Sevilla - Feria de Abril
La Feria de Abril, "the festival of light, color, dell'allegria, music and entertainment ', and' one of the main parties of Spain, and takes place in Seville, the capital of Andalusia, since 1846.
The festival takes place one week after the festival of Semana Santa, but certainly much less suggestive "godereccia" in a specially equipped (Recinto de Feria), in the district of Los Remedios.
During Holy Week the city is run day and night processions from the various confraternities of penitents and hooded, which parade along the streets carrying the "pasos", huge canopies of religious subjects, in an atmosphere of sacredness. It is said that ironically the Sevillian have engaged in the penance to be able to earn your forgiveness in advance for the profane festival that characterize the Feria de Abril.
Born as a fair sample of animals and agricultural products, the Feria is gradually losing the commercial aspect to stay only at the festival, and has' turned the feast of flamenco.
The feast and 'a real trip back in time and in the Andalusian tradition: in the vast area of Recinto are held in 1040 casetas well, that' tents and restaurant-dance hall, within which people eat, drink, dance and socialize. Unfortunately, most are private casetas and enter only at the invitation of the association, however, from 2006 will be set further 200 casetas public. Within the area you move only on foot or horseback, there is' an atmosphere of great joy, and all the women wear the traditional traje flamenco; within casetas you eat the typical Andalusian dishes such as gazpacho The chorizo, the pescaido and bacalao frito, and drink liters of rebujito and cerveza (unlike the Feria de Verano of Malaga where you prefer tinto de verano and sangria).
For almost a week the City 'stops, the old town are empty and some one million Sevillian and tourists poured into the area of the feria, and for this reason, and' must book well in advance is the flight to the hotel (we We booked in November, finding good accommodation: Hotel Maestranza, a short walk from the center that the shopping area of Calle Sierpes) and considering that prices have doubled (110 euros a night for a double against the 55 weeks before and after). Unfortunately this year was' also seen a rise in violence and the fights (always at night, however) because of the war between "canis" and "pijos, ie 'groups of young people from the lower social classes and high. We have personally witnessed a battle to the sound of throwing bottles ....
During the day the streets of Recinto snodano agghindati horses parades of hundreds of multicolored ribbons, painted carts and singers who sing the old songs with the guitar. The women wear the beautiful clothes Andalusians, a riot of flounces, shapes, polka dots and flowers. As night falls, then we move on to caseta caseta, stopping to eat, to drink, to know, to talk, we see the shows or take part until the early morning hours.
During the week of the fair, also, bullfights are held with the best and most famous bullfighters like Manuel Jesus "El Cid" El Fanda or, in the Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza, second in importance only to the Plaza de la Venta of Madrid.
For more photos and information, you can also visit my personal website www.miavacanza.it