Summer Festivals in Spain

The best place to spend the summer is, without a doubt, in Spain. Beaches, mountains, bustling cities, quiet villages, scrumptious food and fantastic wine, Spain has it all. Spain also boasts some of the best in festivals that you simply have to visit this summer.

The Running of the Bulls, Pamplona, Spain © Jborzicchi | Dreamstime

We’ll start with a famous one, the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona from the July 6–14. Get your running shoes on for this one, and don’t look back. Adrenaline junkies and lunatics alike all line up, dressed in white and red to escape the charging bulls down narrow streets, but don’t worry, each get a trusty newspaper with which to defend themselves. If being gored by running bulls isn’t your game, then you can stand on the side and watch as a spectator. Later on, the town is decked with pretty lights for the evening’s festivities, and those who haven’t been trampled by bulls can eat, drink and dance the night away.

La Tomatina © Iakov Filimonov | Dreamstime

Let’s move onto an odd one. Haven’t you always wanted to go to a town in Spain and throw food at strangers? Well in the small town of Buñol you can. Every year, on the last Wednesday of August, hordes of people stream to this town to commence a day-long battle with overripe tomatoes as their weapon. This festival is full of unforgettable fun, but don’t forget to buy swimming goggles beforehand, and make sure you wear clothes you never want to wear again.

Benicassim Festival © Christian Bertrand | Dreamstime

A list of festivals wouldn’t be right without one including a music-oriented festival. So, if you get the chance, get on down to Benicassim, a music festival on the beaches of Valencia, a beautiful city on the eastern coast of Spain. Music lovers from around the world attend the festival that lasts for four days in total, and more than 100 separate acts play each year. With headline bands and artists during the day and prolific DJs at night, Benicassim is a festival you cannot pass up.