Spain has many different Spanish music festivals. Most music festivals in Spain are well known among Spaniards as well as most Europeans. Below are some of the best known music festivals in Spain such as the Primavera Sound, Sónar, FIB, Festimad, Rock in Rio and the WOMAD!

The Primavera Sound is a music festival, held annually in Barcelona. The Primavera Sound features many different styles of music; noise rock, indie rock, alternative rock and electronic music. The 2012 music festival will be held from May 30 to June 3 in Barcelona at the Parc del Fórum, on the seafront and next to the port.

Another well-known music festival in Spain is Sónar. This festival is also held in Barcelona. The first Sónar festival was held in 1994 and is always held in the middle of June. The music played is Electro, Techno, House and HipHop. The peculiarity of Sónar is the duration of the music festival, 3 days and 3 nights (2012 from June 13 to 17). At night and during the day the festival has several locations. Especially in the evening the locations differ, making for an unforgettable 3 days and 3 nights.

Benicassim International Festival (FIB) is a music festival for Rock, Pop and Electric music together with internationael artists. At the first edition of the Benicassim Music Festival, 8,000 young people per day attended this four-day music festival in Spain. Now after more than 15 years later, the FIB has become one of Europe´s largest and most exciting music festivals. The festival is held on the coast near the town of Benicassim between Valencia and Barcelona, about 92 kilometers from Valencia airport. In 2012, the festival will be held from July 12 to July 15.

Festimad is a two-day music festival of alternative music in Spain. Aside from the fact that a lot of alternative music is played, Festimad is also a cultural festival. Along with the FIB, macro festival and rock festival, Festimad is one of the oldest music festivals in Spain. The festival is often held in the last week of May. With more than 14 successful editions and 40,000 visitors, it is safe to say that Festimad is a true phenomenon in both Spain and Europe.

Rock in Rio in Madrid is a major music festival in Spain that is also celebrated in Brazil and Portugal. The first edition in Madrid was in 2008 and this music festival is for both international and national artists. The goal of Rock in Rio is to achieve a better world with music as a universal language of peace and harmony. This year in 2012, the Rock in Rio festival will be held June 29 and 30 and July 5,6 and 7. About a million people are expected to attend.

WOMAD or World of Music, Arts & Dance,is held all over the world but as a festival in Spain in two different places (Cáceres and in Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands). These festivals in Spain are unique because they are held in cities with UNESCO World Heritage listed buildings.

The WOMAD festival of Cáceres has been organized since 1992. This festival is different from the others because it also offers workshops and other activities. All workshops and other activities are held outdoors or in buildings of monumental value. It has undoubtedly become one of the most important cultural events of the Extremadura region and is a popular cultural and music festival in Spain. The number of visitors has increased in recent years to more than 100,000 people.

Then we also have the annual WOMAD festival in the Canary Islands in the city of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria that has been organized since 1993. The festival in Gran Canaria focuses more on African art and music. However, this does not mean that there are no other global artists or performers. Music from all over the world floats over the walls of city!

Soccer in Spain, as in the Netherlands, is a true phenomenon. Within Spanish soccer, there are many different Spanish soccer teams with many different leagues as well.

Soccer is a national sport and is played throughout the country. In fact, there are thousands of Spanish soccer teams all competing in a league. Surely the clubs in the Primerá División (premier league) receive the most interest. Surely the top five clubs in Spanish soccer are Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Valencia CF, Levante and Athletic Bilbao.

In the beginning of Spanish soccer, Spanish soccer clubs could not hire foreign footballers. However, this changed after 2003, but to this day a maximum of 3 foreign footballers are allowed to play per club. This is because Spain wants to play Spanish soccer with Spanish footballers as much as possible.

Many Dutch people can still remember the 2010 World Cup final on July 11. It was the Netherlands against Spain, in which the Netherlands lost in the extension due to a goal by the Spanish soccer player Andrés Iniesta. While most Dutch people drifted home, there was a big party in Spain.

