April in Spain: A Detective Mystery (Quirke, 8)

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Speaking of dancing, the Festival de Jerez is also in February and it’s one of the most well-known flamenco festivals in Spain. It’s a great way to experience Spanish culture while watching shows and listening to the stomp of heels. Flamenco fanatics — February is for you! March – Experience Unique Spanish Festivals Seville's version of Easter during Semana Santa is perhaps the most lavish in the country, with magnificent floats parading through the city in daily processionals and awe-inspiring performances. Events culminate with Easter Sunday processionals to the city's central cathedral and an Easter Mass. The event is deeply religious, but since it takes over the entire city, virtually everyone is involved. If you're in Seville during this time, you won't be able to miss it. These jaw-dropping processions include devotees carrying large crosses or statues of patron saints through the streets. This is designed to reenact the last days of Jesus’ crucifixion, with some celebrations even going as far as to erect a stand-in christ strapped to a cross. To see Holy Week in full swing, why not join a customisable 8-day trip through the best of Andalusia. You can also head to Madrid for the Week of Architecture , which is great for any building fanatics looking to experience exhibits or workshops in some of the city’s most famous buildings. November – Enjoy the Off-Season with Less Crowds

In terms of events, October is home to the Bienal de Flamenco in Seville, the largest flamenco festival in Spain. Besides being great fun, just keep in mind that it only happens once every two years!

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Feria de Abril, or April Fair, is one of the most exciting festivals in Spain and lasts for around a week. Seville, the capital of the Andalusia region, holds the festival and the week-long celebrations include lots of food stalls, flamenco performances and street-wide parades. Often relegated toa simple day trip from Madrid or Seville, the Andalusian city of Cordoba has so much more to offer than its famous Mezquita, the iconic mosque-cathedral. Yes, you should absolutely make room in your schedule for a trip to Spain's most iconic mosque, but the city is truly at its best in the spring and deserves to be savored.

Spanish isn’t the only language spoken in Spain. Catalan is the primary language in Catalonia, Basque is spoken in the northern Basque region and Galician is used in Galicia, northwestern Spain. It’s clear that Quirke and Tice are destined to cross paths at some point and Banville keeps us in suspense, maintaining the two characters’ separate storylines almost until the end. But April in Spain isn’t all suspense and crime. Banville’s literary prose, style and the odd reference unobtrusively slip into the characters’ observations, whether it’s a comical comment on a character’s appearance or an astute observation about the surroundings. Other festivals during March include the Sant Medir festival in Barcelona, where horse-drawn carriages filled with Spaniards throw treats to the people in the Garcia neighborhood. There’s also Semana Santa , the most Holy Week of the year. It’s a massive religious celebration throughout Spain during Easter, and can last for more than a week! April – Prime Time for Adventure Activities One of the most delightful parts of December in Spain is the vast number of Christmas markets spread throughout the country. These markets are filled with trinkets for sale, delectable bites to eat, and warm drinks galore. March (Monday): Saint Joseph’s Day ( San José) – Basque Country, Castile-La Mancha, Galicia, Murcia, Navarre, and ValenciaThe warm weather also brings fun festivals, like the Feria de Abril , a spring fair in Seville that showcases Spanish culture and has endless entertainment. There’s also a huge music festival in Madrid called Festimad during which you get a different concert every night! A trip to Valencia during this month is a must as the week-long Las Fallas Festival is one of the most notable things to see in Spain. You’ll get to see a huge parade of giant figurines before they’re set on fire. It’s unique, totally Spanish, and an event that can’t be missed. Finally, you can find a couple of festivals in January like Three Kings Day on the 6th which is accompanied by celebrations around the Balearic Islands, and the San Sebastian Festival which is famous for residents taking to the streets with their Tamborrada drumming! February – Party during Carnival in Spain!

The beach is understandably quite crazy in the summer, as everyone is scrambling to cool off in the pristine Spanish waters. This is why it’s actually best to avoid hitting the beach between July and August, and going during the spring instead! Making up the centre of the fair are a series of individually decorated marquee tents which are temporarily built on the fairground – this gives the celebrations a boundless sense of colour and festivity. Enjoy sightseeing and sitting outside enjoying a coffee in the city square, or hit the hiking trails to see spring budding in Spanish nature. October (Sunday): Day of Valencia – a historical commemoration of the date in 1238 when King James I officially entered the city of Valencia and freed it from Moorish ruleFinally, Spain gets some peace and quiet from the summer as the country prepares for the Christmas season. November is relatively quiet and cold, but there’s still plenty to do throughout Spain that makes it a worthy time for a visit. October is also an ideal time to go hiking as you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the fall foliage along the trails. January (Monday): New Year Holiday – Andalusia, Aragón, Asturias, Castile and Leon, Melilla, and Murcia

During the summer, you’ll find that prices are much higher than any other time of the year, especially when it comes to flights and accommodation. To combat this, plan your trip early and book everything far in advance. It still won’t be cheap, but it should be less expensive than planning a last-minute trip during the busiest months of the year.October (Monday): Day of Valencia – a historical commemoration of the date in 1238 when King James I officially entered the city of Valencia and freed it from Moorish rule