| Benidorm Fiestas Fiestas and Festivals Benidorm Costa Blanca Spain
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Benidorm Festivals (Fiestas) Spanish towns are famous for their festivals (fiestas), and Benidorm is no exception. It is now said to have more fiestas than any other Spanish city (55 plus). There are many celebrations throughout the year, some larger than others. Here we list some of the more popular (and typically the larger) fiestas to look out for:- Christmas last longer in Spain (surprise-surprise), and as a result there are numerous festivities between the 20th December and 6th January. See in the new year at “Triangle plaza” (actually translating to triangle square), and watch out for the procession of the 3 kings on the 5th January. A carnival takes place in February, complete with fancy dress competitions. March 15th celebrates the discovery of a ship on Playa Poniente beach in the year 1740. There was neither sight or sound of the crew, and at the time the populace was taken by intense paranoia of the plague, and so set the ship alight. Discovered amongst the cinders and miraculously undamaged by the flames, the infamous Virgen del Suffrage (statue of the Virgin) was found. The Virgen was taken as one of 2 patron saints of Benidorm. Celebrations of this event take place annually, taking the form of yet more fancy dress and making quite a spectacle. Easter week is taken seriously, with dignified and beautiful religious services and processions. June is host to the Romeria del Corpus, a traditional Andalucian fiesta with a procession of horses and a fairground. One of the largest fiestas is “Las Hogueras de San Juan” (Bonfires of St. John) which lasts an entire week culminating on the 24th of June. During this week the town is transformed. The focal point is again a street procession, but this time the stars are huge wood and papier-mâché effigies sitting atop the floats and scattered around the city centre. A good deal of humour and satire has gone into the design of these figures, only to be consumed by flames as the finale to the grand palmera (fireworks display) where all floats and monuments are burnt to cinders. This is a fun festival with lots of eating, drinking and dancing. Be prepared to stay up late! In the last week of September the “Moros y Christianos” (Muslims and Christians) fiesta commemorates the expulsion of the Moors from Benidorm in the 13th century. Literally hundreds of locals celebrate the festivity by way of donning often elaborate costumes and parading through the city streets. October celebrates Valencia Day. Many exhibitions and stalls are set up to promote Valencian produce. Perhaps the most important festival in Benidorm’s calendar is celebrated in November. La Fiestas Patronales venerates Benidorm’s patron saints (Virgen del Suffrage and Jaime Apostole), and runs from the 2nd Saturday of the Month until the following Wednesday. Worshippers carry huge bunches of flowers through the streets of the old town to the Church on the headland. The flowers are then woven into a huge display at the entrance to the church. Many parties follow, climaxing in an impressive fireworks display. Preceding events take the form of concerts, numerous sporting events such as football and fishing competitions etc. We cannot guarantee precise dates for many of the above festivities, due to ever changing dates. The best advice we can give for those wishing to plan their holiday/trip at fiesta time is to contact the Benidorm tourist office. Their contact details are as follows: - Benidorm Tourist Office Tel +34 966 805 914 Email benidorm@qva.es More Benidorm Links;
Benidorm FiestasFiestas and Festivals Benidorm Costa Blanca Spain
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Benidorm Fiestas - Fiestas and Festivals Benidorm Costa Blanca Spain. Holiday, Property and Tourist Information. Alicante Information, general information on the Costa Blanca, Spain. |