Spain's national team is known by the names La Furia Roja (the Red Furie) and La Selección (the Selection). Spain has participated in a total of 11 World Championships, but has only been World Champion once (July 11, 2010). Furthermore, Spain was European Champion twice (1964 (very first time in European Championship history) and 2008).

In general, Spain's youth teams perform better than the first team. These have multiple titles at the global and European level. There is also women's soccer, these play in the Liga Femenina.

The Spanish league is played in every region in Spain. There are a total of five different leagues. The highest and national league is the Primera División. The winner of this gets to call himself national champion, the three worst get relegated. Furthermore, you have the Segunda División A, Segunda División B, Tercera División and the Spanish amateur divisions (also called Preferente). You cannot play more than one team in a given division. Outside the Spanish league, there are also cup tournaments. The biggest is the Copa del Rey and is held among the Primera División, Segunda A and Segunda B. Then you also have the Supercopa de España, which is played between the cup winner and the national champion of that year. In 2000, the final of the UEFA Champions League (soccer tournament among all European soccer clubs) had a first, for the first time in history two soccer clubs (Real Madrid and Valencia CF) from the same country faced each other.

Some famous Spanish soccer players are: Andoni Zubizarreta (goalkeeper with most international matches, 126, retired), David Villa (top scorer and active player with FC Barcelona), Iker Casillas (goalkeeper with Real Madrid), Gerard Piqué (defender with FC Barcelona), Carles Puyol (defender and captain of FC Barcelona). All famous and infamous among the Dutch.

Although you can be forgiven for being Easter-orientated this week, there are other eggs this time of year to get excited about other than the chocolate variety!

Each year between July and December, hundreds of thousands of rare sea turtles visit Nicaragua to lay millions of eggs along the country's coasts, and this time of year is hatching season! Nicaragua, a country abundant in nature and adventure, found in-between Honduras and Costa Rica in Latin America, is one of only four countries believed to have turtle hatchings of such large proportions.

Throughout the whole world, there are seven species of sea turtles, and five of those can be seen in Nicaragua; Green Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles, the Leatherback Turtle, the Loggerhead turtle and the famous Olive Ridley. All of these are endangered species.

On both sides of Nicaragua (the Pacific and the Caribbean coasts, both of which are Wildlife Refuges) the turtles use almost the whole coastline to spawn. Nicaragua's majestic turtle migrations occur in waves, called "arribadas", or arrivals in Spanish, usually occurring once a month. During each migration, several thousand female turtles come ashore to lay more than 100 ping-pong ball-sized eggs each. Remarkably, the turtles are said to return to the exact same beach where they were born themselves, a phenomenon scientists still don’t fully understand. Between one and two million baby turtles emerge from the sands and make their way to sea.

The Nicaraguan government is working with wildlife protection agencies to help educate the local communities about the importance of protecting turtles for future generations. Turtle nurseries have been set up, which have created local jobs, improved education about the environment and brought in tourists. They ensure that the turtle eggs are kept safe from poachers and predators, meaning this fantastic natural phenomenon can carry on for years to come.



However, turtle migrations are becoming increasingly rare, as the sea turtles are endangered species. Besides natural predators, we humans also pose great threats to the turtle population. Fishing nets trap turtles and cause many to drown, destruction of their natural habitat and also the use of turtle shells, leather, oil, and calipee to produce ornaments, jewellery, and the like, all threaten the turtle population.

Poaching also remains a constant threat for turtles around the world. The turtles' eggs are considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac in Nicaragua which means they are traded on the black market. However, while turtles are still widely abused used for tourism products (which can use the eggs, meat, skin, or the shell) tourism income generated by marine turtles is almost three times as much as income generated by selling products derived from the turtles. So hopefully the turtle population will flourish long enough for me to go and visit!

Learn Spanish in Latin America and see the turtle migration while you’re there!

There are many mountains in Spain because Spain has a mountainous landscape so there are many areas where there are many mountain massifs. The largest and most famous mountains in Spain are the Pyrenees, the Castilian Range, the Iberian Ridge Mountains, the Betic Cordillera, the Sierra Nevada and the Cantabrian Mountains. We must not forget the island of Tenerife with the highest mountain in Spain. In most Spanish mountain areas, you can practice mountain sports for both cycling and skiing.

