Lanzarote boasts a full calendar of fiestas and festivals that run throughout the year and as result many tourists book accommodation such as holiday villas in Puerto del Carmen so that they can enjoy their favourites, for instance; New Year, Nuestra Señora del Carmen and San Gines which is only a fraction of the festivities that happen each year. It´s always busy on Lanzarote over Christmas and the New Year. And as a result villas in Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca, the two largest resorts, are usually booked out at this time. As families come to enjoy the spectacle of Dia del Reyes, which takes place on Epiphany, January 5th. This is when the local kids finally get their Christmas gifts, dispensed by three kings on camels who parade through all of the main resorts and towns on the island, dispensing presents. Head for Puerto del Carmen to enjoy one of the best of these processions. So plan to make a reservation in in one of the luxury holiday villas in Puerto del Carmen then book early to avoid dissapointment.
Carnival in the Canaries isn´t as riotous as Rio, but its still a major event. With the island essentially shutting done for a few weeks as the locals prepare to let their hair down before Lent. A traditional fixture in most Catholic countries Carnival on Lanzarote is celebrated on different days around Lanzarote, creating a prolonged rolling celebration. Comprising processions with floats and marching bands that really brings the island to life every February.
Regional autonomy from the Spanish mainland is the occasion for the Dia de Canarias fiesta on 30th May. When Canarians, including all the school children, dress up in traditional costume and lots of local dishes are widely available for visitors to try.
Following hard on the heels of Dia de Canarias is the religious festival of Corpus Cristi. This usually falls at the beginning of June and features the colourful spectacle of salt carpets spread across the pavements and roads of local towns. Teams of residents work out their designs well in advance and dye the salt to be used. Salt was one of the few materials available in such abundance that it could be used to illustrate numerous stories from the Bible.
The fiesta of Los Dolores is held ever year in September and commemorates the date when the flow from the nearby volcanoes finally came to a halt just on the borders of the village of Mancha Blanca. Locals don traditional costume and make a pilgrimage on foot to Mancha Blanca from all points across the island. Where the partying continues long into the night.
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