Spanish culture and traditions

Spain is one of the world's top tourist destinations. Thousands of tourists, including the French, visit this country every year because of its culture and many traditions. Spain's great cultural wealth is mainly due to the existence of various autonomous communities. The country has also seen waves of immigration and emigration, resulting in a significant cultural mix. Immo365 Costa Brava introduces you to the great cultural wealth of one of Europe's most beautiful countries.

Spanish festivals: a blend of tradition and modernity

Spaniards are renowned for their love of festivities, and never miss an opportunity to organise celebrations. As a result, there are many public holidays in a year nationwide. On top of that, there are also traditional festivals that are specific to each of Spain's 17 autonomous communities. Some of these have been part of Spanish traditions for centuries. Here are just some of the festivities you can take part in during your stay in Spain.

New Year's Eve

In Spanish culture, the New Year's Day is of paramount importance. It is celebrated all over the country. You'll have the opportunity to take part if, for example, you want to invest in Spain, on the Costa Brava, Valencia, Andalusia or the island of Mallorca. This bank holidays is a traditional celebration in which the majority of Spaniards gather in the streets, public squares and homes.

Children and adults come together on New Year's Eve to celebrate until the wee hours of the morning in every city, whether Madrid, Seville, Barcelona, San Sebastian, Santiago de Compostela... There's music, dancing and fireworks. One of the most popular rituals of this Spanish celebration is that of the twelve grapes. Every Spaniard eats a grape at each of the twelve strokes of midnight, making a wish for each month of the new year.

Christmas

Considered one of the most celebrated religious holidays in Spain, Christmas is characterised by several cultural celebrations that begin on 24 December. Spaniards celebrate with their families, decorating homes, Christmas trees, and nativity scenes. Midnight masses and religious processions accompanied by carols are organised in each region. Spaniards may also exchange gifts on this occasion.

Cultural events can continue until 6 January. This date corresponds to the celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as the Day of the Three Wise Men. Unlike in France, where children receive their presents on Christmas Day, in Spain they receive them on 6 January from the Three Wise Men to whom they have addressed letters.

La Tomatina

La Tomatina is a traditional regional festival whose celebration dates back to 1945. The cultural celebrations take place annually on the last Wednesday in August in the town of Buñol near Valencia in Spain. During this typically Spanish traditional festival, a large part of the population takes part in battles in the streets of the town.

.

They throw ripe tomatoes at each other with the aim of getting dirty with the red juice these berries contain, hence the name La Tomatina. This traditional Spanish festival attracts thousands of tourists every year. You can also take part if you have a second home in Spain or on a trip to this beautiful country.

Las Fallas

In Spain, Las Fallas are a traditional festival that takes place every year in the city of Valencia from 15 to 19 March. During this cultural celebration, which takes place in several stages, Valencians build and burn ephemeral monuments known as Fallas. These each represent a district of the city of Valencia.

These ephemeral monuments are made from wood, papier-mâché and cardboard so that they can easily catch fire. Las Fallas is an artistic and popular event that allows the people of Valencia to express their cultural identity and their traditions in Spain. It is for this reason that, since 2016, UNESCO has included it in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Architecture and heritage in Spain

Spain is a country with an important architectural heritage. Its towns and villages are often regarded as open-air museums that tell the story of the different civilisations that have occupied this Iberian territory. There are several monuments including the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló or Parc Güell in Barcelona in Catalonia.

There are also the ruins of Tarragona and Italica near Seville, which bear witness to the influence of Roman architecture on the country. Also take advantage of a travel to Spain to visit the Costa Brava in winter to contemplate these many monuments. The temperature here is more pleasant at this time of year than in France.

Spain has many museums in which you can contemplate the works of art of those great artists such as Picasso, Dali... The country is also an avant-gardist when it comes to contemporary architecture with buildings that are sure to catch your eye. These include the famous Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the stunning Tenerife Auditorium.

Some customs of Spain

There are a huge number of customs and traditions in Spain. Among them are "the Spanish siesta" and "el paseo", which are among the most popular. The Spanish siesta is a tradition that consists of taking a rest between 2pm and 4pm to sleep after lunch. It is practised by the majority of Spaniards and is part of the rhythm of life in Spain.

As for "el paseo", this is a walk that takes place between 7pm and 8pm before dinner. It allows Spaniards to spend time with family or friends while enjoying the fresh late afternoon air. You'll discover Flamenco, a passionate dance. It is even recognised as an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO.

The flamenco is a dance of Andalusian origin that was created in Seville in the 18th century. Performed mostly by women, it combines singing, guitar, percussion and expressive movements. Bullfighting is also very much in evidence in Seville. Numerous bullfighting performances take place in the Seville arenas, much to the delight of the public.

Spain also has a fairly rich gastronomy. You'll discover typical Spanish dishes such as tapas, paella and different varieties of wine such as rioja, cava or sherry. To discover the traditions in Spain, there's nothing like a good meal to enjoy the Hispanic charms.