Aside from its famous bullfighting and tomato wars, Spain has a very rich culture of music and dancing. Their festivals that usually involve folk dancing and music highlight their interest in music and dancing. One of the famous folk art that made Spain known is the flamenco. This is an ancient art that originated from the Southern part of the country. However, with the popularity of the flamenco, it is already had its own niche on the modern music under the form of a solo guitar that is usually mixed with jazz and pop music. The guitar that used to accompany the vocals has moved forward to take the center stage. The dancers have also changed as time goes on. The art of the flamenco dancing is not just about the art of dancing itself but is also blended with the personality of the dancer.

The flamenco comes in three forms: Cante, Baile and Guitarra. The Cante is the song, the Baile is dance and the Guitarra is the playing of the guitar. It was rumored that the flamenco in the early days does not include a guitar instead clapping in rhythm is used. The Gypsies perform the flamenco with its inspiring folk songs and graceful dance steps best. Obviously, the most important role among the three forms in the structure is that of the singer’s. The songs are usually improvised and impromptu. The themes vary depending on the performers. It can be something about politics, love stories, history and even funny stories. However, more often than not, the music and lyrics of the performances depicts sad stories of sufferings of the gypsies.

The dance speaks for the gracefulness of its origin, the gypsies. It has a sophisticated and complex footwork blended with wonderful folk inspired rhythm. Although western countries have the impression that the flamenco is all about dance, the dancing is not the heart of this art. The song has been the soul of this folk art and the guitar and dancing came along as an accompaniment of the music expression. The dance is composed of graceful movement of the arms and stomping of the feet. There are no memorized steps on this dancing form because the movements depend on the music that will be performed which is usually improvised. The dancers however still, practices and works hard on the dance steps but have the flexibility to dance without choreograph.

The songs have different inspirations and influences. However, the traditional flamenco found in its country of origin, which is Spain usually, comes in two styles: jondo and chico. The former is a showcase of the seriousness – an interpretation of sufferings. The latter is the happier version, full of fun and humor.

Flamencos are performed in fiestas as tribute to saints and people who fought for the Christian religion. Since this originated from the Spanish culture that was influenced by different cultures as well, the flamenco have an internal rules. The artists are there either paid or unpaid performing for days to entertain and share the art that have been passed from generation to generation.

Spain have different festivals that tourist can enjoy. There are around sixteen festivals celebrated within the year.
The earliest is the San Sebastian Drum Festival during the month of January. The celebration is marked by a parade of people marching while playing drums on the first night of the month. The participants usually paraded through the entire city. The following day, the Child Drummer’ Ceremony commenced also called Tamborrada Infantil.

During the month of February, the locals of Cuenca in honor of Candelaria and San Blas are celebrating another festival. A group called “la endiablada” composed of men and kids dresses up with colorful blouse and trousers. Huge cowbells are tied on their waist that makes loud sound as they round the town. A main demon or diablo mayor will lead the group and wears clothing in the color of red. The group will make their round and dances on the street and church. On the second day of the celebration, the diablo mayor will reenact a mock act of the washing of the face of San Blas. The performers recite poems or verses for the Virgin or the Saint.

In Valencia, the spring starts with the Fallas de San Jose festival. Gigantic cardboard monuments called ninots are carefully made in a competition that involves art. Around 700 of the ninots are erected on streets and will be lightened up on the 19th showing off a spectacle of light, sounds and firework displays. The most voted ninots will not be burned with the others and will be later on the collection of the Fallero Museum.

After the Semana Santa, Seville celebrates April’s Fair with huge number of marquees all over the place. This Spanish annual event is celebrated with flamenco dancing, bullfighting and loud music. The festival ends with fireworks display that tourist and locals alike will surely enjoy.

Wine lovers will enjoy the Fiestas de Haro. This festival is famous for its Wine Battle that is held in Riscos de Bilibio of Haro, La Rioja. It is celebrated in time with the day of the saint, San Pedro. Celebrants with the objective of spraying everyone with wine squirt wines on people.

Red wine and seafoods are free during the celebration of the Romeria Vikinga, a marvelous celebration in Pontevedra in honor of the Christian natives who fought against the attack of Vikings. After the free food and wine, celebrants dances with the sounds from bagpipes. Everyone participates in the re-enactment of this invasion. Locals come dressed in pirates and native attire.

