Official festivals Spain

Every year, the city celebrates the toma, or capture, of Granada in commemoration of January 2, 1492, the date on which King Boabdil " el chico " handed over the keys of the city to the Catholic Kings. The festivities begin with a visit to the tombs of the Catholic Kings, located in the Capilla Real, followed by a mass. At the end a parade of local authorities goes through the city with a replica of the banner that Fernando the Catholic gave to the city. The ceremony ends with the presentation of the banner on the balcony of the town hall, plaza del Carmen.

Constitution Day is a holiday on the other side of the Pyrenees. On this occasion, the whole country commemorates the acceptance of the Constitution by referendum in 1978. This was one of the great founding acts of Spain's democratic transition, the process that led to the end of the dictatorial regime after Franco's death in 1975. It was a text that was widely acclaimed at the time, with 88% of the electorate voting in favour. This holiday usually marks the beginning of the Christmas holidays for Spaniards who are starting to go shopping.