"Semana Santa" (Holy week) is the week leading up to Easter and is the biggest religious celebration of the year in Spain, especially glamorous in Andalucía. During the week, elaborate processions are being performed in which floats with lifelike sculptures of Biblical scenes, as well as candles and wooden crosses, are carried around through the streets. Most processions are accompanied by live marching bands that play funeral marches or hymns, especially written for the occasion.

At the close of the Holy Week the spectacle of the “bull on a cord” takes place in Gaucín. It is one of the most popular festivals of the year and attracts many visitors. On Eater Sunday a bull, tied by its horns with a rope, runs through the town and is chased by the valiant. One bull is let loose at 10 am. and another at 4 pm. The party lasts all day and involves much feasting, drinking and hilarity.

This is a very popular and picturesque pilgrimage that starts around 10 in the morning, after mass, leaving from the La Merced church. The statue of the Madonna, “Our Lady of Cabeza”, is carried out of town to the Virgen de la Cabeza hermitage/cave church. Once there, the festival begins with song, dance and music mainly from flutes and tambourines. The enthusiastic participants dress for the occasion with bright, colourful fancy flamenco dresses and traditional country attire for men.

This celebration of spring normally takes place in the first two weeks of May. During this time around 50 of the whitewashed houses in the historical centre open their flower-laden interior courtyards and patios, each one uniquely decorated with a multitude of extremely well-kept plants. Homeowners compete for prizes for the best decoration. The patios are open to the general public, there is no entrance charge but there is a collection box by the door for a tip.

This massively popular race sees its 23th edition in 2020. The very complex and difficult trial is organised by the Spanish military, and has become the largest ultra-running phenomena in Spain. It brings together over 8500 athletes every year. In less than 24 hours, participants will complete 101km cross country running or mountain biking in the foot hills surrounding Ronda.

This procession of the Patron Saint of Ronda, “Our Lady of Peace” takes place yearly on the second Sunday in May. At about 11.00am the image leaves the church, the “Iglesia de Virgen de la Paz”. She is carried around through the streets of the city centre for several hours and returns to the church around 2.30pm. This invocation of Mary has been worshipped in Ronda for centuries and there is a deep-rooted devotion among local families that is inherited from parents to children.

María Auxiliadora (Mary Help of Christians) travels the streets of the city of Ronda. In the morning there is a Mass of Solemnity and at around 5.30pm children appear in front of the Virgin. Around 8:00pm, the image leaves its’ Sanctuary. After the procession, her return is celebrated with a fireworks show.

If there is one thing that the people of Ronda like to do, it is to celebrate and enjoy themselves and "Ronda Romantica" is a wonderful opportuniy to do this. Everyone joins win the with spirit of the event and locals dress up in the style of the eighteenth century often creating their own costumes. There's lots of fun sights to see and of course ecellent food and wine on offer. Stalls are erected in the Alameda Park which throngs with revellers day and night.

The night of San Juan celebrates the summer solstice and is all about changes. It is about night and day, fire and water. Celebrations are usually held on the beach with roaring bonfires, drink, food, and friends. Some towns in Andalucía allow the beaches to be used as campsites for a single night. On the beaches of Malaga it's common to see people jumping over fires which, according to legend, cleanse the body and the soul. Jumping in the sea at midnight is supposed to be a way to wash away evil spirits. It is a memorable, almost surreal scene and one that needs to be experienced.

This is a relatively new festival, seeing it’s 5^th edition in 2020. One of the first cultural & musical events of its kind in Spain & in Europe. International bands and musicians stay in local villages, learn about the region and share their music with local musicians and music fans, through talks, workshops, excursions and concerts. The festival is celebrated in the white towns of Ronda, Montejaque, Grazalema and Villaluenga del Rosario.

The Ronda International Folk Gala came into being in 1974. It is Andalusia's oldest and Spain's second oldest folk festival. It is organised by the Abul-Beka Folk Culture Association. The festival is held in Ronda's Blas Infante Auditorium, next to the bullring. Audiences will be able to enjoy dance and international folk displays by participating groups. Over the history of the festival, dance groups from more than 50 countries from every continent have performed here.

This festival is the highlight of the year in Ronda, locals let their hair down and everything comes to a stop for this week long party. The main attraction of the festival is the Goyesca bull fight at the end of the week. However there are many other activities during the week with street celebrations, concerts, processions of 18th century style horse drawn carriages, parade of Goyesque ladies in period costumes and a huge funfair just out of town.

Spectacular spring fair, characterized by serious dancing, drinking, eating and socialising, with very late nights. Sevilla society parades around the fairground in carriages or on horseback. Women wear beautiful flamenco dresses and men show off their traditional suits. The sheer size of the Feria’s spectacle is extraordinary; Apart from over a 1000 “casetas” (large tents or provisional buildings, most private but some public) it also features an enormous funfair.

The crosses festival takes place each year at the beginning of May in various cities and towns around Andalucía. The festival involves much dancing and singing, with plenty of musical accompaniment, from flamenco guitarists to rock bands. Many residents and neighbourhoods compete for the prizes on offer for the best decorated crosses and squares.

Each year Jerez de la Frontera holds a horse fair that dates back centuries. It is one of the most important festivals in the province of Cadiz and brings the entire city to the fairgrounds in the González Hontoria park. There are hundreds of booths where you can taste typical local dishes. You will see the most elegant and majestic Andalusian horses parade along the avenue and there are many activities and shows related to the world of the horse. It is a fabulous spectacle for the whole family to enjoy.

Also called the "Real Feria de Mayo", one of the oldest fairs in Andalucía dedicated to the world of livestock and agriculture. At this traditional cattle market you’ll find exhibitions and competitions dedicated to the native races of the area. Also on the program are a dressage contest and fieldwork exhibitions. In one of the tents all the best agri-food products of Andalucía are on offer.

This festival is celebrated 40 days after Easter Sunday throughout the region. Many of the villages   are bedecked with floral motifs and the streets are strewn with palm branches. Some towns will have processions leaving from the church after mass, sometimes accompanied by children in their First Communion finery or making stops at altars decorated with flowers and carpets, where pilgrims pray and sing. Some roads will be closed.

The yearly Malaga city fair is an exciting affair, and lasts for an entire week. People gather together in the streets, which are adorned with paper decorations and lanterns, and women wear flamenco dresses and dance to the tunes of traditional Andalucían music. Bullfighting in the afternoon is another part of the fair which is highly anticipated.

With over sixty years of history, the “Festival de Cante Grande” in Ronda is one of the oldest flamenco festivals in the province, as well as one of the longest running in Andalucía. Held during the month of August, the festival is a great way to enjoy flamenco music in Andalucía. The festival has hosted many of the best singers in the flamenco world as well as young talent.