New Year is one of the most prestigious festiv
als in Spain and is celebrated with great pomp and fanfare. Being a Christian country, millions of people take part in the New Year celebrations in Spain. People, regardless of castle, race, age or creed celebrate New Year to the fullest degree. New Year traditions in Spain portray the rich tradition of the country and bring out the charm of the festival. New Year celebrations in Spain start from New Year’s Eve and continue till the next day. New Year's Eve is known as Noche Vieja in the country. People dress themselves in new clothes and gather at midnight to offer their prayers. This is one of the important New Year traditions in Spain. After the prayers are over, people convey New Year greetings among themselves. The prayers are considered to bring good luck for the year ahead and drive away evil spirits.
Another unique New Year tradition in Spain is that people eat grapes to mark the New Year. As per the ritual, one needs to eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds. The 12 grapes signify the months of the year. This ritual symbolizes the rich cultural heritage of the country. The eating of the grapes is followed by drinking of local alcoholic drinks like cava and grape wines. Dancing also ranks among the popular New Year traditions in Spain. In places like Madrid, Barcelona and other places, thousands of people come out in the streets and indulge in dancing and merriment. People dress themselves in bright costumes and dance in groups. Fireworks are also lit up. Another New Year custom is to prepare special cakes for the event. The cake is shaped like a ring and goodies and gifts are kept inside the cake. The cake is then divided among people. One who gets the goodies is supposes to be blessed with good luck all through the year. Lots of cultural and entertainment events are also held during New Year. Thousands of people attend these events. The restaurants and night club remain flooded with people. The New Year tradition in Spain indeed brings out the vibrant atmosphere of the country
Celebrating New Year's Eve in Spain
like most festivals in Spain, New Year´s Eve, known as Noche Vieja is usually a family affair which takes place at home. Until midnight people tend to stay at home and on the stroke of midnight it is traditional to eat 12 grapes, one on each stroke of the clock to bring good luck for the New Year. This tradition began when after a particularly big grape harvest the king of Spain decided to give everybody grapes to eat on New Year's Eve.
It is traditional to listen to the clock from Puerta del Sol in Madrid, usually via the television. Even young people won’t go out with their friends until they have seen the New Year in with their families. Throughout the country there are street parties and special nights in hotels and clubs everywhere. There is a growing trend towards celebrating the New Year in restaurants or clubs where the meal and all-night entertainment are provided. Take note that you would probably need to book in advance for this as they need to prepare for the numbers.
Those who live in Madrid congregate in the main square (Puerta del Sol in Madrid) and eat the grapes along with a celebratory bottle of cava then head out into the night until after sunrise. Having said that, according to a Spanish friend in Madrid, this tends to be more popular with the tourists than the actual madrilenos!
For people visiting Spain with the intention of celebrating New Year, make sure that you either bring a crowd of friends and family with you or have some waiting here for you or it could feel quite uneventful. Don’t be surprised to walk through some towns on New Year’s Eve and discover that all the bars are closed as the staff are at home celebrating with their families.
Estepona
If you head for the Plaza del Reloj at about eleven thirty, you will find that the council provide party hats, streamers, balloons etc, not to mention the twelve grapes to see the New Year in together in the square. I might add that this is all free, as is the impressive fireworks display that follows.
Benalmadena
The Torrequebrada Casino is a popular place to celebrate the New Year but you would have to book pretty soon to avoid disappointment. At the Plaza Mezqita in Arroyo de la Miel, the town hall arranges entertainment with live bands etc. They have two celebrations, the Spanish and then at 1am they all sing and welcome in the New Year for the English.
Wherever you decide to spend New Year in Spain and whatever you decide to do, don’t forget to wear the customary red underwear which must be bought for you by someone else!
