Feria de Seville

Two weeks after Semana Santa, Seville celebrates spring in a grand way, it's time for the Feria de Sevilla, also called the Feria de Abril, the big spring festival in April! In Spain every city and village has its own feria, but Seville's is by far the most spectacular.

This sparkling party is celebrated in a special party area on the outskirts of the city.

At the entrance is a fairytale gate with thousands of colored lights. When the feria party week starts around midnight, the lights in the gate and the streets are lit: the Prueba del Alumbrao.

The party area is huge and covers about 15 streets with over 1000 party tents, in Spanish they call them Casetas. In these Casetas people party, dance, sing and eat all day (and night). These tents belong to associations and groups of friends and family who pay for this all year long. These tents are therefore only accessible to them. The party has a long history and is intended for the Sevillians themselves and not so much for the tourists. Yet there are also public casetas so that tourists can also enjoy this party.

In the afternoon it is a cheerful coming and going of carriages with beautifully dressed families and riders on horseback with beautiful Spanish beauties in their flamenco dresses on the back. Men, women and children are also strolling in the streets in festive costumes and everyone is happy. Thanks to this Flamenco clothing it is often called the Flamenco Party by foreigners.

A separate part of the party area is intended for the fair, the Calle del Infierno (the Hell street).

Here you will find a variety of attractions for young and old, the Ferris wheel is very popular here.

The Feria traditionally ends on Sunday night with a spectacular fireworks display.

Fact: in 1999 the king and queen of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander and Máxima, met each other at the Feria in Seville!