Sunday, 2 October 2011

Family Holidays and the Fiesta de la Exaltacion de Marisco

By Chris Brown


If your family holidays are getting a trifle predictable, why not think outside the box a little and book something that will not only entertain the kids, but also give you something other than sunburn and wallet fatigue to look forward to? You may ask what kind of cheap last minute holidays could make a promise like that, and to answer, we're going to speak a little Spanish - the Fiesta de la Exaltacion de Marisco. Get ready - it's fiesta time!

For 10 days, the town of O Grove in Galicia (northwest Spain) swells from a population of around 11,000 to over 200,000 for this delicious festival. The name, meaning 'the festival in honour of seafood', describes perfectly what the celebration is all about. While there is plenty of mouth-watering fresh seafood to enjoy (obviously!), there are plenty of other things to keep you and your family entertained whilst taking cheap last minute holidays here.

If you've been to Spain before you'll know what a fiesta is all about; and if you haven't, well, you're in for a world of fun. Apart from the food (and we'll get to that soon) this festival of seafood is alive with colour, music and dance. As well as traditional folk dance displays, those on Spain holidays can get involved in the celebrations with some impromptu dancing in the streets to the sounds of the plethora of musicians who entertain day and night.

If you're trying to figure out when to visit Spain, it really should be during one of these festivals (if not the Fiesta de la Exaltacion de Marisco). It's a great opportunity to immerse yourself in a culture that you haven't experienced before on a first hand basis. Chat with the locals, eat some tasty traditional treats and spend your days wallowing in the sun.

You're able to really make the most of your time abroad, immersing yourself in a culture that is really quite fascinating.




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