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SUMMER

Fourteen fantastically fun things to do in Spain this July

With summer well and truly here, Spain's calendar is packed full of fun things to do this July, including Pamplona bull running fiesta, Madrid's fashion week and San Sebastiàn's jazz festival. Check out The Local's list of what not to miss:

Published: 1 July 2019 09:15 CEST
Fourteen fantastically fun things to do in Spain this July
The San Fermín festival in Pamplona sees the whole city turn into one big fiesta. Photo: AFP

San Fermín, Pamplona, July 6th – 14th 


Photo: AFP

Each July Pamplona is transformed into a city-wide fiesta for nine days to celebrate San Fermin when the city swells to a million revellers, the  bravest of whom come to experience the fear and excitement of the running of the bulls. The 875 metre run takes place at 8am every morning and lasts between 2 and 3 minutes when participants join six fighting bulls as they run hrough the streets to the bullring, where that evening the corrida is held.

READ MORE: How to survive running with the bulls in Pamplona

Pride Parade, Madrid, July 6th 


Photo: AFP

Madrid celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community when the city becomes one huge party, attracting people from all over the world. The pride parade, which starts at around 5pm on Saturday, is always a highlight of the celebrations, but there's lots more going on besides. 

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Madrid Pride 2019

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Madrid, July 5th – 10th 


January's edition featured designer Miguel Marinero's Autumn/Winter collection. Photo: AFP

Gathering the best of international designers in the city, Madrid fashion week celebrates professionals from all over the world, prestigious brand names and new trends in fashion. It is the largest platform for Spanish fashion brands on the international scene.

Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme, As Nieves, July 29th

Photo: santamartaribarteme.org

We all know Spain is home to some bizarre festivals, and this one in Galicia is no doubt one of weirdest. The so-called 'Festival of Near Death Experiences' involves people who have had a brush with death over the last  year travelling to the small village next to the boarder with Portugal, climbing into a coffin and having their friends and families carry them through the streets as part of a procession.  

READ ALSO: El Colacho: Is this Spain's most bizarre festival?

A Rapa das Bestas, Sabucedo, July 5th – 8th 

 


Photo: AFP

Sabucedo, a village of no more than 60 people, is home to this festival which celebrates the annual round up of wild horses. In the early morning of the festival's first day, participants begin a hike to search for wild horses to be driven into a large arena in the village where nominated wrestlers will cut their manes. Of course, this is Spain, so celebrations also include fiestas with non-stop dancing.

International Festival of Classical Theatre, Mérida, June 27th – August 25th 

Photo: festivaldemerida.es

Mérida international classic theatre festival is the oldest of its kind in Spain, with performances held throughout July and August in the town’s Roman theatre, the oldest working theatre in the world. Locals, as well as people from the rest of Spain, are drawn to the festival, which will feature the work of Shakespeare and Sant-Saëns as well as performances from Víctor Ullate Ballet Company.

Music

There are plenty of music events happening in July, spreading across different genres and different areas of Spain.

Jazzaldia Festival, San Sebastián, July 24th – 28th


Chick Corea and Stanley Clarcke have previously performed at the festival. Photo: AFP

Events are held across the city, showcasing music from a wide variety of styles and trends that appeal to all kinds of audiences. More than 60 performances are schedules, including music from the Ellis Marsalis Quartet, Diana Krall and Gloria Gaynor.

Ortigueira Celtic Festival, A Coruña, July 11th – 14th 

One of Spain’s biggest festivals, this internationally renowned celebration of folk music is a free, open-air festival that attracts thousands of people each year. Since 1978, the festival has brought together both established starts and new artists, as well as featuring photography exhibitions, craft fairs, dance workshops, marching bands and street entertainment.

Bilbao Live, Bibao, July 11th – 13th 

Featuring performaces from Liam Gallagher, ROSALÍA, BROCKHAMPTON, and The Strokes, this year’s line-up for the rock and pop festival is looking promising. Taking place across three days, the festival is held on a specially built complex on the slopes of mount Cobetas, located southwest of the city.

FIB 2019, Benicàssim, July 18th – 21st 

The Festical Internacional de Benicàssim takes places each year in the Valencian Community, featuring music from pop, rock and electronica artists, as well as incorporating other elements such as short films, fashion shows and art. This year’s hot line-up includes big names such as Lana Del Rey, Fatboy Slim, MARINA, Franz Ferdinand, George Ezra and Kings of Leon.