Most Spanish mountains were created because the African Plate (Africa) collided with the Eurasian Plate (Europe). This "collision" is very slow and started more than 100 million years ago and continues until today.

Spanish Plateau

Spain consists almost of three-quarters central plateau (meseta) with an altitude between 600 and 1,000 meters. In the central plateau lies Madrid, aka the highest capital city in all of Europe. The only lowlands of Spain are in the south and are called the Andalusian lowlands.

Pyrenees

The Pyrenees are a border mountain range between France (6 French departments) and Spain (4 Spanish regions). The dwarf state of Andorra lies entirely in this border region. The highest mountain is Mount Aneto at 3404 meters altitude, located in northeastern Aragon. The mountain range has a length of about 430 kilometers and was started by a collision between the Iberian Peninsula and the European Continent some 50 million years ago until today. In the Pyrenees you can also practice many mountain sports such as hiking, cycling and skiing.

Castilian Ranges

The Castilian Divide mountain range runs some 600 km from east to west inland, along the southern border of Castile and León into Portugal. The mountain range also contains two major rivers called the Tagus and the Duero. Within the mountain range there are several smaller chains, called Sierras in Spanish. The two most famous and largest mountain ranges are the Sierra de Guadarrama and the Sierra de Gredos. The Sierra de Guadarrama is located on the border of Castile and León and Madrid. The highest mountain peak here is the Peñalara at 2430 meters. It is also a popular area for mountain sports because of relatively flat peaks. So this is ideal for hiking and biking in Spain. The Sierra de Gredos is a relatively unknown mountain range with lots of flora and fauna located west of Madrid. Here the Pico Almanzor is the highest mountain at 2592 meters.

Iberian fringe mountains

Located in the heart of Spain, the Iberian fringe mountain range runs from northwest to southeast with a length of about 450 kilometers. Like the Castilian Range, the Iberian fringe mountain range consists of smaller chains (sierras). We can divide the Iberian Border Mountains into 3 parts. First, the highest part is the Sierra de la Demanda (with the San Lorenzo as the highest mountain at 2264 meters) and the Sierra de Moncayo (with the Moncayo as the highest mountain at 2314 meters). Second, the middle section, which is a lot flatter than the highest part. To the west of the middle section begins the Castilian Divide Mountains and the Iberian Ridge Mountains. Finally the south, which is higher again. Here are the Sierra de Albarracín, the Serranía de Cuenca and many more. The mountain range ends at the coast in the region of Valencia.

Betic Cordillera

The Betian Cordillera or also called Cordillera Bética is a collective name for the mountain ranges in northern Morocco and southern Spain. The other chains (sierras) are called more by their proper names by the locals. The Cordillera is an arc that runs east to west and west to east and crosses via the Strait of Gibraltar before continuing into northern Morocco.

Sierra Nevada

The Sierra Nevada is one of the most famous mountains in Spain in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. The Mulhacen, the highest mountain in mainland Spain at 3482 meters, is located in this mountain range. After the Alps, the Mulhacen is the highest mountain in all of Western Europe. Here are slopes suitable for skiing at Monachil, Guejar Sierra and Dilar. One can combine a summer vacation here with skiing and other mountain sports, since they are not far from each other. Sierra Nevada means "snowy mountain range" in Spanish.

Cantabrian Mountains

The Cantabrian Mountains are located in northwestern Spain and are about 300 km long. The Torre de Cerredo is the highest mountain in this area, with 2648 meters of altitude, located in the Picos de Europa (sierra). With a small area, the Picos de Europa nevertheless has many varied landscapes from a rocky desert to fertile vineyards at the base of these snow-capped peaks. The Cantabrian Mountains are known for the many mountain sports with many climbing and hiking opportunities and even for the ski area where skiing can be done in winter in Alto Campoo, Valgrande-Pajares and Manzaneda. On the northern slopes of the Cantabrian Mountains much rain comes frontally, this creates a contrast between the green north and the dry south, since the south is shaded.

