October
in Spain, what’s on?
If you are planning on visiting Spain in October, the
chances are pretty good that you are not heading for the beach; the weather
through most of Spain in October is not going to be beach weather. On the other
hand, if you do like warm and not hot (no suntan, sorry) then October may be
for you – it will still be bright and sunny, after all.
Lots of towns in Spain, particularly on the Costa del Sol,
hold their annual feria – festival – in Spain, so you can expect to see street
stalls selling their various food and drink options and the locals will be
partying all day and night. This is also a film festival season in Spain, and
what can be finer than cosying up and watching a good movie on an autumn
evening in one of the most beautiful countries on earth.
So, what can your good self get up to in a Spanish
October?
Party
in Marbella
If you want to take advantage of the last couple of days
of warmer weather, there is the aforementioned feria. These festivals are held
in Fuengirola, Nerja, Pedro de Alcántara and Cádiar – where they have a wine
fountain. Yes, you read that correctly. San Pedro has something for everybody
and is right next to one of the best family destinations in Marbella.
Head
to the vineyards, stamp on some grapes
Stamping on grapes was once a vital part of making wine,
once upon a time, but it does still happen in certain parts of the country.
Organizing your own grapestravanganza can be a little difficult, but there are
tours in many of the vineyards in Spain that include grape crushing as a part of
the experience. It may seem a little unorthodox, but you will not regret it.
Spanish
traditions to enjoy
Spain proudly, and rightly so, follows Catholic traditions
that honour each of its towns patron saints. Most of these Saint’s Days feature
marks of respect and offerings to the various images of the saints. These
saint’s days also include processions and parade in which statues of the saints
are carried through the streets. To look for traditional Spain, look for one of
these ferias in a small city or town.
The
music of Seville
If you love guitar music then you are going to be very
sorry if you miss the Seville Guitar Festival is the main event in Seville.
World-class guitarists and a thumping flamenco guitar competition are the toast
of these festivals, but you might want to arrive in Spain a little earlier to
experience everything as the festival runs from September 27th to
October 5th. If you can only, or only want, to visit in October then
a great alternative is the Barcelona Jazz Festival that has dates starting in
late October.
There always seems to be something happening in Spain,
right through the year, but October is particularly special and you do not want
to miss it.