Sónar, Barcelona, July 18th – 20th 

Sónar is a festival of music, creativity and technology in Barcelona. This year, it is set to welcome artists such as A$AP ROCKY, Disclosure and Skepta to participate in the world-renowned festival of cutting-edge electronic music. Coinciding with the festival are the legefary ‘Off- Sónar’ parties, which take place all around the city.

Mad Cool Festival, Madrid, July 11th – 13th 

Hoping to make up for last year’s chaos, organisers of the 2019 edition of Mad Cool have arranged for a stellar line up this year including Vampire Weekend, Vince Staples, The Cure and The 1975. There will also be a welcome party on the Monday, in which ROSALÍA and Bring Me The Horizon are set to headline.

Sport

Sanabria International Kayak Regatta, Galende, July 21st 

A view of Sanabria lake. Photo: Depositphotos

Attracting the world’s best in the sport of kayaking, this annual Regatta is held in the stunning setting of Sanabria Lake, with a two-lap triangular circuit around the lake.

Last Chance

PhotoEspaña, Madrid, June 5th – September 1st 

Kaveh Kazemi's exhibtion “Revolutionaries The First Decade” has been extended through July. Photo: PhotoEspaña

With some exhibitions ending in July, the 21st edition of PhotoEspaña has displayed over 1,000 works of photography and visual art across the capital, including an international selection of work from a range of artists, tackling a variety of themes in venues throughout Madrid. 

READ MORE: IN PICS: Eight highlights from Madrid's PhotoEspaña 2019

List complied by Alice Huseyinoglu

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TRAVEL NEWS

German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

Germany's Deutsche Bahn rail operator and the GDL train drivers' union have reached a deal in a wage dispute that has caused months of crippling strikes in the country, the union said.

Published: 26 March 2024 09:55 CET
German train strike wave to end following new labour agreement

“The German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) and Deutsche Bahn have reached a wage agreement,” GDL said in a statement.

Further details will be announced in a press conference on Tuesday, the union said. A spokesman for Deutsche Bahn also confirmed that an agreement had been reached.

Train drivers have walked out six times since November, causing disruption for huge numbers of passengers.

The strikes have often lasted for several days and have also caused disruption to freight traffic, with the most recent walkout in mid-March.

In late January, rail traffic was paralysed for five days on the national network in one of the longest strikes in Deutsche Bahn’s history.

READ ALSO: Why are German train drivers launching more strike action?

Europe’s largest economy has faced industrial action for months as workers and management across multiple sectors wrestle over terms amid high inflation and weak business activity.

The strikes have exacerbated an already gloomy economic picture, with the German economy shrinking 0.3 percent across the whole of last year.

What we know about the new offer so far

Through the new agreement, there will be optional reduction of a work week to 36 hours at the start of 2027, 35.5 hours from 2028 and then 35 hours from 2029. For the last three stages, employees must notify their employer themselves if they wish to take advantage of the reduction steps.

However, they can also opt to work the same or more hours – up to 40 hours per week are possible in under the new “optional model”.

“One thing is clear: if you work more, you get more money,” said Deutsche Bahn spokesperson Martin Seiler. Accordingly, employees will receive 2.7 percent more pay for each additional or unchanged working hour.

According to Deutsche Bahn, other parts of the agreement included a pay increase of €420 per month in two stages, a tax and duty-free inflation adjustment bonus of €2,850 and a term of 26 months.

Growing pressure

Last year’s walkouts cost Deutsche Bahn some €200 million, according to estimates by the operator, which overall recorded a net loss for 2023 of €2.35 billion.

Germany has historically been among the countries in Europe where workers went on strike the least.

But since the end of 2022, the country has seen growing labour unrest, while real wages have fallen by four percent since the start of the war in Ukraine.

German airline Lufthansa is also locked in wage disputes with ground staff and cabin crew.

Several strikes have severely disrupted the group’s business in recent weeks and will weigh on first-quarter results, according to the group’s management.

Airport security staff have also staged several walkouts since January.

Some politicians have called for Germany to put in place rules to restrict critical infrastructure like rail transport from industrial action.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected the calls, arguing that “the right to strike is written in the constitution… and that is a democratic right for which unions and workers have fought”.

The strikes have piled growing pressure on the coalition government between Scholz’s Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business FDP, which has scored dismally in recent opinion polls.

The far-right AfD has been enjoying a boost in popularity amid the unrest with elections in three key former East German states due to take place later this year.

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