Tenerife

However, the highest mountain in Spain, Pico del Teide, is located on the island of Tenerife. The Pico del Teide is also the largest volcano on the island and is 3718 meters above sea level. The volcano's last eruption was in 1909, but it is considered "dormant." The "Parque Nacional del Teide" with nearly 19,000 hectares has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2007. Also on Tenerife are the Teno Mountains to the west and the Anaga Mountains to the east.

Holy Week in Spain (Semana Santa) is always the week before Easter. Religion in Spain is especially important during this week. The main aspect of Holy Week in Spain is the penitential processions. These penitents wear pointed masks during the processions to keep their anonymity (both men and women). In Spain there are three major cities known for their special Holy Week in Spain, these are Seville, Zamora and Toledo. In 2012, Spanish Holy Week is from Sunday, April 1 to Sunday, April 8.

In Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, grand processions pass through cities depicting the sufferings of Christ and Mary. Almost every procession has a group of statues on a platform (paso) depicting a scene of Christ's suffering or a sorrowing Mary (the Virgen). The Virgen is always wearing a crown and has crystal tears for the sorrow of Christ's death. These images are dressed with embroidered gold costumes and are usually carved from wood. Most processions are held in silence and some fraternities even have a duty of silence. Only women are allowed to participate as penitents; everything else is carried and done by men during Holy Week in Spain.

Holy Week in Seville

The Holy Week of Seville is one of the most famous in Spain and is also celebrated very extensively. The whole country goes out to experience this holy week in Seville. There are more than 60 processions during Holy Week in Seville. Each procession is held by a Catholic brotherhood (Hermandad of Cofradía). The largest fraternity in Seville is the Cofradía of the Virgen de la Esperanza Macarena and has about ten thousand sisters and brothers. Each procession has its own route, but usually runs from a particular parish to Seville's cathedral and back again. Some processions last several hours and the pasos are carried by members of the holy brotherhood, also called costaleros. In front of the pasos go anonymous groups of sisters and brothers as penitents (Nazarenos) who all carry one burning candle. The front Nazarenos carry a large cross called the Cruz de Guia. Holy Week in Seville is marked by the beautiful pasos carried through the narrow streets of the old city, an emotional process for most Spaniards.

Holy week in Zamora

Like holy week in Seville, Zamora residents claim that semana santa in Zamora is the most famous. The first holy week in Zamora was already held in the ^13th century and was later named a "festivity of international tourist interest." In Zamora the Gregorian sound is heard which creates an emotional atmosphere during the nightly processions.

Holy week in Toledo

In Castile, Holy Week is also characterized as severe and somber compared to other regions. People take to the streets to witness the Passion of Christ and the suffering of his mother Mary. The statues are sometimes hundreds of years old and are true works of art with their beautiful embroidered clothing on the detailed pasos. In Toledo , a march is held at midnight on Good Friday (Viernes Santo).

Anyone can join a fraternity. Each fraternity is different and also has its own board at different levels. The purpose of Holy Week is the same everywhere, but everywhere it is celebrated slightly differently.

It is well worth attending Holy Week in Spain (Semana Santa) in one of these cities. During this week there is an atmosphere that cannot be described, only felt. The music, the attitude of the spectators and the many emotions will not go unnoticed by anyone.

Spain is known for its delicious and, above all, special hams. Most hams are produced in Spain, yet Italy exports more. The reason is that each Spaniard eats an average of 5 kilos of ham per year, which is twice as much as in Italy. Spain has many types of Spanish ham from Serrano to the famous Pata Negra. The most famous are discussed below.

Serrano ham originally comes from the mountains. Today, this Jamón Serrano is produced with a special Spanish breed of pig. Still the hams are dried in the original way with coarse sea salt for a time of 6 to even 36 months.

