Maria Jose is a locally-born professional office specialist with bilingual secretarial studies who has been working in an array of companies in the town of San Roque and Sotogrande, joining the BM Team in 2015.
There is a way of understanding Andalusia that doesn’t appear in tourist guides or Instagram photos. It is the one lived in village fairs—festivals where everything revolves around people, music, food… and often, faith.
If you are near Sotogrande, you are in a privileged position: in less than 30 minutes you can immerse yourself in some of the most authentic fairs in the south.
For example, Castellar de la Frontera: where the fair meets devotion
One of the most beautiful examples is Castellar de la Frontera, a village that feels frozen in time.
Here, the fair is not only celebration: it is also religious tradition. Everything revolves around the Cristo de la Almoraima, the protagonist of a very special pilgrimage held on the first Sunday of May. On this day, locals and visitors accompany the image through a route surrounded by nature, horses, and decorated carriages.
The fair begins days earlier, with casetas, music, and a festive atmosphere, blending the spiritual with the popular.
In the morning, the fair is enjoyed under the sun: people drink rebujito, share tapas and dishes, and dance sevillanas—or whatever music sets the mood—surrounded by laughter and good energy. In the afternoon, the rhythm slows down, perfect for traditional horse parades and time with friends and family. And at night, the magic continues: lights come on, orchestras play, and dancing goes on until the early hours.
It is this balance between the religious and the festive that makes these fairs unique.
1.🥂 Enter the casetas (even if you don’t know anyone)
Many village casetas are open and free. People invite you in, talk, share.
👉 Tip: smile and ask for a drink—you’re already in.
2.👗 Dress for the occasion (optional but recommended)
Light dresses, light shirts, flowers or scarves.
3.🐎 Enjoy the horse parade
One of the most elegant and traditional moments.
4.🍤 Eat (a lot and well)
Fried fish, ham, tortillas, rebujito, fino—no calorie counting here.
5.🎶 Dance sevillanas (even if you don’t know how)
Participation matters more than perfection.
🙏 Fairs with a Christ or Virgin: more than a celebration
In many towns of the Campo de Gibraltar, fairs are dedicated to a patron saint, blending religious processions with festivities.
Jimena de la Frontera, San Martín del Tesorillo, San Roque—each with its own rhythm, but all sharing authenticity and joy.
A village fair is not just a party. It is community, connection, and shared life—where tradition is not the past, but the present.
