Spanish festivals 2027: the best, month by month

Spanish festivals worth planning around in 2027 include Las Fallas in Valencia, ending 19 March, Holy Week from 21 to 28 March, Feria de Abril in Seville from 13 to 18 April, Hogueras in Alicante from 20 to 24 June, San Fermín from 6 to 14 July and La Tomatina on 25 August. Several are near the Costa Blanca.

Many round-ups of Spanish festivals stop at Seville, Pamplona and Buñol. This guide shows only dates we could trace to an organiser, a council or a tourist board on 31 October 2026, says plainly when a 2027 date is not out yet, and adds the festivals around Alicante.

What are the best Spanish festivals, month by month?

"Published" means the organiser, council or tourist board has given a 2027 date. "Fixed" means the date follows the calendar every year. "Awaited" means no 2027 date yet, so we show the pattern.

When is Las Fallas 2027 in Valencia?

Las Fallas ends on Friday 19 March 2027, St Joseph's Day, a public holiday in Valencia. The burning, or cremà, follows that night. Turespaña still lists the 2027 programme as to be confirmed, so the rest is the usual pattern.

• From 1 March: a mascletà, a daytime barrage of firecrackers, at 2pm in Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
• Night of 15 March: the plantà, when hundreds of satirical monuments go up across the city.
• 17 and 18 March: the flower offering to the Virgin. A third day was proposed for 2027, but on 21 July 2026 the falla presidents voted 203 to 123, short of the two thirds needed, so it stays at two.
• 19 March: in 2026 the main fallas burned from 10pm and the Town Hall falla at 11pm.

UNESCO has listed Las Fallas as Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2016. If Valencia sounds too big, Dénia, near Calpe, holds its own Fallas from 17 to 19 March with eleven local commissions.

When is Hogueras in Alicante in 2027?

Hogueras de San Juan runs from 20 to 24 June, which in 2027 means Sunday to Thursday. It is Alicante's answer to Las Fallas, with giant monuments burned at the end, and has International Tourist Interest status. The 2027 programme is not out yet. In 2026 it ran like this:

• Main monuments up at midnight as 20 June began, with the barracas, the street party marquees, opening that evening at 8.30pm.
• A mascletà at 2pm in Plaza de los Luceros each day from 18 to 24 June.
• At midnight on the night of 24 June, a palm of fireworks from Mount Benacantil, then the official bonfire in Plaza del Ayuntamiento, then the districts.
• An international fireworks contest at midnight from 25 to 29 June, by Postiguet beach.

Where can you see Moors and Christians near the Costa Blanca?

These fiestas re-enact old battles and raids, with parades, gunpowder and huge costumes. Towns across Alicante province hold them.

Alcoy's dates need care. The fiesta is tied to St George's Day, 23 April, but in July 2026 the town council set the 2027 holidays so that it falls on a weekend. Older calendars may show other dates, so book on these.

When is Feria de Abril 2027 in Seville?

Feria de Abril runs from Tuesday 13 to Sunday 18 April 2027, says the official Visit Sevilla guide, updated in September 2026. It opens with the pescaíto fish dinner and the lighting of the gate, and ends with fireworks by the river.

It was conceived in 1846 as a livestock market and first held the following year. Today it is a temporary city of marquees, or casetas, with flamenco and horses. Private casetas admit only members and guests. Public ones are open to anyone from midday into the early hours.

If you are based on the Costa Blanca, Torrevieja's Feria de Mayo copies the Andalusian style, with marquees, sevillanas and horse shows.

When is La Tomatina 2027?

La Tomatina takes place on the last Wednesday of every August, next on 25 August 2027, and draws thousands of ticketed participants in a massive tomato fight in Buñol, near Valencia. It dates back to 1945.

You cannot just turn up. You exchange a ticket for a wristband. In 2026 there were 22,000 tickets at €15, and the fight used about 150 tonnes of tomatoes. Traditionally the battle begins once a participant claims the ham from the top of a greased pole, but the day also runs to a timetable: in 2026 the programme put the pole climb at 11am, and the signal for the battle came at noon. It lasts one hour.

From the Costa Blanca, one seller, tomatina.es, lists a ticket and coach package at €110 from Alicante, Benidorm, Calpe, Dénia, Jávea (Xàbia) and Torrevieja. Wear old clothes and shoes that stay on, and take goggles.

What about Carnival, San Fermín and Holy Week?

Carnival. In Santa Cruz de Tenerife the street party follows the election of the Carnival Queen, whose contestants wear huge, ornate costumes. In 2027 the Queen's gala is on 17 February and the street carnival runs from 19 to 28 February. The Burial of the Sardine is a mock funeral, and the party ends with the Piñata weekend. Cádiz runs earlier, from 4 to 14 February.