Surely the most famous Spanish ham is the Jamón ibericó Pata Negra (black leg). The production of this ham is located in Guijuelo in the municipality of Salamanca. The pig lives in the forest where it is generously fed with fresh grass, herbs, roots, olives but above all acorns. Because the pig can walk freely, the meat has a spicy and nutty flavor. In Spain they call this ham ´Jamón Ibérico´. There are 3 different types of this ham:

• The most famous and therefore most expensive ham is called ´jamón ibérico de bellota´, bellota means acorn in Spanish. In the last 4 months, the pig eats only acorns, which gives it its special nutty taste.
• Another type of ibérico is the ´jamón ibérico de recebo´. This ham is from pigs that in their last period ate only acorns and grain.
• The last type of ham is the jamón ibérico de cebo, or simply just jamón ibérico. The pigs have eaten only grain in their period, and are aged for 24 months.

Did you know....

• the pigs have been gaining 800 grams to a 1 kilo per day for the last 4 months.
• the ham loses 35% of its total weight through drying.
• the ´jamón ibérico de bellota´ is the most expensive ham in the world.
• front legs mature 6 to 8 months shorter than hind legs.

In Spain, people speak with many different types of Spanish accents. These Spanish accents have even become official regional languages over the years. In Galicia Galician, in the Basque Country Basque, in Catalonia Catalan, in the Valley of Aran Aranese and Castilian in the rest of the country. Castilian (Spanish) is the official national language in Spain; the other 4 are official regional languages. In areas where these languages (accents) are spoken, some take precedence. The many differences in the Spanish language often cause confusion abroad. In addition to the official regional languages, there are 2 unofficial languages, Asturian and Aragonese.

The Spanish alphabet has 27 letters:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, Ñ, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z. The letter Ñ is different from that in the Dutch language. The Ñ is widely used and is therefore also on the Spanish keyboard, to the right of the L.

Castilian:
Spanish or Castilian is a Romance language and is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. For 329 million people, Spanish is the mother tongue, while another 170 million speak Spanish as a second language. The historical origins of the language are in Spain, but most speakers today can be found in Latin America.

The four official regional languages of Spain are:

Galician:
In the region of Galicia, in the northwestern part of Spain above Portugal, the population speaks Galician. Galician is one of the four official languages in Spain and is spoken by a total of about 3 million people. Galician is also spoken in some parts of South America. The Spanish accent is more similar to Portuguese than to Spanish.

Basque:
Basque is spoken in the Basque Country, the Spanish-French border region on the west coast, and by emigrants from this area elsewhere in the world. Basque is the native language of about 800,000 people worldwide. Of these, 700,000 live in the Basque Country itself, where they make up a quarter of the population. The total number of people proficient in Basque is estimated at nearly 2 million.

Catalan:
Catalan is spoken in Catalonia, Andorra, southern French Roussillon, Valencia, eastern Aragon, the Balearic Islands and in a small part of Mucia. In total, about 10 million people speak Catalan. The Catalan accent has major differences from Castilian (official main language). The Catalan accent prevails here more than Castilian. Catalan sometimes resembles the French language.    

Aranese:
Aranese is spoken by only 4,000 people in the Valley of Aran in the region of Catalonia. The Aranese language and Spanish accent is also considered a dialect of French Occitan.

In Spain, about 25% of the total population speaks one of the four official regional languages, that is over 11 million people. Compared to the Netherlands, where the only official regional language is Frisian, where some 400,000 people speak this regional language, we can say that Spanish accents play a relatively important role.

Spanish wines are a well-known and especially unmissable part of Spanish cuisine. Spain is the largest wine country in the world! Although it is only the third largest producer of wine, this is due to the climate and the low yield of wine. The drought that prevails is Spain is a big problem, also because irrigation of vineyards is prohibited. Over the years, Spain has managed to distinguish itself with ´mundial´ wines as small-scale wines in addition to the famous sweet wines like Sherry and Malaga.

