Festivals of Seville

Seville , the third largest city in Spain, plays year-round host to a variety of wonderful festivals. From the clop clop of parading horses to the tap tap of flamenco-ing feet, these festivals celebrate the Spanish and folk traditions which are so internationally famous and popular. And the best part? They are not put on for the tourists; these festivals are celebrated by - and for - the locals who immerse themselves in centuries of Spanish tradition in the traditional Spanish manner: passionately. The first and most city-stopping of all the festivals is the annual Easter Week celebration, or, Semana Santa as it is known in Spanish. Semana Santa evidences how enlightened are Spain 's social views: the entire city coming to a halt to celebrate. In honour of Christ and the Christian faith, as many as fifty different brotherhoods parade through Seville 's streets carrying ornate pasos (decorated effigies of Christ or the Virgin Mary). Those locals not participating in the procession watch it and for this purpose grandstands are erected throughout the city in front of the major churches. That is not to say, however, that Semana Santa is all about worship of the Lord. It would not be sacrilegious to consider that the very Christian Semana Santa also pays homage to Bacchus, the Greek god of food and wine. Those Sevilla