Best Region:
MadridExact dates:
Why?:
For a start, the weather is (usually) perfect, with glorious hot weather – but not too hot, for most of the month. May also sees Madrid’s biggest festivals the Festival of San Isidro, Madrid’s patron saint. Plaza Mayor is centre stage, quite literally, for a series of concerts, after which people head out to the city’s parks for a night of heavy drinking!
Then come back down to earth with the solemn Corpus Cristi procession in Toledo on the first Thursday after Trinity.
Other Festivities in May:
- Throughout month - Cordoba has two festivals this month, with the Cruces de Mayo at the beginning of the month (featuring a competition for the best-decorated patio) and the Cordoba Festival at the end. This is the best time to visit Cordoba - try to split your time between Madrid and here.
- Throughout month Every two years, Jaen hosts Expoliva, an olive oil exposition.
- Second week of the month - Jerez Horse Fair.
- May 10-13 - WOMAD World Music Festival. The world famous festival of international music comes to the provincial town of Caceres, Extremadura. There are no internationally famous acts (unless you count Kiki Dee) but the performances and workshops are FREE. Stick around for the muleteer racing at the end of the month too.
- Weekend before Pentecost Monday There are a number of religious pilgrimages in Spain, but the Pilgrimage of the Virgen del Rocio is the biggest of them all. Click on the link for the exact dates for the next few years and a link to an article on the pilgrimage.
- May 19-23 If you like your sherry, the Feria de la Manzanilla in Sanlucar de Barrameda should be up your street, as the locals drink vast quantities of the local drink to celebrate, well, their local drink!
