28 Apr Feria de Abril de Sevilla (Seville April Fair)
In Sevilla, this week is one of the most expected of the year. Normally, the Feria de Abril (April Fair), the biggest festival of the city, should be taking place… So next year, please, try to come in April! And choose the most exciting time of the year to visit Sevilla during one of the city’s biggest festivals, Feria de Abril.
Photo taken by our friend Andrés
The first Feria took place in 1848 and it was originally a cattle market. Soon it evolved into a popular festival held annually about two weeks after Semana Santa (Holy week). Nowadays, the Feria is an enormous festival, which is both the city’s most important social event and its best party. Many of the streets are blocked off to traffic and allow only horse-drawn carriages which form a procession that stretches all the way to the far end of the River Guadalquivir. Here hundreds of intricately decorated and colorful “casetas” or tents offer flamenco music, dancing, different varieties of food and a very festive atmosphere. The “casetas” are hosted either by families, friends, corporations or public offices. The public “casetas” are huge and very popular, whereas the private ones are more sophisticated with the best food and ambiance, but in order to gain access you must be invited.
What to visit in Sevilla while the Feria is on:
All the city monuments and museums are still open during the Feria, and we recommend you not to miss them. The Alcázar, the Cathedral, the Jewish quarter, and much more.
Visiting the Feria can be done several ways:
You can go on your own for a morning walk (from noon to two aprox.), either by foot, or with a city horse carriage very easy to find. You will be taken around the Feria, walking through the horses and admiring the beauty of the Flamenco dresses, the colorful decoration of the streets, the music coming from the inside of the “casetas”, and the spontaneous flamenco dancing on the street.
Photo by the Flamenco Dress Designer, Rocío Peralta @rocioperaltar
For lunch, we recommend you go to Calle Betis, by the Guadalquivir River, in the Triana quarter, where you will melt with locals, most of them having lunch before going to the feria.
Or you could do a more private Feria, by the hand of our local host, that has access to different “casetas”. This way, you will mingle with the locals, have tapas at their “casetas” and enjoy the private flamenco shows that take place in the best “casetas” of the feria every evening and night.
Spanish dance has been practiced since the reign of Carlos III. The bolero was the most popular, and by 1830 it achieved great international fame in theaters in Paris and London. Now, every little girl knows how to dance Sevillanas, and it is becoming very frequent to take more evolved flamenco lessons in order to be able to show off your dancing skills during the feria.
How to dress, very important!
This festival, is an annual event that represents a key engine for the city’s economy and which, judging by the figures, enjoys excellent health. The Seville Fair is a markedly popular celebration, but with strict codes regarding clothing, and although social customs have varied enormously since the mid-19th century, the Feria is considered the best opportunity to show off the best of ourselves. This event becomes a true showcase of light, color and art.
Photo by the Flamenco Dress Designer, Rocío Peralta @rocioperaltar
If you wish, we can teach you the real basics for dancing, as well as helping you to find a perfect flamenco dress for you! It will be an experience that you will always remember!
During the feria, every afternoon there is a bullfight, this week is when the most famous bullfighters from all over the country come to Sevilla. There are people that come to Sevilla just to see the bullfight during this week! And if you are not a bullfight fan, it is also very beautiful to come near the bullring, where you can enjoy a nice sherry wine while the locals start to approach the bullring.
Photo of the bullring, taken by our team member Luisa, @luisadeob
Where to stay
We recommend the Hotel Alfonso XIII, for us, the best 5 stars in town. The Alfonso XIII is also used by locals and celebrities as a meeting point before going to the feria, or the bullfight. You might be surprise to have a coffee next to a famous actress, or a musician! You never know!