Something that is important to all Spanish people and their towns and villages are their regular "Fiestas.”. They celebrate historical, political, and religious events, and this encourages an ongoing sense of both family, community, and tradition, which epitomises the Spanish way of life. At Hamiltons Real Estate, our knowledgeable team can help you search for and choose your perfect apartments for sale in Calpe so that you too can enjoy these celebrations with your new neighbours and make friends.
Each town and village have their own diary of events throughout the year, and Calpe is no different, starting the year with the Procession for the Three Kings on 5th January, this festival occurs in all towns every year. In Calpe, the Kings “Los Reyes Magos” Baltazar, Gaspar and Melchior arrive in Calpe on a fishing boat bearing gifts for the local children. This is one of the highlights of the Christmas celebrations honouring the visit to baby Jesus and involves the giving of gifts, general celebrations, and a parade. The festivities are enjoyed by all nationalities who buy a home in Calpe. February sees Carnival time arrive which involves fancy dress, games for the children, dancing in the streets of the old town and is an annual event enjoyed with both family and friends.
Spring arrives early in Spain and when you have found a family villa for sale in Calpe your children will soon start to enjoy the benefits of their new home. The Feast of St Joseph occurs in March, a traditional fiesta celebrating Father’s Day in Spain which is on 19th March. Fallas, intricate papier-mâché statues are placed in the street and burned on the eve of St Joseph.
Easter follows and is one of the most important in Spain’s religious calendar celebrating “The Passion of Christ”. The festival starts on Palm Sunday, you will see everyone walking with Palm leaves from morning Mass and displaying them at home afterwards. The community will welcome those who buy a house in Calpe to join their parades. The celebration concludes on Easter Monday are the same globally and vary each year between late March and Early April. Holy week is filled with church services, blessings, processions, prayer, and reflection followed by the celebration of the Resurrection. Finally, as Spring ends at the end of April, the mid-year Moors and Christians party is held with sports competitions and presentations.
The night of St John – Noche de San Juan, on the night of 23rd June is celebrated by beach parties with friends and families enjoying the festivities fireworks and midnight bonfires. July and August summer celebrations include the Virgen de las Nieves which include the offering of flowers, a mass and procession. In addition, there are open air balls, firework displays, a parade with floats and costumes and the controversial Spanish tradition of Bull running. Finding an apartment for sale in Calpe will allow you to join in with all that summer in Spain has to offer.
In September Calpe celebrates their Andalucian cousins and the Virgen del Rocio with Flamenco dancing performed by a local Andalucian dance school, traditions songs, processions of pilgrims, carriages, and horses from the Casa de Andalucia to La Vallessa Park where there is refreshment, Flamenco followed by live music and dancing into the night. A festival to give you a glimpse of traditions from further south in Spain and great party to be enjoyed by anyone who chooses to buy villa for sale in Calpe. Soon after another holy lady – Our Lady of Mercy / Virgen de la Merced – is celebrated, many will attend Holy Mass and there will be parties and dancing with more processions and a party ten opening offering bar and snack services at reasonable prices.
As Autumn begins in October Calpe is busy celebrating Valencia Community Day, Hispanic Day and then their main Moors and Christians historical festival. The story of the invasion of the Moors and the reclamation of Spain by the Christians takes place at various times during the year in all areas of Spain. Each town has their own date to mark the history of the country which, in this region particularly, still shows many influences of the Moorish occupation. Those who choose to buy a property in Calpe may wish to consider joining these celebrations on a regular basis.
A week of festivities and parades lead to the first battle and the Moors land on the beach, conquering Spain. Hundreds of years later the country was re-claimed by the Christians, and this is celebrated with another re-enactment on the beach the follow evening. Locals, including ex-pats, belonging to the body who organise the historical re-enactment wear spectacular costumes representing the two sides and parade through the streets accompanied by local bands.
Spain has become very international with so many other nationalities choosing to make a home here and find villas for sale in Calpe and as a result Oktoberfest is now a firm fixture in the party calendar and follows Calpe’s Moors and Christians fiesta to lead us pleasantly towards winter.
Towns will be decorated with Christmas sparkle and cheer in the lead up to December 25th but, the main celebrations for the Spanish will follow their New Year parties with the Three Kings festival we mentioned at the start and a family day celebrating the “Epiphany” on 6th January. Families who buy a home in Calpe may have children who expect gifts from both Father Christmas and the Three Kings!!!
When you find a apartment for sale in Calpe and choose to make the move to Spain be sure to enjoy the traditions and involve yourself in the way of life here. If you have animals though do keep them in during the larger festivals because the Spanish love loud noises, they’ll wake you up in the morning with blunderbusses, line streets with firecrackers to set off noisily during the day and have spectacular firework displays at night. Our team at our Hamiltons Real Estate office in Calpe look forward to finding you your dream home in this vibrant land of tradition.
Client information written by the Hamiltons team - 2024
