Moros y Cristianos of Alcoy

Alcoy's festival commemorates a battle of 1276 and Saint George, and it has been held in something like its present form since the sixteenth century, which makes it the oldest and largest of the hundreds of Moors and Christians festivals across the Valencian region. It runs over three days around 22 to 24 April. The first is the Entrada, two enormous parades, Christian in the morning and Moorish in the afternoon, in which filaes, the festival companies, process in elaborate costumes that cost thousands of euros and are designed anew, with horses, carts and bands, lasting many hours each. The second day is religious; the third is the battle, staged with arquebuses in the main square in dense black-powder smoke.

What you actually see

• The Entrada parades - Christian and Moorish processions lasting hours each.
• The filaes - festival companies in elaborate purpose-made costume.
• The arquebus battle - a staged fight in the square with black-powder smoke.
• The bands - dozens of musical companies playing festival marches.

When to go

Around 22 to 24 April, the fixed dates; accommodation in Alcoy books out and many visitors stay in Alicante and travel in. Grandstand seats along the parade route are sold in advance.

Honest expectations

The town is completely full during the festival and accommodation is scarce and expensive. The battle involves heavy black-powder firing, which is extremely loud and produces thick smoke. Parades last many hours and standing space along the route fills early.

Nearby

The Sierra de Mariola surrounds the town; Alicante lies fifty-five kilometres south.