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What’s on in Spain: Eleven awesome things to do in October

From exhibitions to horse riding competitions and wine fairs, it looks like Spain’s October calendar is full of exciting events and activities.

Published: 1 October 2019 16:09 CEST

What's on in Spain: Eleven awesome things to do in October

Look out for Spanish Foreign Legion at the military parade on October 12th. Photo: Julian Simmonds for The Local Spain

LIBER, International Book Fair, Madrid, October 9th – 11th

Photo: ifema.es/liber

LIBER, Europe’s biggest Spanish book fair, comes back to Madrid for its 37th edition. Organised by IFEMA, the biggest operator in Spain for the fair and congress industry, LIBER will host more than 450 companies coming from 11 different countries for a three–day convention on the book industry. The Emirate of Sharjah, famous for the annual book fair, will be the Feria’s guest of honour.

World Press Photo, Vitoria-Gasteiz, October 19th – November 18th

Photo: Worldpressphoto.org

Photography lovers look no further: the world’s best photographs will be on display in the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, 60 km from Bilbao. The exhibition will be hosted by the Centro Cultural Montehermoso, one of the region’s most prominent cultural institutions for contemporary art.

Masterpieces from Kunsthalle Bremen: from Delacroix to Beckmann, Bilbao, October 25th – February 19th, 2020

Photo: Guggenheim

For the first time ever, Spanish visitors will be able to enjoy the rich collection of Bremen’s most famous museum, the Kunsthalle. The exhibition, which focuses on German and French art of the 19th and 20th century, will stay at Bilbao’s Guggenheim for almost four months. Audiences will enjoy masterpieces like van Gogh’s Field with Poppies and the works of Impressionists like Degas and Monet.

MES DE DANZA 26, Sevilla, October 29th

Photo: Mesdedanza.es

If you go to Sevilla at the end of October, don’t worry if you see it full of people dancing: the city is in fact hosting the 26th International Festival of Contemporary Dance, originally set up to promote contemporary ballet in Sevilla and in the whole of Andalusia. This year’s edition will also host the Carta Blanca al Teatro Victoria de Tenerife exhibition about the island’s most prolific dancers.

Fiestas del Pilar 2019, Zaragoza, October 5th-13th

Photo: soydezaragoza.es

Celebrated in honour of the Virgen del Pilar (Our Lady of the Pillar), Zaragoza’s patron saint, Las Fiestas take place during the week of October 12th. Every year, the Friday before the beginning of the Fiestas, several cultural activities, like concerts and ferias, take place in the capital of Aragon.

Semana Cervantina, Alcalá de Henares, October 8th – 13th

Photo: Grupo Ciudades Patrimonio de la Humanidad de España.

Every year, Alcalá de Henares pays a tribute to its most famous citizen, Miguel de Cervantes, with a week full of plays, conferences and concerts that celebrate the life and work of Don Quijote’s creator. The Jornadas Gastronomicas Cervantinas (The Cervantes culinary days) and the Mercado del Quijote (Quijote’s market) are the Semana’s most attractive events.

Fiesta de la Vendimia del Vino de Calidad, Cangas del Narcea, Asturias October 10th –13th

Photo: turismoasturias.es

The Fiesta de la Vendimia del Vino de Calidad (The harvest fair) is a perfect opportunity for wine lovers to enjoy excellent wine and the astonishing beauty of the Asturian landscape. The pressing of the grape and the staging of the grape in the carts are amongst the several activities of this three-day wine fiesta.

Día de la Fiesta nacional de España, All of Spain, October 12th

A military parade takes place on Madrid's Castellana. Photo: Julian Simmonds for The Local Spain

Also called Día de la Hispanidad (Hispanic Day), on this day, Spanish people celebrate the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus with fairs, military parades cultural events all throughout the country. Particularly famous is the military parade that takes place in Madrid, which is attended by the Royal Family and the most prominent members of the government. If you happen to be in Sevilla, you might want to visit enter the Cathedral and lay some flowers on Columbus’s grave.

CSIO 108th Jumping Competition, Barcelona, October 3rd – 6th

Photo: csiobarcelona.com

For three days Barcelona will become the place to go if you’re into horse racing: the Catalan city in fact will host the 108th International Jumping Competition, one of the most important event of the equestrian year. The final will consist of three races and the first 8 teams will go onto disputing the third and last race, while the remainder ten will compete in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final – Challenge Cup, to be held prior the Grand Final.

Palma Marathon, Palma, October 13th

Photo: palmademallorcamarathon.com

The beautiful landscape of Palma will set the scene for the Palma Marathon 2019, where expert runners and amateur joggers will challenge their own strength, choosing between the marathon, the half marathon and the 10 km.

El Clásico, FC Barcelona – Real Madrid, Camp Nou Barcelona, October 26th

Photo: AFP

The aficionados call it El Clásico (The classic one) and it’s probably one of the most awaited matches of the Spanish football season: at 1 pm on Saturday October 26, at Camp Nou, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will put on a show for all fútbol lovers watching.

List complied by Ilaria Grasso Macola

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Eight corona-safe events not to miss in Germany in October 2020

One of the displays at the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival in 2019. Photo: DPA

The coronavirus pandemic has significantly disrupted Germany’s events calendar this year, with staple celebrations such as Oktoberfest being cancelled due to safety concerns.

