January 2008
1: FIESTAS & BANK HOLIDAYS
Any one even slightly familiar with Spain will know that the Spanish do not need much of an excuse for a party and that they love dressing up and taking part in a Fiesta. Spanish for a bank holiday/public holiday/legal holiday is día feriado or fiesta natcional, and to record them all is impossible.
Each autonomous province has regional holidays each year in addition to the standard national holidays. Local holidays usually include a local "community day" and a celebration of certain Saints. If a public holiday falls on a Sunday it may be celebrated on a weekday.
All banks and most shops and museums close on public holidays and bars and restaurants outside tourist areas may close too. Hospitals and emergency services do not close on public holidays and Taxis may add increase their rates for journeys on public holidays.
When a public holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday, it is common practice to "make the bridge" (hacer puente) by taking off the Friday or Monday so creating a very long weekend. When this happens you may find businesses running on short staff or smaller family run business closed for the full period.
The National holidays for 2008
1 Jan New Year's Day(Año Nuevo) - 6 Jan* Epiphany - 19 Mar* San Jose - 20 Mar* Maundy Thursday - 21 MarGood Friday (Viernes Santo)- 1 May Labour Day (Día del Trabajador )- 15 Aug Assumption of Mary (Asunción)- 12 Oct National Day Nacional de España (Columbus Day) Día de la Hispanidad or Fiesta - 1 Nov All Saints' Day (Todos los Santos) - 6 Dec Constitution Day(Día de la Constitución) - 8 Dec Immaculate Conception(Inmaculada Concepción) - 25 Dec Christmas Day (Navidad del Señor). *These holidays may be replaced by the autonomous communities with another date. Additional dates are celebrated as regional public holidays. These vary from region to region.
Public holidays celebrated in Spain
Include a mix of religious (Roman Catholic), national and regional observances. Each municipality is allowed to declare a maxim of 14 public holidaysper year; up to nine of these are chosen by the national government and at least two are chosen locally. If one of the nine "national holidays" falls on a Sunday, the regional governments -- the autonomous communities of Spain-- can choose its replacement, or can let local authorities choose on their own. In practice, barring holidays falling on Sunday, the regional governments can pick up to three holidays per year; they also can deliberately choose fewer than three to allow for more options at the local level.
Regional National Holiday dates
19 March San José celebrated in Valencia and Murcia (Wednesday) 20 March Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo), Murcia 23 March Easter Monday (Lunes de Pascua), Valencia 9 June Murcia's National Day (Monday) 9 October Valencia's National Day (Thursday)
The list of other holidays celebrated by the autonomous communities changes every year, partly because of national holidays falling on Sundays.
REGIONAL FIESTAS BY MONTH
The Spanish are famous for their festivals (fiestas), and the Costa Blanca has them in abundance. There are many fiestas throughout the year, some larger than others. Most are a colourful and vibrant affair, lasting well into the evening and night; some last as long as a week.
Many of the festivals on the Costa Blanca correspond to a particular period in the regions history; in these cases the festival will often work its way down/up the coastline. Each town taking its turn to host festivities, rather than have them all happening at once.
The local press should be checked for fiestas in the town of your choice, however some of the main fiestas are listed below, although the list is not definitive.
JANUARY:
ALL TOWNS 5/6th - THE REYES MAGOS
The arrival and procession of the three Kings through the streets of where they offer gold, incense and myrrh to the baby Jesus of Bethlehem, later the Magi deliver gifts to the children.
FEBRUARY:
MORAIRA - 1st weekend - FIESTA DE LA DAMA
The Festival of the Lady is celebrated with an afternoon snack in honour of San Blas, and by baking a sweet cake in the shape of a human figure, Dama or Damo.
MORAIRA - 3RD weekend - CARNAVAL
The exuberance of the carnival festivity is heightened by a spectacular mock battle for fun, in which the only weapon used in flour.
CALPE- 4th Sunday - CARNIVAL
The colour of the disguises floods the municipality during the infantile and adult parades. Other popular acts are also programmed such as a "chocolatà", dances and contests.
CALPE- 4th Sunday & Monday - GERMAN CARNIVAL
The important German colony enjoys and invites you to enjoy one of their celebrations: Carnival. The parade of folklore groups and music bands and the International Festival of Music and Folklore to the sound of traditional German music flood the streets.
MARCH:
ALL TOWNS large & small 3rd weekend – FALLAS or FEAST OF ST JOSEPH
Big statues some three stories high, of wood and cardboard are burnt at Midnight on the feast of St. Joseph to celebrate the beginning of Spring. This Fiesta dates from the Middle Ages, but it did not acquire the personality we know today until the middle of the last century. The largest is in Valencia City and the festivities include a nighttime parade; a procession, the offerings of flowers to Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados (Our Lady of the Forsaken), patroness of the city; and the famous "Nit del Foc" (Night of the Fire), on which all the "fallas" (grotesque and humorous scenes made up of cardboard figures) are burned. It could be likened to “Bonfire night” meets “spitting image”.
