Frigiliana is a small village in southern Spain, located about 6 kilometers behind Nerja at an altitude of about 400 meters. It is one of the best preserved Moorish towns in all of Andalusia and dates back to 1767. The village, like any other Spanish village, has its annual festivals. The annual feria takes place in June and in the last weekend of August there is a 4-day celebration during the 3 culturas festival. This is one of the most important festivals in the village. The streets and squares are full of stalls where you can see and taste Arabic and Moorish culture. A festival where 3 cultures from the Spanish Middle Ages merge: Islamic, Jewish and Christian culture.
Festival 3 Culturas
During the last weekend of August, Frigiliana is bustling with recreational and cultural activities and is a meeting place where different cultures merge. The streets and squares are full of stalls and there are different activities for everyone, regardless of age or origin. The festival offers musical performances of a high artistic level in a relaxed atmosphere on topics related to the three cultures. There are exhibitions and culinary activities with a variety of dishes, also at the various bars in the town.
In the narrow, steep streets there are activities all day long, including: parades with music, juggling, fakirs, belly dancing and traditional play activities for children. The market stalls offer the original products of the three cultures and the many visitors fill the streets and squares and create a festive atmosphere.
The festival was held for the first time in 2006 and immediately became such a great success that the city council decided to make it an annual event and to continue to expand it with activities, concerts and market stalls. As a result, the number of visitors has also increased enormously and there are now 20,000 visitors annually during the 4-day festival.
3 cultures coming together
The festival arose from the idea of bringing together three cultures from the Spanish Middle Ages, which have clearly left their mark: Islamic culture, Jewish culture and Christian culture. During a visit to this festival you will imagine yourself in the Middle Ages and you can only agree that the organization has succeeded extremely well.
If you are near this picturesque village with its white houses, narrow streets and mountains in the background during your holiday in Spain, then a visit is definitely worthwhile, especially if you can combine that visit with attending the Festival 3 Cultures!
Feria in June
Another important annual festival is the Feria in June. During this Feria, bulls are released in the narrow streets of Frigiliana, which are lined with sturdy steel racks. On Saturday evening the youth will party until early Sunday morning. At 8:00 in the morning, after partying, the young Spanish men divide up and wait for the bulls. At the top of the village the bulls are released and the men run in front of the bulls. When the bulls get too close, the boys flee behind the racks. Or they hang on the typical Spanish railings in front of the windows or on the balconies.
At the bottom of the narrow streets there is a dead end and when the bulls arrive there, a few tough Spaniards venture closer to the bulls and challenge the bulls with red rags to start a fight. They are young bulls, not very big, but very fast. The young bulls are not injured or killed in this process. A true Spanish tradition that is worth experiencing. Get out of bed early, because if you want to get a good spot you have to be in the center of Frigiliana before 7 am.
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