Festivities in Oropesa del Mar

With the new year having just begun, the 17th of January is celebrated in the old town of Oropesa del Mar on the day of San Antonio Abad, patron saint of animals and popularly known as "El Grande".

In honour of the saint, numerous acts and events are organised that bring together the whole town of Oropesa. These include the popular equestrian exhibitions, the tasting of "coqueta", one of the most typical dishes of the municipality consisting of bread dough seasoned with tomato, vegetables and tuna among other ingredients, or the "cremà" of the bonfire of the Town Hall.

The arrival of summer is celebrated in Oropesa in style with fire as the main protagonist. On the night of 23 June, the eve of San Juan, bonfires take over the beach while fireworks light up the night to the sound of popular street parties.

The festive atmosphere continues until the night of 28 June, the eve of San Pedro, when the traditional distribution of "Coca de San Pedro", a typical local sweet, and muscatel wine to all those who come to celebrate the saint to the rhythm of the music, takes place.

The castle of Oropesa dresses up in its medieval finery to see how tourists and locals come together to celebrate its patron saint, San Jaime, around the 25th of July.

These are days of fun in which the streets are filled with open-air dances, bullfights, attractions and music for all ages and for everyone. Feel the rhythm of the fiesta!

The Virgen del Carmen is the patron saint of the sea and Oropesa pays tribute to her every 16th July, her feast day, with a spectacular seafaring procession.

At sunset, the Virgin embarks on the quay of the marina and begins a march of up to a hundred boats escorting the Virgin and skirting the entire coastline of the municipality.

The castle of Oropesa dresses up in its medieval finery to see how tourists and locals come together to celebrate its patron saint, San Jaime, around the 25th of July.

These are days of fun in which the streets are filled with open-air dances, bullfights, attractions and music for all ages and for everyone. Feel the rhythm of the fiesta!

The first Sunday in October is the big day in Oropesa, the day of the Virgen de la Paciencia. During these festivities, which have been celebrated since the end of September, the legend that led to the destruction of the image of the patron saint in 1619 when it was attacked by Barbary pirates and the whole town was reduced to pieces is remembered.

The Virgin was then taken to Valencia for restoration and it took three centuries for her to return to Oropesa, as it was not until 1964 that the people of Oropesa were able to recover their patron saint. Music, gunpowder and popular crafts come together for a few days of authentic fervour in the municipality.

This celebration is organised every year on 15 August in honour of the tourists, because they are an essential part of this municipality that lives facing the sea and that in summer reaches its peak.

What does it consist of? At nightfall, the beach of La Conchase fills with noise and light with a first class pyrotechnic spectacle with land and water fireworks as a tribute to all those who visit Oropesa. A real privilege!