Feira Franca, a medieval festival in Pontevedra, Spain
4 – 5 September 2020
Basic Info
When: 4 – 5 September 2020
Where: Pontevedra in Spain
Website: Visit Pontevedra – Feira Franca
Hotels; Hotels in Pontevedra
Feria Franca Festival
On the first Saturday in September every year, time is turned back for over 500 years in Pontevedra during the medieval festival Feira Franca.
Music and Entertainments
The modern day version of Feira Franca is a colorful affair in which locals and visitors alike compete in dressing up as medieval citizens or donning local costumes.
Meandering around the squares and streets and enjoying the many exhibits and spectacles which take place during the weekend.
Food is of great importance and apart from sampling specialties at the many stalls, you can participate in a medieval feast, bibs and all.
Arts and crafts are another highlight with demonstrations of how things were made in the Middle Ages.
Bagpipe players, the Gaita is the national music instrument of Galicia, and can be found at many street corner as well as dance groups and other musicians.
The crowning glory, is a medieval tournament with jostling knights, performed at the Plaza de Toros (bull ring) from around 5.30 pm on Saturday evening.
History of Feira Franca
Feira Franca dates back to the year 1467 when King Henry IV bestowed upon Pontevedra the right to hold a tax free open market for one month, from the last two weeks of August to the first two weeks of September.
Tax free trade for a whole month was certainly a strong reason for the wealthy merchants of the time to celebrate which they did with a huge festival, beginning Friday morning and ending on Saturday night.
Places to stay and hotel tips
Not too many hotels in Pontevedra, but if you book well in advance you may find some rooms available for the festival.
Stay in a historic palace
A tips is Parador de Pontevedra a good and popular hotel in an old palace from around year 1500, located in the historic center of Pontevedra.
Classically decorated in true Parador style with an elegant restaurant serving delicious, regional cuisine.
At same time it suits well into the medieval theme during the Feira Franca festival
Also a short walk to the famous St. Maria Basilica and other historical buildings.
More about Pontevedra
Pontevedra is located in Galicia, Spain´s northwestern province, in a valley where the rivers Lerez and Tomeza runs into the Atlantic Ocean.
It was once Galicia´s most populated commercial center and biggest port.
Sedimentation and silting have rendered the port unsuitable for commercial use and the city´s wealth diminished with the loss of its status as a hub of trade.
It is the second biggest old town in all of Galicia.
Much of it is today a pedestrian zone where you can easily walk around and admire churches, palaces and other old buildings.
Pontevedra had its Golden Age in the Middle Ages until the end of the 16th century.
Narrow, cobbled streets and picturesque squares like the Old Woodfire Market Place form the ideal background for a festival like Feira Franca
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