San Fermín. The bull runs take place each morning from 7 to 14 July, starting at 8am. The route, under 900 metres long, takes only a few minutes.

Holy Week. Seville has the famous processions, but Orihuela also holds International Tourist Interest status, and Torrevieja has 14 brotherhoods walking through the town centre. Good Friday, 26 March, and Easter Monday, 29 March, are on Valencia's 2027 holiday calendar. Our guide to Easter traditions in southern Spain covers this in depth.

Which festivals can you see if you winter on the Costa Blanca?

• Benidorm, November. The patron saint fiestas run from 6 to 11 November in 2026. Look for the 5pm Saturday re-enactment on Poniente beach of the Virgin's appearance, a tradition dating from 1740.
• Torrevieja, late November to 8 December. The town's biggest fiesta, from 28 November in 2026, with concerts, paella contests and giants.
• Christmas. See how Christmas in Spain works and where it is warmest.
• 5 January. The Three Kings arrive by sea at Torrevieja port. Alcoy's parade has run since 1885, and Turespaña calls it the oldest in Spain.

Summer has calmer options too. Torrevieja's 73rd Habaneras choral contest runs from 18 to 24 July 2027. Elche's Misteri d'Elx, a sung drama listed by UNESCO in 2001, is staged in the basilica on 14 and 15 August every year.

What are the downsides of Spanish festivals?

• Noise. A mascletà is meant to be felt in your chest. Light sleepers and dogs will struggle.
• Pickpockets. GOV.UK warns that thieves use distraction techniques and work in teams, and advises care with valuables at festivals.
• Street drinking. It is illegal in some areas, and you can be fined on the spot.
• Bulls. Pamplona's runs are the best known, but Seville's bullfighting season at La Maestranza runs through the fair, and Dénia holds its Bous a la Mar in the port each July. Check the programme if this is not for you.
• Rooms. Beds in Andalusian cities are hard to find in Holy Week, so book early.

Dates can still change, so check the organiser's site before you pay for flights.

Do British visitors need anything extra?

UK citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area, not just Spain, and every day counts if you stack up festival trips. The EU Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, so your fingerprints and photo may be recorded at the border instead of a passport stamp. ETIAS, the €20 travel authorisation, has not started yet. Irish citizens are EU citizens, so none of this applies to them.

Should fiestas affect where you buy?

A flat on a parade route or beside a barraca is a different home for a week each year. Walk the street during fiesta week, or ask the town hall where the marquees go. Local holidays matter too. Each town sets its own, and offices close, so we keep an eye on deadlines and help you plan signing dates around them.

See our guides on where to live, everyday life in Spain and property in Alicante, or browse homes for sale in Alicante.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most famous festival in Spain?

There is no official ranking, but the names most visitors know are Las Fallas in Valencia, Holy Week in Seville, San Fermín in Pamplona and La Tomatina in Buñol. Las Fallas has UNESCO recognition. Near Alicante, look at Hogueras de San Juan and the Moors and Christians at Alcoy.

What is the difference between a fiesta and a feria?

A fiesta is any celebration, usually tied to a patron saint or a religious date. A feria began as a trade or livestock fair and now means a fairground of marquees, food and dancing. Seville's Feria de Abril is the classic example, and Torrevieja's Feria de Mayo follows the same style.

Are Spanish festivals free to attend?

Most are. Parades, processions, firework displays and mascletàs are free to watch from the street. La Tomatina needs a ticket, which cost €15 in 2026. Many marquees at Seville's fair are private, though public ones are open to everyone, and you pay for your own food and drink.

What Spanish festivals are in September and October?

In September, Villena holds its Moors and Christians from 4 to 9 September 2027, La Mercè fills Barcelona around the 24th, and Altea's fiesta follows in late September. In October, Calpe stages its Moors and Christians, with a landing on Arenal beach. It ran from 21 to 25 October in 2026.

Can you visit several festivals in one trip?

Yes, especially in spring. In 2027 Las Fallas ends on 19 March and Holy Week starts two days later on 21 March. Seville's fair runs from 13 to 18 April, and Alcoy follows on 24 to 26 April. British visitors should count all those days towards the limit of 90 days in any 180.

Thinking of spending more time near the fiestas?

If a week of Hogueras or a winter in Torrevieja has you thinking about a place of your own, we are happy to talk it through. Tripinvest ES is a licensed agency, RAICV 4221, with offices in Calpe, Torrevieja and London. We work in English from the first call to the notary, and our clients don't pay us commission. Call +44 20 3888 0008 or send us a message.

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Last checked: October 2026