Alcoy / Sant Jordi

Despite its fairly spectacular location Alcoy is a bit of a dump. To be more exact, it is a biggish, semi-industrial town with no old buildings to speak of and no particular merit. For 362 days of the year it is a place to bypass - but for the other three it comes alive with Spains's best known Moros y Cristianos fiesta.

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Alcoy's Moors and Christians festival is celebrated between the 22nd and the 24th of April and is dedicated to the town's patron, Sant Jordi (Saint George). The most spectacular parade takes place on the first day; the second day involves three more parades and a curious ritual whereby hundreds of bangers are detonated, each in succession, in the town square. (Devastatingly loud, and best avoided if you like to be able to hear.) On the third day the two sides march around the town firing off their muskets. The noise is such that any new arrival, unwitting of the celebrations, would certainly assume that war had broken out. Remember to bring ear plugs.

NOTE : These photgraphs of Alcoy are of relatively low resolution and are therefore not suitable for large scale reproduction.


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