The beautiful city of Seville, located in the south of Spain is one of the top holiday destinations in Europe, and it’s easy to see why. Aside from the friendly locals, delectable tapas, and stunning scenery, there are several fiestas and festivals in Seville that attract visitors to the city.
From the legendary All Saints Day celebration to the Semana Santa festival, you’re guaranteed to make everlasting memories when you visit Seville. Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the most well-known and popular festivals in Seville so you know exactly what to expect when you visit the stunning city.
Seville Festivals
Here are the top Seville Festivals:
Feria de Abril, Seville: The Seville Fair
Feria de Abril, also known as ‘Feria de Sevilla’ or simply ‘The Seville Fair’ is one of the biggest festivals that the city hosts. It is held every year in April and is meant to celebrate the arrival of Spring. During Feria de Abril, Seville, more than 100,000 people flock to the southwest of the city to celebrate with friends and family.
The official start of Feria de Abril, Seville is arguably one of the highlights of the fair. On the first night of the fair, known as ‘Alumbrados’ thousands of multicolored lightbulbs are switched on simultaneously. Watching the lights as they flicker to life and light up the fair is truly an amazing sight.
As part of Feria de Sevilla, you can expect to see the women of the city dressed up in colorful dresses and costumes as traditional Flamenco bands play music throughout the festivities.
Seeing as it is meant to celebrate the arrival of spring, there are a number of stunning colorful parades that take place throughout the streets of Seville. Even the animals get in on the action, as pure Spanish horses, or ‘Andalusian horses’ as they’re more commonly known, are decorated with brightly colored flowers and ornaments.
Corpus Christi
When it comes to festivals, it doesn’t get much bigger than Corpus Christi. The festival, which is celebrated every year on 16 June, is a Catholic tradition and is meant to celebrate and commemorate the body of Christ in the holy water.
In Seville, locals gather in a street procession at the beginning of the day. This is done to get the community together as the local bands start to prepare for the festivities that lie ahead.
Community members will then break bread and wine together to honor the presence of Jesus Christ. Sometimes, members of the community will also donate generous amounts of bread to local churches and soup kitchens as a way to show their respect.
Seeing as this is a festival based on Catholic traditions, a large portion of the day is spent at church, either during mass or decorating the church with candles, banners, flowers, and lace. Once the church ceremonies are done, it’s time for the real party to start.
The streets of Seville are carpeted in thousands of flowers and greenery. Local priests will also dress up in traditional robes while enjoying the many parades taking place. It truly is a sight to behold.
Semana Santa: The Holy Week
When it comes to Easter celebrations, no one does it quite like the locals in Seville. Semana Santa, which translates to ‘Holy Week,’ is a religious festival that takes place every year around 6 days before Easter Sunday.
During the week of Semana Santa, thousands of locals will join in on processions as huge floats carrying religious statues make their way to churches. The processions are also accompanied by marching bands who play religious music as the floats make their way through the narrow streets.
The purpose behind Semana Santa is to celebrate and pay homage to Jesus Christ’s last days before he was crucified. This explains why so many of the floats have statues and artworks of Jesus on the cross.
While Semana Santa might be seen as a more somber Seville holiday, and not as exhilarating as other festivals and fiestas in the city, it’s still a seen as a time for celebration.
Día de la Constitución: Day of The Constitution
Día de la Constitución, or Day of The Constitution, takes place in Seville and the rest of Spain every year on 6 December. As the name suggests, Día de la Constitución is a celebration of the day Spain freed itself from authoritarian rule. It also commemorates the day on which Spain approved a new constitution that granted the people of Spain fair and equal rights.
Days before the actual holiday, young children receive extra lessons on the history of Seville and Spain as a whole. A selection of high schoolers are then selected from around the country and given the opportunity to visit the parliament buildings in Madrid and recite the constitution.
Día de la Constitución is generally viewed as a day to celebrate with your friends and family, and not to slave away at work. Most businesses will shut their doors and public transport will run at a reduced level.
All Saints Day
All Saints Day is celebrated every year on 1 November and is regarded as one of the most important celebrations in Seville.
Known as “The Day of the Dead” in Mexico, the purpose behind the celebration is to remember family members who have passed away.
During All Saints Day you can expect to take part in a variety of different celebrations. Whether you get dressed up and dance through the streets, enjoy all of the different parades as they pass you by, or feast on all of the mouthwatering food on offer. You’re bound to have a great time.
Final Thoughts on Festivals in Seville
Seville is truly a stunning city that hosts some of the most amazing festivals and fiestas in the world. Despite being heavily based on Catholic traditions, people from all walks of life are welcome to join in on the celebrations.
Whether you’re looking to explore a side of Seville you’re never seen before, or looking for a good time, any of the festivals mentioned today are guaranteed to give you memories that will last for a lifetime.
Tip: If you’re looking to visit Spain in the near future, don’t rely on public transport to get around. Check out our tips for renting a car in Spain to help you explore this beautiful country at your own pace.
