Seville is an amazing city to visit any time of year, but spring there is something special. The city bursts into bloom with aromatic orange blossoms and jasmine perfuming the air and everyone is in the best of humour as the city’s two greatest festivals take place this time of year – first Semana Santa and then the Spring Fair.
Seville’s April Fair (La Feria de Abril) officially begins on a Monday at midnight, normally 2 weeks after Semana Santa (Holy Week), and ends with a fireworks display the following Sunday, again, at midnight (this year the 20th to 25th of April). At noon every day there is the ‘Paseo de Caballos’ in which local girls in their full flamenco outfit are pulled through the city in beautiful carriages by splendid horses. In the evening some of the year’s top bullfights take place at the Plaza de Toros de Maestranza with tickets selling out well in advance.
The venue for the fair is the ‘Real de la Feria’ just outside the city centre opposite the Maria Luisa park. This is an area covering 1.2 million square metres that is divided into three parts, one for parking, another for the amusement park and then a vast area set aside for the main attraction– the casetas. These are canvas tent pavillions in which the drinks begin to flow and tapas are served from around 1:30 mid-day till early next morning. Each caseta is equipped with a full bar, small “kitchen” area and a sound system or live entertainment with the official Sevillana style of music, the order of the day as everyone is set to dance traditional “Sevillanas” all week long. Most of the casetas are private, however, there are also “open” casetas. The “caseta municipal” is run by the town hall, and is one of the largest and always open to everyone, but it can be completely full if a well known band or singer is on stage.
Some men and virtually all women wear the traditional costume during the Fair. For men this is the “traje corto”, or short suit, consisting of fitted pants and a short cut jacket. It goes together with a wide-brimmed hat. Women on the other hand, turn out in an astonishing array of the latest styles of the traditional “traje de gitano”, literally “gypsy outfits” or flamenco dresses.
The Seville Fair takes place just two weeks after Semana Santa, so if you have the energy you can enjoy both spectacles during your stay in Seville. However, consider yourself forwarned in that this is a week of serious dancing, drinking, eating and enjoying entertainment with late nights – or all nighters – are the norm.
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