La feria: A splendid way to end any month!

From the moment I arrived in Córdoba, in July of last year, all I heard about was La Fería or The Fair.  People kept telling me: “You haven´t experienced Córdoba until you´ve been to the Fair”; so obviously, after hearing this over and over again, I had huge expectations and, I´m glad to say, I wasn´t one bit disappointed! 

Too me, La Feria celebrates everything Córdoba has to be proud of: music, tradition, fashion, folklore and gastronomy. La Feria takes place in a huge arena located beside the river Guadalquivir. For one week every year this arena transforms into what one can only described as olden day Spain.

La Feria is filled with hundreds of casetas, or huts in which you can soak up the traditional fun-loving party atmosphere. In each caseta you can dance and sing along to the typical Andalucian music and also try some of the gastronomy that is typical to the fair. Indulge in the typical dishes Córdoba has to offer, dishes such as ham, fried eggs, omelette, stuffed potatoes and churros. While you´re at it, why not try the wine that this region is known for – Montilla – Moriles, or even a traditional Córdoban cocktail; Reboijto.

As you wander through the artificially created streets it´s easy to feel like you´ve been transported back in time with the lack of cars, tarmac and concrete buildings. It really feels like something out of the wild west. The men are dressed in traditional suits accessorised with elegant hats which are typical to Córdoba while the women are decked out in bright coloured gypsy or flamenca style dresses usually covered in patterns or polka dots accompanied by a beautiful flower in their hair.

Other typical things you can except to find are the horses and buggies which are so important to the culture here and also a fun fair. For me, Feria is a way of retaining the values and traditions that the people of Córdoba are so proud of while also modernising them in order to make the festival appeal to every generation! In order to truly enjoy this festival make sure you stay out until the early hours of the morning, that way you get the best of both worlds, the traditional and the contemporary!

As I feel that words fail to do La Feria justice I´m going to leave you with a slideshow which hopefully can give you some bit of insight into the music, tradition, folklore, fashion and gastronomy that is so integral to Córdoba.

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Thank you for reading, I hope you´ve enjoyed it, as they say “you haven´t eperienced Córdoba until you´ve been to the fair!”

Giana xoxo