MikeJ

Just a heads up on perhaps the most Andulucian festival/pilgrimage which takes place over the Pentecost weekend - 6th to 8th June this year. If you want to experience real local culture and not the tourist variety then this is for you.
El Rocio is on the road between Almonte and Metalascanas - A483

MikeCol

There is also a very good Romeria in Villablanca on the 3rd weekend (17th/18th) in May. Not as many people, but beautiful to watch. Regards Bryony

bxpuser24710519

Normally there is a 4 km out,no go area for the event so not easy to get in unless you park and walk or are in one of the brotherhoods/ have a property there. If you like crowds as in 1000's of people and lots of noise that's the place to be. I prefer to go when it is calm and peaceful, a magical place. The roads can be jammed up for days prior to it as the towns and villages set off to walk to it from far and wide. The two villages where I used to live had processions the week before as they started of on the long walk. Amazing sight to see.

rafikiphoto

El Rocío is certainly a spectacular sight during the Romería festival. With a million or more pilgrims gathering in that village it can be quite a crush. The approaches to El Rocío can be very interesting in the days leading up to the festival. Our village is an important waypoint for many hermandades and from the Tuesday preceding El Rocío we have a constant stream of brotherhoods arriving at the church for a blessing. Many camp for a day or two on the outskirts of our village.

Our brotherhood is the oldest and to give it its full title: Primera, Real, Imperial, Ferverosa, Illustre Y Mas Antigua Hermandad de Ntra. Sra. Del Rocío Villamanrique de la Condesa. We leave for El Rocío early on Friday morning, camp overnight on the way and enter El Rocío on Saturday 1pm.

It is an amazing experience.

MikeCol

Romeria Villablanca 2010