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What's on in Spain: March 2015

The Local Spain
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What's on in Spain: March 2015
"The most dangerous walkway in the world" reopens in March. Photo: caminitodelrey.info

Whether it is a trip to see the tongue-in-cheek send up of politicans at Las Fallas before a spectacular flaming finale in Valencia or braving the dizzying heights to walk the renovated Caminito del Rey, there is plenty going on across Spain in the run up to Easter.

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Festivals

The sweet festival (Festa més dolça), Sant Medir Barcelona, March 3rd 

At the annual “festa més dolça”, 60 tons of sweets are given away during a colourful procession in the Gracia district of the Catalan capital. Horse drawn carts and floats fill the streets and the evening ends with a firework display.

Javieradas (Navarra), March 8th - 15th 

The streets leading to the Castle of Javier are filled with pilgrims during the first two weekends of March as thousands flock to venerate San Francisco Javier. The origins of this festival date from the 19th century when the town was saved from a cholera epidemic thanks to the saint's intervention.

Las Fallas (Valencia), March 15th - 19th 

Each March in Sagunto, Valencianos celebrate Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. After months spent creating giant papier-mâché models satirizing politicians and popular figures of the day, the ninots are paraded through the streets before being burnt in a ferocious climax of bonfires and fireworks.

Photo: Shutterstock

Culture 

International Vintage Car Rally (Sitges), March 21st and 22nd 

This classic car rally held since 1959 is only open to vehicles dating from pre-1924 and takes place between Barcelona and Sitges with participants dressing up in the costumes of the day. The event attracts genuine museum pieces with a prize given to those with the most original vehicles and whose drivers best manage to evoke the bygone era in which they were made.

Mystery of the Passion, (Cervera, Lleida) every Sunday during Lent 

Every Sunday in Lent, the residents of Cervera don costumes and take part in a giant reconstruction of the Passion of Christ, a performance that takes almost six hours. The play has been staged in Cervera since 1481 with around 500 residents playing the roles.

Opening of Caminito del Rey (Alora, Malaga), March 28th 

Once considered the most dangerous walkway in the world, the path clinging to the cliffside over a gorge in the hills near Antequera has claimed the lives of people. Now the dizzying path has been completely renovated and made safe and will open to the public on March 28th. Tickets must be booked in advance.

Semana Santa (Holy week) (Begins March 29th) 

Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) is on March 29th so Semana Santa in Spain straddles the next two months. The first of many processions during Holy Week takes place on Palm Sunday, reenacting Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem, with many of the best parades taking place in Andalusia. 

A parade during Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Seville in 2014. Photo: Gogo Lobato/AFP

Sport

Snowboarding World Cup (La Molina Ski resort, Girona), March 20th and 21st

Competitors from around the world are heading to northeastern Spain in mid-March for fresh snow and the Snowboarding World Cup. It´s a great spectator sport and the aprés ski isn´t too bad either.

Barcelona marathon, March 15th

Fitness fanatics can take in a bit of sightseeing along the way as the marathon route passes by the Olympic village, the foot of Montjuic, Gaudi´s Sagrada Familia and Barça FC´s Camp Nou. If you are participating then don´t forget to 'carb up' with a pasta party laid on by organisers the day before.

El Clásico -Barça FC and Real Madrid (Barcelona), March 22nd

Real Madrid face arch rival Barça at the Camp Nou in what always promises to be a clash of the titans. 

Photo: Gerard Julien/AFP

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