subject: From Fiesta's To Food Fights [print this page] As well as being on the top tourist destinations in the world, Spain is a country rich in culture and tradition. Throughout the year, Spain plays host to a wide variety of events and festivals, the majority of which celebrate the strong religious traditions of the country. If you are planning a visit to Spain this year, here is a quick guide to what events are taking place and some other fantastic things to do whilst enjoying this stunning country.
Spain is especially famous for it's Holy Week celebrations, held the week immediately before Easter. The whole country commemorates the passion, death and resurrection of Christ through re-enactments, processions and street carnivals. Each region hosts its own events, some solemn and others celebratory, all of them highly spiritual. Catholics from across the world flock to Spain to take part in the proceedings along with thousands of tourists wanting to experience this popular festival.
If you prefer a more active experience, you can dig out your running shoes and take part in one of the most famous runs in the world. Forget marathons and fun runs, sign up for the famous Pamplona Bull Run and test your courage and daring. This annual tradition takes place through the streets of Pamplona and sees hundreds of brave locals and tourist running towards the finish line, followed by a group of very large bulls! If you want to experience this tradition without the heightened adrenaline, you can observe and cheer on the runners from the side of the streets. This strange celebration is actually of religious origin, commemorating the life of San Fermin, the patron saint of Pamplona.
Every Spanish town has its own patron saint that the locals offer thanks to every year, if you do visit Spain it is recommended to research what is going on around your area. The fiestas are a fantastic way to celebrate and immerse you in Spanish culture; many of the fiestas involve parades, parties and fireworks alongside activities of religious significance.
The Tomantina festival is otherwise known as the words biggest food fights! Every year thousands of people descend on the Spanish town of Bunol in Valencia to throw more than 240,000 pounds of tomatoes at each other. This unusual celebration is started by a 'ham on a stick' contest where competitors race up a pole to claim a smoked leg of ham. After a winner is declared, the crowds put on eye protection and start to chant for the tomato trucks. When the signal is given the crowds begin to pelt each other with the tomatoes until they have all been used up. This practice began in 1945 but was banned in the following years; it was only in 1959 that the festival was given official status by popular demand.
by: Archie Arch
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