History

During the time of the Romans, the first vines were planted after a conquest 200 BC. After the fall the Roman Empire, things went downhill with the Spanish wine regions. In the Middle Ages, it was the monks who breathed new life into viticulture. During the century, this spread to all of Spain. The Spanish produced alcoholic Spanish red wines and produced white wines oxidatively (under large amount of oxygen) due to lack of knowledge. In the ^19th century, Spain gained international fame for their sweet wines such as Sherry and Malaga. Only at the end of this century did the first red Spanish wine called the Rioja wine emerge. Around 1900, the production of sparkling wines ("bubbly wines") took off in Catalonia called Cava, which would go on to bring worldwide success. With the restoration of democracy and accession to the European Union, Spain began to modernize in winemaking. Today, this is visible and small traditional Spanish farms are being bought up by large companies in order to increase their market share.

Climate

Because Spain has a large surface area there is also a lot of difference in its climate. In the mountains inland where muggy summers but also icy cold winters take place in contrast to the south where long hot summer temperatures can reach as high as 40˚C. As mentioned, drought is a common problem in Spain, especially since irrigation of vineyards is prohibited. This causes the low number of vines per hectare which results in lower yields than in the rest of Europe.

Spanish label

Spanish wines all have a controlled designation of origin, a denominación de origen (DO). There are now about 60 different DOs (place of viticulture). Rioja has the status of denominación de origen calificada (DOC) as does the Priorat. A special council (consejo regulador) oversees compliance with the DO´s rules. Each brand uses its own logo.The designation varies according to the maturity period into which type of category the wine falls: Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva, Jovén (young).

Spanish wine regions

Spain has many different Spanish wine regions, however, most are located in the north and east of the country. La Mancha is the largest wine region in the world and is located south of Madrid. Spanish wine bars can also be found all over the country. Of course, there are more Spanish wine regions but these are the best known and most important of Spain in a row.

Rioja

Rioja borders Navarre. With Spanish Rioja wine, they focus more on rosado (rosé) than reds because they have a reputation to uphold. This area also allows foreign grape varieties unlike other areas.

Ribera del Duero

Ribera del Duero is one of the fastest emerging wine regions in Spain, founder of the most legendary wine Vega Sicilia. Most wine in this area is red and made from tempranillo (type of grape).

Somontano

A fairly small new area at the foot of the Pyrenees where everything is done in a hyper-modern way. The area is also called the new world. Spanish white and red wines are made here but are also worthwhile.

Rias Baixas and Rueda

In Rias Baixas, the wines are made from the albariño, a very pricey grape that also raises the price of wine significantly. In Rueda, however, prices are somewhat lower with still good quality.

Central Spain and the Levant

Emphasizing Spain's largest wine region, La Mancha. Until recently, they produced here mostly Spanish white wines from the airén grapes. In the future, more normal table wines, both white and red, will be added. The southern part of La Mancha (Valdepeñas) has its own DO and specializes in Spanish red wines.

Catalonia

The region around Barcelona has been one of the most important wine producers since Roman times. Surely the most famous wine is Cava, a sparkling wine made in the manner of champagne. The town of San Sadurni de Anoia is surely the Cava center.

Jerez

Jerez, also called Sherry is a special wine. It all starts with a normal white Spanish wine made from palomino grapes. The wind from the sea cools it and the young wine gets an alcohol content between 15 and 18%. Sherry has to age for a long time and during the aging process the wine barrel is topped up with younger wines so the Sherry is a mix of different vintages. This creates the delicious taste.

The Spanish monarchy, like the Netherlands, has a royal family. Spain's current King Juan Carlos was born in exile because there was a civil war going on from 1936-1939. Spain experienced a period of dictatorship under General Francisco Franco after the civil war from 1939-1975. After Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos came to power, and to this day he is the king of Spain.

The King of Spain Juan Carlos lives with Queen Sofia in their palace, Palacio de la Zarzuela, in northern Madrid. Juan Carlos never wanted a dictatorship like Franco, which is why he restored democracy to Spain. In 1981, Juan Carlos gained much respect by preventing a military coup. Since then, all Spaniards have been proud of their king.

The Spanish royal family of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia consists of three children (Infanta Elena (1963), Infanta Cristina (1965) and Crown Prince Felipe (1968)) and eight grandchildren. Felipe is crown prince because a man has priority over a woman for the throne. However, this will change in the future since the crown prince, together with Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, already has two daughters (Infanta Leonor and Infanta Sofia).

