{"id":2104,"date":"2014-10-27T17:18:36","date_gmt":"2014-10-27T17:18:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.spainexchange.com\/?p=2104"},"modified":"2026-10-09T13:36:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T13:36:59","slug":"medieval-faires-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spainexchange.com\/articles\/medieval-faires-in-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Medieval Fairs in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many Spanish towns hold a medieval fair or a historical re-enactment once a year, with a craft market, period costume, street theatre and music. This post describes four of them that the organisers or town councils document on their own sites: Teruel in February, Hospital de \u00d3rbigo in June, Sep\u00falveda in July and Consuegra in August. Dates move a little each year, so the programme should be checked before travelling.<\/p>\n

February: Las Bodas de Isabel de Segura, Teruel<\/h2>\n

Teruel re-enacts the legend of the Lovers of Teruel, Isabel and Diego, set in the 13th century. The festival is held around the third Friday of February. According to the Fundaci\u00f3n Bodas de Isabel<\/a>, which organises it, about four hundred participants act out the story in the streets and squares almost in real time, and close to one hundred thousand visitors come to a city where residents and guests dress in 13th-century costume. The old town fills with market stalls, tents, concerts and theatre. The festival has had almost thirty editions and was declared a Fiesta de Inter\u00e9s Tur\u00edstico Nacional in 2016.<\/p>\n

Some events need a ticket: in 2026 the Torneo del Rey, a tournament in the bullring on 21 February, cost 15 euros plus a 1 euro booking fee from the age of 7, and was free for children up to 6. The story has a prelude in autumn, La Partida de Diego, which was held from 2 to 4 October 2026 and is set in the year 1212. Turismo de Arag\u00f3n<\/a> lists the festival among the main historical re-enactments of the region.<\/p>\n

June: Justas Medievales del Passo Honroso, Hospital de \u00d3rbigo<\/h2>\n

Hospital de \u00d3rbigo, in the province of Le\u00f3n, lies on the French Way of the Camino de Santiago, beside a long medieval bridge over the river \u00d3rbigo. The town council<\/a> tells the story behind the festival: from 9 July to 10 August 1434, a Jacobean Holy Year, the knight Suero de Qui\u00f1ones and nine companions from Le\u00f3n held a tournament next to the bridge and challenged the knights of Europe. Suero wore an iron ring around his neck as a sign that he was the prisoner of a lady’s love. When the jousts ended, the ten knights went on to Santiago de Compostela. Two stone monuments on the bridge record the story and their names.<\/p>\n

The town recalls the event each year with a weekend of medieval jousts. In 2026 the Justas Medievales took place on 6 and 7 June.<\/p>\n

July: Fiesta de los Fueros, Sep\u00falveda<\/h2>\n

Sep\u00falveda, in the province of Segovia<\/a>, celebrates the Fiesta de los Fueros on the third weekend of July. It commemorates the fuero, the charter of rights that Count Fern\u00e1n Gonz\u00e1lez granted to the town. According to the Sep\u00falveda tourist office<\/a>, the fair lasts two days. A market of about 50 craftspeople fills the main square and the streets around it, and companies of actors and musicians perform throughout the day. Residents act in short plays on Saturday and Sunday afternoon at the Ecce Homo arch and in the Plaza de San Esteban.<\/p>\n

The main moment comes after dark on Saturday. After the curfew bell at 10 p.m., torchbearers light the streets with more than 500 torches. At midnight the charter is read aloud in the Plaza de Espa\u00f1a, followed by a concert of traditional music.<\/p>\n

August: Consuegra Medieval, Toledo<\/h2>\n

Consuegra<\/a>, in the province of Toledo, re-enacts the battle fought there on 15 August 1097 between the Castilian and Leonese troops of King Alfonso VI and the Almoravid army. Diego Rodr\u00edguez, the only son of El Cid, died in the battle. About a hundred volunteers of all ages take part. The event is declared of regional tourist interest, reached its twenty-ninth edition in 2025 and offers twelve hours of activities a day. In 2026 the organisers<\/a> announced activities from 7 to 16 August, and the Consuegra tourist office<\/a> listed the main days as 14, 15 and 16 August.<\/p>\n

Two shows need a ticket, sold singly or as a combined ticket. The first is a guided, dramatised visit to the castle in the hours before the battle. The second, As-Satrany, plays the battle on a giant chessboard in the bullring at nightfall. Each lasts 120 minutes. Practical points from the organisers:<\/p>\n