up to Lent in the UK, we make pancakes. In Spain, they make massive parties instead. Carnival is a big deal here, so most areas will have a celebration, but there are certain destinations where it is particularly extravagant. The city of Santa Cruz in
Tenerife holds one of the biggest carnival parties in Europe, and it
Locals set fire to enormous figures made from cardboard, wood, Styrofoam, cork and papier-mache
time
definitely has echoes of the most famous party of them all – Rio de Janeiro. Dancing girls parade in the streets, they crown a Carnival Queen, and there are fireworks. In Cadiz, carnival focuses more on music than costumes, with groups playing in the open air, from classical to rock. In Sitges, you’ll find a carnival with strong representation from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and the drag talent of Europe in attendance.
w TRADITIONAL FIESTAS It’s thought Valencia’s Las Fallas dates all the way back to
the middle ages, and this truly spectacular festival attracts many foreign tourists. Locals celebrate the patron saint of carpenters – and the coming of spring – by setting fire to ‘ninots’. These enormous figures are made from wood, cardboard, Styrofoam, cork and papier-mache, and stuffed full of fireworks. From March 15-19, parades and firework displays are held every day, while on the final night, the ninots – each created by a different neighbourhood of the city – are destroyed. This is not a sedate festival – it’s incredibly loud and there are plenty of street parties – sometimes starting with brass bands and fire crackers at 8am! Those visiting outside the season can still get a flavour at the Fallero Museum. Those who like to get messy
will love La Tomatina, a huge food fight that has been taking place on the last Wednesday in August in Bunol, near Valencia, since 1945. Official ticketing (see latomatina. info) now keeps numbers down to 20,000 – before limits
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travelweekly.co.uk 3 September 2015
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