Spain's Crown Prince Felipe had a few bad relationships before he was engaged to television journalist Letizia. However, this is the first time in Spain that a commoner girl has married a future Spanish king and she will become Queen of Spain. Princess Letizia is also known for her fashion-conscious clothing style and her always unusual shoes. Inside the Royal Family, Infanta Elena has been divorced for several years, but has two children (Felipe Juan and Victoria Federica) with her ex-husband. Infanta Cristina is married to Iñaki Urdangarin Liebaeert, together they have four children (Valentin, Pablo Nicolas, Miguel and Irene).

There are many National Holidays in Spain. For starters, nearly 96% of Spain's population is Roman Catholic; the rest are Protestant, Muslim or Jewish. Because so many Spaniards are Catholic, Catholic holidays are always celebrated Nationally. It is a celebration of everyone and for everyone. Below are a few examples of the best known Spanish National holidays, of course there are many more but it varies by region.

January 1 - New Year's Day (Año Nuevo)

New Year's Day in Spain, as in many other countries, is a day off. This is where the beginning of the New Year is celebrated and families gather to talk about the past year and their good intentions for the coming year. The night before on Dec. 31, Spaniards eat one grape at each stroke of the clock at midnight. According to tradition, this is said to bring good luck for the coming year.

January 6 - Epiphany (Reyes Magos)

On January 6, Spaniards commemorate the journey of the three Wise Men in search of the son of God. About a week before Christmas when everything is already in the Christmas spirit, children write letters to the three Wise Men expressing their wishes for January 6. Children receive gifts from the "Three Wise Men" on January 6. It is similar to Sinterklaas in the Netherlands.

April 8/9 - Easter (Pascua)

At Easter, Christians celebrate that Jesus rose from the dead. Easter lasts two days, a Sunday (Easter Sunday/1st Easter Day) and a Monday (Easter Monday/2nd Easter Day). The Friday before Easter is called Good Friday to commemorate the death of Jesus. The Sunday before Easter (April 1) is also called Easter Sunday (Domingo Ramos). On this day, the children go to church in their newest clothes where they are given palm branches. With these palm branches, the children walk through the city to commemorate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. At the end of the day, the children give their palm branches to their grandparents in exchange for candy.

May 17 - Ascension Day (Ascensión)

The fortieth day after Jesus rose from the tomb, Christians celebrate Jesus being transferred to heaven to become the right hand of God. This is a day off in Spain, and many other countries.

May 27/28 - Pentecost (Pentecostés)

On Pentecost, Christians in Spain commemorate the descent of Jesus on his apostles and therefore the birth of the Catholic Church.

August 15 - Assumption of Mary (Asuncion de la Virgen)

On this day people celebrate the ascension of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary did not ascend by herself but was helped by God Himself. This is a national holiday in Spain.

October 12 - Spanish National Holiday (Día de la Hispanidad)

This celebrates the discovery of America by Columbus in 1492. The biggest celebration takes place in Madrid including bullfighting and parades. The whole country is free on this day.

November 1 - All Saints' Day (Todos los Santos)

With All Saints' Day, all the saints of the Roman Catholic Church are honored and commemorated together. In America, this is similar to Halloween.

December 6 - Constitution Day (Día de contitución Española)

Constitution Day, on December 6 in 1978 92% of the population voted for a new constitution. Since then, Spain has had a new constitution and a new Royal House.

December 8 - Mary's Immaculate Conception (Inmaculada Concepción)

On December 8, Mary received an immaculate soul. Mary now had a purifying soul because she gave birth to Jesus Christ. Because of this, she obtained a special status.

December 24/25 - Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) Christmas Day (Día de Navidad)

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. This is a family celebration and everyone has a sumptuous Christmas meal before going to church for midnight Mass. This special midnight mass is also called "La misma del Gallo." Gallo means rooster in Spanish, this is because a rooster announced the life of Jesus Christ.