SPRING always sees colourful religious spectacles in Spain. After ‘Cristo’ and the week of Semana Santa, (April), there’s more! The current event – held over the weekend of 3 May – is Cruces de Mayo (May Crosses).

If you head generally to larger towns – such as Lanjarón, Orgiva, Dúrcal, or Velez de Benadualla (just for example) – a map provided by the town hall shows the decorated crosses visitors can see. Some are in side streets – a voyage of discovery – and others in the main plaza.

Annual romerias

In Lanjarón, many residents, on the day 3 of March, make their way to the nearby Tajo de la Cruz (Ermita) – a viewpoint from which you can see the whole town. The actual cross was originally designed to ward against bad spells (from sorcerers, withces, etc). The Ermita dates to 1899 and this event is an estabished tradition.

Other fiestas…

With longer days and better weather (hopefully), fiesta season starts ramping up from now on. Pampaneira is already ‘a fiesta’. We have Corpus Cristi on 19 June. This is a big event is in Granada from 14-19 June. This falls close to San Juan, on 23 June. People will be keeling over.. actually, they probably won’t!

May is traditinally also the month of communions.