ALL TOWNS – SEMANA SANTA/ HOLY WEEK
This is one of the most important festival-weeks in Spain and parades and concerts are held throughout the whole of the country. Of particular interest are the Silent Procession in Moraira on Holy Thursday, and in Teulada the Holy Entombment on Good Friday, and the Easter Procession.
MORAIRA - 3rd Saturday for 10 days - FESTIVIDAD DE SAN VICENTE FERRER
The Teulada Moraira patron saint festival has a tight schedule of events, including street parades, concerts, open-air dances, bull runs, fireworks and morning petard awakenings.
Official and religious acts focus on Saint Vicent Ferrer, the most important being the procession that takes place on the Monday after Easter.
CALPE- 4th Friday & weekend - “MIG-ANY FESTER” MOORS AND CHRISTIANS
As with many of the Alicante populations, any date is good for a celebration. And the half year mark well deserves the organisation of sporting competitions, "les filaes" Moors and Christians and the "Presentación de los Cargos"
APRIL:
CALPE - 1st week HOLY WEEK
The festivity begins with the blessing of the palms in the Shrine of San Salvador, which is followed by the processions, the Vía Crucis (Way of the Cross), the Masses and the Vigilia Pascual (Paschal Vigil)
MAY:
CALPE- CROSS OF MAY
The House of Andalusia chooses their Queen on these dates, when it is possible to witness the floral offering to the Cross, and performances by several folk groups of the House of Andalusia.
JUNE:
TEULADA – MORAIRA - Varying, the 2nd or 3rd week of June MOROS Y CRISTIANOS
The joy and colour of the Moors and Christians festival returns to Moraira on the second or third week of June. The festivities celebrate the Christ. Especially noteworthy are the l'Ampolla beach diembarkation at night, the floral offering and, above all, the splendid gala parade.
CALPE - In the Partida de las Cometas towards end of June BONFIRES OF SAN JUAN
The celebration of the summer solstice in Calpe is marked with the "plantà" of a bonfire, an act complemented with bullfighting events, dances and musical performances, as well as fire, gunpowder, explosions, "mascletaes", fireworks and "correfocs".
JULY:
TEULADA – MORAIRA - Towards the end of July FESTIVIDAD DE LA VIRGEN DE LOS DESAMPARADOS Y LA VIRGEN DEL CARMEN
On July 15th and 16th (dates may vary each year) the patron Saint festivities in honour of the Mare de Déu del Desamparats and Mare de Déu del Carme are held in Moraira.
On the 16th The traditional Sailor’s Parade takes place commemorating the Virgen del Carmen, one of the most emotive events of its kind, exceeded only by the splendid fireworks display afterwards. Festivities also include processions, street dances, and bull runs near the sea.
TEULADA – MORAIRA - SAN ABDÓN Y SAN SENENT
In late July festivities are held to celebrate Els Sants de la Pedra, Abdón and Senént, on the 29th and the 30th. This is one of the area's oldest and most deeply rooted celebrations, held in the Arrabal de Teulada.
CALPE - FESTIVITY IN HONOUR OF THE VIRGEN DEL CARMEN
The sailors from Calpe parade around the port with the Virgen del Carmen, offering flowers to their Patron Saint and paying an emotive homage honouring all those who "did not return" from their labours at sea.
JAVEA - Towards the end of the month Moros y Cristianos
The Moors and Christians Festival. Spectacular costumes, and the re-enactment of the Moorish landings on the coast and the re-capture of the peninsula by the Christians. Processions, fireworks, music and dancing.
DENIA - Bous a la Maror Bulls at the Sea.
This week long festival ends with Bulls being enticed to chase those daring enough into the Mediterranean sea. The Bulls are then guided by a rowing boat back up the slipway back to the crowd. The Bulls are not hurt by this event, but it is a typically Spanish event.
AUGUST:
CALPE - First weekend FESTIVITY IN HONOUR OF THE VIRGEN DE LAS NIEVES
Bell ringing and rockets being fired mark the beginning of the most traditional festivities, in which the musical band and the traditional "tabalet i dolçaina" together with "bous al carrer" take centre stage. Also, gunpowder attracts many visitors in the form of "mascletaes" and fireworks, before or after celebrating dances and musical performances.
BUNOL - ¨La Tomatina¨ - Tomato Fight Festival
Every year around 30,00 people descend on the Spanish town of Bunol (in the Valencia region of Spain) to throw more than 240,000 pounds of tomatoes at each other as part of the La Tomatina festival
SEPTEMBER:
TEULADA – MORAIRA - FIESTA DEL MOSCATEL
This is a festival for farmers, held after the muscatel grapes have been harvested and shipped off to domestic markets. Street dancing, muscatel wine tasting, and slide projections showing vineyard tending are scheduled. Events take place on the Avenida Las Palmas on the first or second Saturday in September.
ALTEA - Last week in September – MOROS Y CRISTIANOS - the Moors and Christians Festival
OCTOBER:
CALPE – First week – OCTOBERFEST German beer Festival
The German presence in these lands has left its mark with these celebrations, with folk performances in a tent mounted for the occasion. Where, besides beer German food is also on offer.
