Visitors to the city of Alicante have many an opportunity to make their trip coincide with one of the many Spanish fiestas dotting the calendar throughout the year. The Hogueras de San Juan bonfire celebrations, the Moors and Christians parades, Carnival, Holy Week, the pilgrimage to the Santa Faz Monastery and Christmas are just some of the occasions to remember on the Alicante fiestas calendar.
Alicante’s most important celebrations are the Hogueras de San Juan, which kick off on 20th June and last to 29th June. These fiestas are devoted entirely to fire, and their crowning glory takes place on 24th June, the day of Saint John the Baptist, when flames tear through wood and paper mâché figures built in satirical vein. Officially declared Of International Tourist Interest, these fiestas also include one of Spain’s greatest bullfighting celebrations.
Alicante, Hogueras de San Juan
And no less popular than the Hogueras de San Juan are the Moors and Christians fiestas held in various quarters of the city throughout the year. These fiestas are celebratory commemorations of the struggle for control between the Christians and the Muslims of 13th century Spain. Some of the city’s most popular neighbourhoods devote several days to these fiestas, offering a great chance to discover one of the most widespread traditions throughout the Spanish Levant.
