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A family trip to Menorca is a good idea at almost any time of the year, but if you’re looking for a way to treat your family to an authentic Spanish fiesta, consider planning your holiday to coincide with the Mare de Deu de Gràcia Festival. Held every year in September, this is one of the year’s most-anticipated events, and the capital of the island, Mahon, comes alive with colour, music and celebrations. A Fantastic Time for Families Almost every town, village and city in Spain has its own version of a fiesta so you can bet that Mahon’s is going to be a good one! Dedicated to the city’s patron saint, the festival (whose name translates to “The Mother of God of Grace”) is the highlight of summer and is renowned – not only in Mahon but also with locals who come from across the island to take part. What’s On During the Celebrations? The festival offers a jam-packed few days and nights centred around the Plaça de la Conquesta, with a host of cultural events, parades, amazing food stalls, music and games for children. One of the main highlights is the Parade of the Giants, where huge model figures make their way through the streets accompanied by a cacophony of music. As well as the city’s own ‘giants’, surrounding towns are invited to parade theirs as well. The atmosphere is joyous and electric and it’s not something the kids will forget in a hurry! The equestrian procession (known as the colcada) is another highlight, where the local horsemen and women ride their steeds proudly through the streets from the Ermita de Gràcia chapel to the town hall. The procession moves on through the old town, taking part in the traditional jaleo, in which the horses stand up on their rear legs and ‘dance’, and the paseo del Caragol, where they ‘snail step’ along the cobbled streets. A Curious Tradition The strangest (but highly enjoyable) tradition of the festival is when huge crowds gather in the main square and begin the chant of “Volem vi”, which means “we want wine”. Then, from the balcony of the town hall, hundreds of leather bottles of wine are thrown to be caught by some very lucky recipients! Most often the winners share their wine so everyone’s happy. Fireworks in the Port The festivities wrap up on the last night with a fabulous fireworks display down at Mahon’s lively port precinct, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to join in with the revelry and take some memorable photographs of your family trip. Make it a Family Trip to Remember Your accommodation is one of the most important considerations for a successful holiday and, for anyone travelling with children, renting a villa is the most popular option. If you rent a comfortable villa with a pool when you come for the festival, instead of climbing the walls in a pokey hotel room, your kids can be running around the garden, swimming and generally not getting under your feet. And you? Well, you can be getting on with the job of relaxing… Top Tip: If you’re planning on coming to the festival for your next family trip, no matter where you’ve decided to stay near Mahon, it’s a good idea to book your villa early as it’s a popular time in this area. Author Plate Brenda Jaaback, Managing Director of Bartle Holidays, is a renowned Menorca expert. From its history to its people and from its wildlife to its cuisine - no secret of the island remains hidden to her. Personally selecting the finest properties for her clients, Brenda is the go-to person for anyone planning a relaxing family trip to Menorca. Bartle Holidays makes no warranty as to the accuracy of information contained in this article and excludes any liability of any kind for the information.
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