CALPE - FESTIVITY IN HONOUR OF STMO. CRISTO DEL SUDOR AND MOORS AND CHRISTIANS
The kettledrums of the groups sound as the beginning of the bustling fiestas of October in which the disembarkation that takes place on the Arenal beach and the great parade of the Moors and Christians are to be highlighted. The smell of fireworks and the Moor and Christian "filaes" manage to move one and make one enjoy the passacaglia, verbenas (open-air celebration held on the eve of a saint's day), dances, musical performances, paella contest, "correfocs" (tradition in which the public rush into the devils' fire) Calpe celebrates its own Patron Saint 'Santisimo Cristo del Sudor' and the Moors and Christians festival at the same time. Legend has it that Santisimo Cristo del Sudor helped protect the village as the Moors tried to enter. Two battles are re-enacted along the beaches and in a mock castle, specially constructed for the occasion. There are musical acts, fireworks and plenty of food and drink for all.
NOVEMBER:
TEULADA – MORAIRA - End of the month FIESTAS DE SANTA CATALINA
The festivities, held are held in honour of the local patron saint Santa Catalina, also celebrate Culture Week. The extensive programme culminates with a Procession in honour of Santa Catalina.
DECEMBER:
ALL TOWNS – 6TH CONSTITUTION DAY
ALL TOWNS – 8TH Inmaculada Concepción (Day of the Immaculate Conception)
ALL TOWNS Christmas Eve - Christmas in Spain is a family affair with Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) a very quiet night when all families get together for dinner
(Note the 26th is a normal work day)
After midnight on Noche Vieja (New Years Eve) is similar as elsewhere in Europe. The Spanish attempt to eat a grape on every chime of the clock and those that succeed are to have good luck for the whole year. Tins of 12 seedless grapes can be bought from the supermarkets for this purpose.
2: FOCUS ON DENIA:
Denia lies some 7km north of Javea along a spectacular winding mountain road watched over by the Montgo Mountain. It is an attractive resort with a fascinating old town, fine restaurants and magnificent beaches stretching for many kilometers to the north, to Oliva. It is the judicial seat (or county town) of the comarca of Marina Alta, halfway between Alicante and Valencia. Its population is just under 40,000
Denia is dominated by a partial ruin of a castle on a rocky outcrop right in the middle of the town, from which there are fabulous coastal views.
There is evidence of human habitation in the area since prehistoric times and there are significant Iberian ruins on the hillsides nearby. During the first quarter of the 1st Century a.d., the Roman town of Dianium was founded.
In the days of Al Andalus, Denia served as the capital of a Taifa Kingdom, ruling over part of the Valencian coast and Ibiza. The Slavic slaves, Saqaliba, managed to free themselves and run the Taifa. The Arabic word "DANIAH" دانية means low or near.
The Moors originally built the castle and the French, who occupied the city for four years during the War of the Spanish Succession, re-built it in the early 19th century.
A community of English raisin traders lived in Denia from 1800 until the time of the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. The museum has artifacts and information of trading and sailing vessels to Liverpool
The ferry to Ibiza and the other Balearic Islands departs from Denia. It also has a railway terminus close to the port for passengers traveling by foot.
The two marinas, large and small, the fishing port and ferry terminal, combine to makes Denia one of the largest ports on the Costa Blanca.
Several times a year, the town of Denia is full of festivities. The popular fiesta ‘Fallas’ is celebrated each March. Huge paper mache statues, called fallas, are set up throughout the town and then set ablaze.
July brings the popular Bous a la Maror Bulls at the Sea. This week-long festival ends with bulls being enticed to chase those daring enough into the Mediterranean sea. The bulls are then guided by a rowing boat back up the slipway back to the crowd. This is a typically Spanish event.
Denia has been featured on the Channel 4 series “The Time Team” Denia, Spain, 2 January 2000 (30 September-2 October 1999). Excavations were already under way by Spanish archaeological teams at two principal sites in the town, which were being cleared for new building developments. The team was able to focus on three main digs. One involved the excavation of burials from a Muslim cemetery, a second centred around an area where large quantities of medieval Islamic pottery had been found. (A site awaiting development just behind the main shopping street, The “Marques de Campo”) and a third sought evidence of a bridge or (as turned out to be the case) causeway linking the suburb to the main town across what would then have been a stretch of water. (Close to where the Police Station now stands.)
The burials had all been carried out in traditional Islamic fashion, with the bodies aligned towards Mecca and laid out on their sides. The team was able to discover the likely age and gender of many of the burials. Along with many other discoveries, it was revealed that they included a mixed population of people with both Caucasoid and Negroid features.
A wide range of pottery finds confirmed the advanced status of Muslim crafts and culture during this period, with pottery of a quality that would not be found in the rest of Europe for another 200 or more years. Perhaps the most exciting finds, meanwhile, were the remains of a kiln and large quantities of kiln furniture. The finds underlined the importance of Denia as one of only three sites in Europe where both locally made pottery and the kilns in which it was made have been discovered. Phil was also particularly excited by the discovery of a row of shops, dating from around 1000 AD, which was immediately dubbed a 'Millennium Shopping Centre'.
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