Local Festivals

traditional festivals which date back hundreds of years

Benidorm maybe the biggest, brashest, most modern resort on the Costa Blanca but one of its charms is that it still retains all of its traditional festivals which date back hundreds of years.

Visitors in town during these celebrations can almost go back in time to how life was before the tourist boom that has created the town as it is today.

Last week 1000 people took part in the procession of the Virgen del Carmen, the Patron Saint of Fishermen, as the statue of the Saint is blessed in a solemn mass and then carried down to the sea.

This week the festival of Moors and Christians starts in Villajoyosa when the victory of the goodies (the Christians) over the baddies (the Moors) is reenacted by over 4000 participants and 1000 musicians.

To cap it all, it's the fiesta of Sant Jaume in Benidorm, with typical dances and the usual copious quantities of food and drink. Try and get there for some traditional fun and frolics.

27 July 2004 Stephen White.