Behind the beaches, Spain's coast is steeped in centuries of tradition, and summer is when much of it comes alive. Towns re-enact medieval battles between Moors and Christians, carry their patron saints through the streets in solemn processions, and stage historical pageants like Cartagena's Carthaginians and Romans. These are the events that show you a place's roots — colourful, heartfelt and often centuries old. Here's what's on in culture and tradition while you're here.
🎭 Culture & ArtsStories, context and live dates across Spain
Field guide
The crowds go home in September and the calendar gets better, not worse. Human towers in Tarragona, a whole town sliding down a hill on pine boar
Read the guide
Field guide
On the evening of 12 August 2026 the Costa Blanca sees a deep partial eclipse — up to 99% of the Sun covered. It's a stunning sight, but not tota
Read the guide
Field guide
On the evening of 12 August 2026 the Costa Brava gets a stunning deep partial eclipse of around 99% — very nearly total, but not quite. Here's ex
Read the guide
1Oct
Comic-Con's only European edition, four days at the Málaga trade fair centre from 1 to 4 October — film, series, comics,
2Oct
Mallorca's northern walled town gives over its first October weekend to an agricultural and craft fair that has been run
7Oct
Barlovento's patron-saint fiesta on 7 October, up in the green north-east corner of La Palma. Small, entirely local, and
8Oct
For eleven days in October the seaside town of Sitges becomes the world's most important fantasy and horror film festiva
23Oct
The biggest autumn festival within reach of the Costa Brava, ten days around Girona's patron saint. Giants, sardanes, a
31Oct
The Canarian answer to Halloween, and much older than it. On the night of 31 October families gather for chestnuts, nuts
6Nov
Benidorm's own festival, in honour of the Virgen del Sufragio, 6 to 11 November. The peñas take over the old town, the s
14Nov
Pollença's autumn fair takes over the old town for a weekend in mid-November — island crafts, produce, livestock and foo
29Nov
On the night of 29 November, people in Icod ride greased pine boards down the town's steepest streets at genuinely alarm
4Dec
Mazarrón fills the Plaza Ramón y Cajal with a medieval market over the early-December long weekend — craft stalls, food,
5Jan
The Three Kings reach Palma by sea. They dock at the Moll Vell on the evening of 5 January aboard the llaüt La Balear, c
12Jun
A free open-air installation that fills the historic Rincon Placido Fleitas with a colourful canopy of hand-crafted mand
16Jun
Local school and youth theatre groups stage their productions at Elche's Gran Teatro, including classics such as Blood W
19Jun
A free drop-in exhibition of works by students of Adeje's municipal painting courses, shown in the historic tower on Pla
20Jun
An evening 'art night' that turns the whole village into an open gallery, with music, dance and visual-art exhibitions i
20Jun
Artists set up their easels around Motril for a full day, painting the town's heritage, streets and landscapes live. Vis
21Jun
A free open-air dance exhibition by the local Gim Llavaneres group in Ca l'Alfaro park. A relaxed early-evening show you
25Jun
A three-evening open-air contemporary dance festival staged in Benidorm's old-town squares, with performances by Spanish
27Jun
A free open-air short-film festival ('cinema a la fresca') under the summer night sky in the town square, screening fina
27Jun
A two-evening end-of-year dance showcase by the local Tribalia dance academy, with students performing across several st
29Jun
A summer program of activities at Alicante's Contemporary Art Museum (MACA), set in the historic Casa de la Asegurada be
1Jul
A long-running summer festival blending poetry, live music and the arts in the seaside village's most atmospheric spaces
3Jul
Spain's most important open-air textile-art show drapes around 90 international fabric works from the balconies and stre
26Aug
A short-film festival held over four nights in the atmospheric cave-dwelling complex of Cuevas del Rodeo. An open-air cu
Guide
Mallorca sits in the path of totality for the 12 August 2026 eclipse. Here's where to watch on the island, when, and how to plan the day.
Read the guide
29 Sep · Daya Nueva
29 Sep · San Miguel de Abona
29 Sep · Tazacorte
On now · Candelaria
On now · Ingenio
Fresh events and useful stories for the places you care about.