But despite restrictions, organisers have adapted to the circumstances and put together corona-safe events that can be enjoyed by all (albeit at a safe distance).

Here are some of the most exciting events to look out for in October:

German Unity Day Exhibition: September 5th – October 4th

The commemorative exhibition is running over thirty days to allow social distancing to be maintained. Photo: DPA

The Tag der Deutschen Einheit (German Unity Day) is one of the nine nationwide public holidays in Germany and takes place on October 3rd every year.

It commemorates the formal completion of the reunification process between the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) after decades of division.

It is normally celebrated with open air concerts and attractions in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, but due to coronavirus things will look slightly different this year.

A special anniversary celebration on October 3rd at Potsdam’s Metropolis will be attended by only 240 guests, six times fewer than originally planned.

The event, which includes performances from musicians and interviews, will be broadcast for people to watch on television.

There’s also no need to miss out on celebrating entirely – a special open air exhibition is running in Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, until October 4th.

The exhibition has been extended to last thirty days to ensure that a safe distance can be maintained amongst visitors.

Berlin Leuchtet Illuminations: September 25th – October 4th

The light show at the Brandenburg Gate this year celebrates 30 years of German unity. Photo: DPA

It’s not too late to catch the tail end of Berlin’s spectacular illumination festival. As the darker evenings draw in, many of the city’s landmarks are being lit up with colourful projections, videos and laser shows.

The illuminated buildings are scattered all over the city, with some highlights including Gendarmenmarkt, the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column in Tiergarten.

It is asked that visitors maintain 1.5 metres distance and the wearing of face masks is recommended.

Halloween Horror Festival at Movie Park Germany: October 1st – November 8th

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A post shared by Movie Park Germany (@movie_park_official) on Sep 9, 2020 at 4:26am PDT

Be warned: this event is most definitely not for the faint hearted! Head to Bottrop on North-Rhine Westphalia to test your wits in the horror mazes at Germany’s most popular Halloween Festival.

Various spooky attractions including gut-churning rides, live entertainment and haunted houses await those brave enough to visit, although most are only suited for those above the age of 16.

The park is open every Thursday to Sunday in October, as well as on November 1st and November 6th – 8th.

Advance booking is essential due to strict capacity limits, and no costumes are allowed – the only masks permitted this year are the mouth-nose coverings that prevent the spread of the virus!

European Month of Photography: October 1st – October 31st

The European Month of Photography has something to offer for everyone. Photo: DPA

This October sees Germany’s largest photography festival return to Berlin. The event has taken place every other year since 2004, and offers a wide range of exhibitions for photography enthusiasts to enjoy.

For the whole month of October, 100 galleries, photography schools, museums and other cultural institutions will offer the public a chance to see incredible work from 500 artists across Europe.

Exhibitions can be found all across the capital and also in the nearby city of Potsdam.

Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival: August 28th – December 6th

The festival boasts impressive pumpkin displays and fun-filled activities. Photo: DPA

A trip to Ludwigsburg is an essential for all those in awe of autumn, and makes for a fun day out for the whole family.

This year’s theme is music, with various impressive pumpkin displays paying tribute to famous artists ranging from Elvis to the Rolling Stones.

The programme also boasts an array of other activities: try your hand at pumpkin carving, sample pumpkin flavoured specialties or visit the pumpkin Santa Claus tent to get in the festive mood!

German Mozart Festival Augsburg: October 9th – October 31st

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A post shared by Deutsche Mozartstadt Augsburg (@mozartstadt) on Sep 14, 2020 at 3:47am PDT

Classical music fans won’t want to miss this celebration of the two of the greatest composers of all time, Beethoven and Mozart.

The German town of Augsburg, birthplace of Leopold Mozart (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s father), is hosting various concerts to celebrate the life and work of these two classical titans.

Events range from lower-key chamber music recitals to large-scale renditions of their most impressive symphonies, and includes performances from renowned soloists and orchestras.

Games Week Berlin: October 28th – October 30th

The gaming conference may be online this year, but there is still lots on offer. Photo: DPA

This year’s Games Week won’t be held in Berlin’s Kulturbrauerei as normal, but game lovers need not fear – an extensive online programme is available for everyone to enjoy.

The festival’s three strands – “Play Experience”, “Pro Experience” and “Art Experience” – offer something for everyone, from gaming enthusiasts to industry creatives.

Live ‘let’s plays’, multiplayer tournaments, interviews with gaming influencers and game development conferences are just some of the events available to those who purchase an online ticket.

Wine tasting along the Deutsche Weinstraße – Various dates in October

Despite cancellations, there are still plenty of chances to try some German wine. Photo: DPA

September and October marks grape harvesting season in Germany, meaning it is the perfect time to taste some of the best wines the country has to offer.

Sadly, many of the wine festivals that usually take place along the German Wine Route have been cancelled this year, but there are still ample opportunities that are too good to miss.

Take a weekend trip to the Bacchus Wine Festival in the town of Bad Dürkheim in Rhineland-Palatinate, where you’ll find live music, delicious food and plenty of wine.

Similar delights await visitors in the nearby Weisenheim am Sand, albeit at reduced capacity. The company BottleStops also offers group and private tours to visitors who want to get a taste of local wineries, a majority which are currently open.

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