Stand Among Los Concurs de Castells

Off all the strange festivals in Spain, los Concurs de Castells might be the most jaw-dropping. Known as the Tarragona Human Tower Competition, this festival has been held every two years since its inception in the 18^th century.

“Strength, balance, courage and common sense,” are the mottos of this competition, which involves the creation of human towers, called castelling. These towers are built by troupes of hundreds of people, with men, women and children climbing on top of each other and reaching heights as tall as six or seven stories, some even higher.

If you would like to witness these dangerous yet awe-inspiring structures, the next los Concurs de Castells will be held during the first weekend of October 2016. Except for the Torredembarra competition, these events are not free and tickets often get sold out ahead of time.

To watch out for available tickets, go to eng.concursdecastells.cat. Getting an entrance pass is notoriously difficult, so check back every so often in the lead up to the event.

If purchasing a ticket is not possible, some brave souls have been known to directly contact the castelling troupes and get access as a volunteer.