El Coso is celebrated for a week with different activities during the month of August. This is in celebration of Saint Augustine’s day. Activities includes sports, theatre and dance night festivities called verbenas where dancing outdoor are held at night.

Other dancing activities are held in La Borbollal, Asturias for their fiesta. Musicians and dancers perform and sing for the Virgin. This festival is celebrated in the middle of the month of August until September.

In addition, of course found here is the famous food fight, La Tomatina. Both local and tourist happily enjoy tomato wars during the last Wednesday of August. Prime targets by this tomato-throwing crowd are those people wearing a cap or holding a camera. It is a whole day of fun.

Other Spain festivals that interesting are the fiesta de Verano, Festes de Sants, Dia de Asturias and Misterio de Elche.

The sport that is identified as Spain’s traditional show is Bullfighting or tauromachy. Although some conservative group finds this sport controversial, this weekly event is still a crowd drawer particularly among tourist who wants to experience Spain’s culture. The Spanish-style bullfighting is called corrida de torros or fiesta brava, which is, literally means fierce festival can be dated back to 711 A.D.

Before, the bullfighting are exclusively participated by aristocrats until the King of Spain, Felipe V put it to a stop. The aristocrats used good bred horses and plays the game while in horseback. The citizens later on adopted it as a common sport sans the use of horse started and still in practice today. The traditional bullfights are almost the same with the modern ones. Although some of the practices are simplified, the rules of the game are quite the same. Instead of horseback, unarmed players dodge bulls on foot. This no horse playing started around 1700s after the aristocrats were banned from playing by the King.

Bulls who will enter the ronda (or bullring) usually weigh around 200 to500 kilograms. They are usually around four years of age. In traditional bullfight there are number of bullfighters called matador who will fight two bulls. The matador has an entourage that is composed of six aides: lancers, flagmen and sword page. There are two lancers also called picadores, the bandilleros (flagmen) are three and one mozo de espada. Inspired by Spain’s colorful clothing, the toreros or matadors wears Andalusian clothing.

The bullfight has three stages: the opening signaled by a trumpet sound, the tercio de banderillas and tercio de muerte. Initially, the matadors will asses the bull and from this, he will be able to come up with the best strategy to tackle the raging bull. A dress cape in gold and magenta color will be waved to tempt to bull to charge. The matador by this time confronts the bull and observes very carefully. The picaderos will follow after the trumpet sound signal was heard and the bull’s first draw blood will be done. Drawing blood between the neck and shoulder blades will weaken the bull. Bullfight passes will be shown here by the matador to please the crowd. The next stage will further weaken the animal by jabbing two sharp sticks called banderillas on the flank of the bull. The inflicted wounds will make the animal charged more wildly. The matador will soon re-enter without his entourage carrying a red cape called muleta and a sword. This stage is called the faena. The faena is the best part and most impressive on this game. On this part, the matador will show off his courage and elegant moves using the muleta to bring the bull in a position that will enable him to stab it in the heart through the shoulder. The plunging of the sword is called an estocada.

The crowd for the president to award a trophy to the matador waves the white handkerchiefs. Flowers are thrown to the matadors to show their enjoyment and respect to the hero of this game.

For those who want to see an action that has dated back to the time of King Felipe V, then Spain is for you.

Majestic Hotel and SPA Barcelona – it is another luxurious hotel in Spain though an old one. Since 1918, the hotel is already located right at the heart of Barcelona. It is accessible to most of the exciting landmarks like the Las Ramblas, Plaza de Cataluna, Gothic Quarter, and Gaudi’s major architectural works. The Majestic Hotel has the exquisite accommodations and excellent service that every traveler would surely enjoy. With 303 rooms and suites, travelers will surely have a lovely stay at the hotel without the worries when it comes to availability of rooms. The hotels on site restaurant Drolma Restaurant is one of the finest restaurants in the city. In addition to the fine dining the hotel has to offer it also has a sauna and massage that everyone can enjoy, and the remarkable views from the pool will surely give a relaxing experience to every traveler. Even though the hotel is old, it has the most up to date technology, which includes a satellite newspaper kiosk to access 168 international newspapers. That’s not all, the hotel also has a business center equipped with broadband internet, five PCs with windows XO, CD player and recorder, DVD, laser and ink jet printers, photocopier, fax, scanner, shredder, and office supplies that will lets you keep in touch wit your family, work or business even if you are on vacation or on a business trip. The hotel also has a courtesy car with GPD in 10 languages so you can have a comfortable stroll around the city and the surrounding area.