Festivals

Salmantinos like to party and to live outside. So what do you get then? Yes, you are right, a lot of festivals and other festivities. A random selection.

Lunes de aguas

the second Monday after Resurrection Sunday The tradition of this festival has his beginning in the Golden Century and is the most original of the holidays that are celebrated in Salamanca. Centuries ago prostitutes were forced to leave the city for Lent and Easter. The next Monday after the Easter, students crossed the river on boats decorated with flowers to help them to get back to the city. Nowadays Salmantinos celebrate this day spending time with their family and friends at the countryside, eating typical “hornazo”, a bread filled with local meat specialties, like ham and chorizo.

Castile & Leon International Arts Festival

(June)
Since 2005, locals and tourists enjoy the International Arts Festival. Every year, the unique and fascinating program contains the latest national premieres and worldwide successful multidisciplinary proposals, from dancing theatre to music and from multimedia theatre to graffiti. Performances take place in theatres and on the street (these are free), for instance on the Plaza Mayor.

San Juan de Sahagún

12th June
This day is celebrated in honour of San Juan, the patron of the city of Sahagún, the place where he was born and Salamanca, where he did wonders. During this day bullfights and a special market are organized, and later at night, near the Tormes river, the sky is illuminated by colourful fireworks.

La fiesta de la Virgen de la Vega and Feria de Salamanca

8th September
The celebration of this day of The Virgen of the Valley comes from the legend that says how the virgin helped the city that was invaded by army troops in 1706. The effigy of the virgin can be admired on the main altar of the Old Cathedral. This day is also the first day of the most entertaining week – Fiesta de Salamanca. A wide range of events take place during these days. The Tormes River becomes the background for the scenes from the Roman era and the Plaza de la Glorieta gets crowded at 6 pm when ‘corridas’ take place. During the day you can enjoy delicious wine and typical food from Salamanca, visit theatre shows and concerts that take place at the Plaza Mayor.