World Heritage Cities in Spain

WORLD HERITAGE CITIES

AUTUMN The cultural side of Andalusia is most prominent in September, October and November. Visit Úbeda during these months to enjoy the Autumn Theatre Forum . This is a cycle consisting of per- formances of both classical and con- temporary works by the best Spanish theatre companies. At the same time, in neighbouring Baez, you can discover the secrets of Flamenco singing and dance at the Flamenco Cultural Autumn Festival . The city's Flamenco club organises liter- ary gatherings, exhibitions and concerts around this typically Spanish art form. InOctober, Alcalá de Henares celebrates Cervantes Week , a great opportunity to take a closer look at the legacy left to the city by Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote. The streets are filled with literature, leisure and gastron- omy, including a Medieval Cervantes Market where you'll find local products and lovely craft work souvenirs. WINTER Carnival is especially colourful all over Spain, but in cities like Santiago de Compostela it is especially enchanting. The capital city of Galicia shows its vo- cation for masks, make-up and fancy dress especially during the parade on Carnival Tuesday, with the participa- tion of floats and troupes of friends and neighbours parading through the city. A special feature of the Compostela Carnival is the Entroidos dos Xenerais , a tradition in which a number of people dress up and ride through the streets on horseback, accompanied by a veri- table army of people with flags, choirs and pageants.

In San Cristóbal de la Lagunamusic plays a leading role with an International Jazz Week and a Music Festival which take place in a number of venues in the his- torical old town throughout the month of June. A good time to visit Santiago de Compostela is 25 July to celebrate the Festivity of Saint James the Apostle , the patron saint of Galicia and Spain. You'll see how the whole city becomes an enormous festival. Festivities include a number of fantastic music, dance and theatre shows, and close with a great firework display. L L Useful links:

www.festivaldemerida.es stoneandmusicfestival.com jazzlalaguna.com

b b CERVANTES WEEK

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