A good number of Peñíscola's residents came here from Andalucía, and once a year they build the feria they grew up with at the other end of the country. It lands around the 12 October holiday, in the flat ground below the castle, and it is one of the more likeable things in the Castellón autumn calendar — an entirely genuine event that happens to be free to walk into.
What to expect. Casetas serving fino, manzanilla and rebujito, sevillanas danced properly by people who learned as children, flamenco sets, and Andalusian cooking done from scratch. Three days, mostly evenings. Bring cash for the casetas.
Practical bit. October in Peñíscola is quiet and mild and the old town is finally walkable, which it is not in August. Dates move with the calendar each year and are usually only confirmed a few weeks ahead — check the town hall's agenda before you plan around it. A car makes the Serra d'Irta natural park just south of town, and the sea caves along it, easy to reach.
