One of Andalucia’s most picturesque “romerías” traditionally took place every year in Ronda on a Sunday late in May or early in June. However in late 2016 it was decided to change the date to the first Sunday in May. This is the Virgen de la Cabeza pilgrimage and it fills Ronda with bright colours and festive music with a procession that brings the “Virgin of the Head” statue from the la Merced Church, across the famous “Puente Nuevo” with its dizzying views and out of town to the hermitage.

The Cordoba Spring Fair, or Feria de Nuestra Señora de la Salud (Our Lady of the Health), takes place during the last week of May. Its venue is the municipal fairground on the north bank of the River Guadalquivir, a few kilometres to the south-east of the city. The recinto is called El Real de Arenal, which means the sandy area. This Feria dates from 1284, as a livestock market on Pentecost Sunday.

On the 15th May Estepona celebrates the day of its patron saint, San Isidro Labrador (the Farmer), with a procession starting at San José church in the old town and making its way around the centre before returning back to the church.

As you can imagine, after the harvest there’s a celebration. The villages of Igualeja and Cartajima celebrate their Tostón on 1st November with roasted chestnuts and anis. However, the place to celebrate the chestnut in style is Pujerra. Pujerra holds its festival from 1st to the 3rd of November dedicated to the Virgin Fatima, the village’s saint.