Traditional food of spain
One of spain’s biggest draws comes in the form of its tasty cuisine. Characterized by fresh ingredients, mild flavors and the perfect use of se
asonings, Spain's traditional food dishes come in the form of hearty family cooking. Recipes are passed down from generation to generation, and have several influences. Spain's geography - one of the most diverse in the world - provides the country with the freshest of everything while also creating a huge variety from region to region. With 88% of its boundaries touching water, fresh seafood is without a doubt one of the big players in Spanish gastronomy, as are fruits and vegetables from fertile farmlands, olives and olive oil hailing from groves sprawling across hills, cured meats and cheeses from the mountainous highlands.
als in Spain and is celebrated with great pomp and fanfare. Being a Christian country, millions of people take part in the New Year celebrations in Spain. People, regardless of castle, race, age or creed celebrate New Year to the fullest degree. New Year traditions in Spain portray the rich tradition of the country and bring out the charm of the festival. New Year celebrations in Spain start from New Year’s Eve and continue till the next day. New Year's Eve is known as Noche Vieja in the country. People dress themselves in new clothes and gather at midnight to offer their prayers. This is one of the important New Year traditions in Spain. After the prayers are over, people convey New Year greetings among themselves. The prayers are considered to bring good luck for the year ahead and drive away evil spirits.Another unique New Year tradition in Spain is that people eat grapes to mark the New Year. As per the ritual, one needs to eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds. The 12 grapes signify the months of the year. This ritual symbolizes the rich cultural heritage of the country. The eating of the grapes is followed by drinking of local alcoholic drinks like cava and grape wines. Dancing also ranks among the popular New Year traditions in Spain. In places like Madrid, Barcelona and other places, thousands of people come out in the streets and indulge in dancing and merriment. People dress themselves in bright costumes and dance in groups. Fireworks are also lit up. Another New Year custom is to prepare special cakes for the event. The cake is shaped like a ring and goodies and gifts are kept inside the cake. The cake is then divided among people. One who gets the goodies is supposes to be blessed with good luck all through the year. Lots of cultural and entertainment events are also held during New Year. Thousands of people attend these events. The restaurants and night club remain flooded with people. The New Year tradition in Spain indeed brings out the vibrant atmosphere of the country
Celebrating New Year's Eve in Spain
like most festivals in Spain, New Year´s Eve, known as Noche Vieja is usually a family affair which takes place at home. Until midnight people tend to stay at home and on the stroke of midnight it is traditional to eat 12 grapes, one on each stroke of the clock to bring good luck for the New Year. This tradition began when after a particularly big grape harvest the king of Spain decided to give everybody grapes to eat on New Year's Eve.It is traditional to listen to the clock from Puerta del Sol in Madrid, usually via the television. Even young people won’t go out with their friends until they have seen the New Year in with their families. Throughout the country there are street parties and special nights in hotels and clubs everywhere. There is a growing trend towards celebrating the New Year in restaurants or clubs where the meal and all-night entertainment are provided. Take note that you would probably need to book in advance for this as they need to prepare for the numbers.
Those who live in Madrid congregate in the main square (Puerta del Sol in Madrid) and eat the grapes along with a celebratory bottle of cava then head out into the night until after sunrise. Having said that, according to a Spanish friend in Madrid, this tends to be more popular with the tourists than the actual madrilenos!
For people visiting Spain with the intention of celebrating New Year, make sure that you either bring a crowd of friends and family with you or have some waiting here for you or it could feel quite uneventful. Don’t be surprised to walk through some towns on New Year’s Eve and discover that all the bars are closed as the staff are at home celebrating with their families.
Estepona
If you head for the Plaza del Reloj at about eleven thirty, you will find that the council provide party hats, streamers, balloons etc, not to mention the twelve grapes to see the New Year in together in the square. I might add that this is all free, as is the impressive fireworks display that follows.
Benalmadena
The Torrequebrada Casino is a popular place to celebrate the New Year but you would have to book pretty soon to avoid disappointment. At the Plaza Mezqita in Arroyo de la Miel, the town hall arranges entertainment with live bands etc. They have two celebrations, the Spanish and then at 1am they all sing and welcome in the New Year for the English.
Wherever you decide to spend New Year in Spain and whatever you decide to do, don’t forget to wear the customary red underwear which must be bought for you by someone else!
Traditional food of spain
One of spain’s biggest draws comes in the form of its tasty cuisine. Characterized by fresh ingredients, mild flavors and the perfect use of se
asonings, Spain's traditional food dishes come in the form of hearty family cooking. Recipes are passed down from generation to generation, and have several influences. Spain's geography - one of the most diverse in the world - provides the country with the freshest of everything while also creating a huge variety from region to region. With 88% of its boundaries touching water, fresh seafood is without a doubt one of the big players in Spanish gastronomy, as are fruits and vegetables from fertile farmlands, olives and olive oil hailing from groves sprawling across hills, cured meats and cheeses from the mountainous highlands.
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