Spain is more or less a Christian nation wherein around 77 percent of the population is part of the Catholic Church, while only 1 percent belongs to the Protestant Church. However, there is a good mix of other religions like Islam as well.
Bullfighting is probably the most popular of all the Spanish traditions and culture, reflecting the great influence that other cultures and races had on this beautiful country. Brought into the Iberian Peninsula by the Greeks and Phoenicians, bullfighting is a sport that has evolved over the centuries and has since then adapted well with the Spanish culture. Originally, the sport involved men riding horses and fighting raging bulls, but it eventually changed to men, or matadors, fighting bulls off without the aid of horses. Bullfighting is seen more as a ritualistic event today than a sport.
Apart from bullfighting, there are many other aspects to the Spanish lifestyle and culture, which will all be briefly covered in this article.
Dancing the Flamenco way
The Spanish culture is also closely linked to the famous Flamenco style. This passionate form of dance first originated in Andalusia and was originally considered to be a gypsy dance. It is a flamboyant dance that is accompanied by the soulful tunes of the guitar and a song (cante), which is the soul of the whole art of doing the dancing the Flamenco. At its best, it is one of the only and true classical cultural contributions that Spain has to offer. Like bullfighting, Flamenco has also been referred to by many as the Soul of Spain and is a large part of the country’s traditions and culture.
Its songs of lament, bitter romance and oppressions have a chilling effect on most people. Artists that have greatly impacted this beautiful form of dance include, Diego Velasquez, El Greco, Salvador Dali and even Pablo Picasso.
The Spanish tourism industry has used this beautiful art to its advantage and you can now see Flamenco being performed in many of the commercial tourist shows that are greatly advertised as being ‘original Flamenco fests’, but are in fact a weak imitation of the real form. Real and true Flamenco is said to evoke the qualities of the demon or spirits that possess the performers, containing a sort of ecstatic yet primitive allure that welcomes all listeners.
However, the real thing can be experienced in smaller specialist bards and some of the members-only clubs, where ignorant and unappreciative tourists and foreigners are rarely welcomed or invited. The best chance of experiencing the real, authentic thing is probably at any one of the summer festivals that are held yearly in Granada, Cadiz, Malaga, Jerez and Seville, or even during the fiestas and festivals in the small villages that are off the tourist’s maps.
Fiestas & Festivals
Fiestas and festivals are also a very important part of the culture in Spain and play a big role in the social life of the locals. There are more than 3,000 festivals and fiestas celebrated every year. The Spaniards are fun loving people and are accustomed to these fests, and almost every town and village has its very own annual fair that lasts anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Village festivals involve the locals going on a pilgrimage to a certain shrine either in horse drawn wagons or on horseback. Foreigners are always welcomed to join in the fun and laughter.
The first national celebration in the month of February is the Martes de Carnaval (the Mardi Gras of Span). Holy Week is another famous festival and attracts tourists from all over the world. Other famous festivals include the Corpus Christi, the Feast Day of Spain’s patron saint, the Assumption of the Virgin (la Asunción). There are many local fiestas for safe return from the sea, deliverance from the Moors, and harvests – the Spaniards use any excuse to Party!
From costumes and processions to music and dancing and feasting, you can see now why Spain’s culture is considered to be the most colorful. Larger festivals include flamenco, bullfights, circuses, funfair's, fireworks, concerts, fairs, music competitions and recitals.
The most famous however would have to be the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, which takes place during the Fiesta de San Fermin.
Culinary Offerings
Food and cuisine in Spain is a heavenly mixture of chicken, mixed vegetable and meats, along with fish and a variety of different spices. Although it may come as a surprise to you, the Spanish cuisine is relatively non-spicy, but this does not mean it is bland and tasteless! Spanish food offers some of the most mouth wateringly delicious dishes ever to be set upon a dinner table.
Some of the more popular Spanish dishes include paella, which is a rice dish that features a variety of ingredients. Then you have the mariscos or shellfish and the potajes and pimientos rellenos. Hot chocolate and churros is a very popular dessert throughout Spain.
Spain is also famous for its aromatic wines and the drinking age in the country is 18. Other alcoholic beverages are sangria, Cava and authentic Spanish beer.
Other Cultural Delights of Spain
For those of you who are into operas and the theater, you should know that the majority of theaters in Spain are located in Barcelona and Madrid, although a huge program has been established to build more theaters throughout the country.
Spain has more than 800 museums and important collectors items, especially in Barcelona and Madrid, and over the years there has been a tremendous explosion in the number of art galleries in the country, especially galleries related to contemporary art.
Soccer or football is the national sport of the country and is easily one of the most important event or sport when it comes to spectatorship and participation. These football fans are amongst the most fervent and dedicated in all of Europe and can only be matched in their fanaticism by probably the Italians.
The long yet leisurely walks on green terraces, the energy of bullfighting, the hypnotic beauty of the flamenco are just a few of the cultural experiences you can enjoy when visiting Spain. The country is indeed overwhelming. With its spectacularly diverse culture and traditions, it is a quaint mix between the Old World charm and the New World flamboyance.
A country brimming over with cultural contributions, Spain has a rich and diverse heritage of folklore and stories. So, whether this your first trip to the country or even your tenth trip, the country will never fail to impress you.
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