From Fat Thursday to Ash Wednesday anything goes! Merrymaking and debauchery are the order of the day during Carnival, a festival in which fancy dress and popular culture come to the fore. Have you ever taken part in one of Catalonia's most iconic Carnival festivals? We would like to mention some of them, where you could enjoy some of these celebrations.
TORELLÓKnown as the
Carnaval de Terra Endins, or inland Carnival, The
Torelló Carnival attracts some 60,000 people every year. When king Rei Carnestoltes attacks the council and takes power, the mayor and the town councillors are stripped of their powers and the great party starts. One of the days most looked forward to is the Friday with its
Senyoretes i Homenots ritual in which the men dress up as women and women dress up as men.
SITGESThe
Carnival in Sitges is considered to be one of the best Carnivals on the Iberian Peninsula. The strong points of this great
pit i cuixa i lluentons, or 'breast, thigh and sequins' festival are the 'rues', or parades: the one held on Sunday is known as the
Rua de la Disbauxa, or Debauchery Parade, and the one held on Tuesday is known as the
Rua de l’Extermini, or Extermination Parade. All the parades of floats are launched by king Carnestoltes and ended by the Queen of the Carnival, who is elected from all those who propose themselves for the crown by means of public acclamation.
SOLSONAAnother of the most outstanding Carnivals in Catalonia is the one held in
Solsona, re-established in 1971. Here the popular disguises are replaced with robes and gowns of many colours and by the 'mad giants'. One of the most anticipated movements is on the Saturday night when the local inhabitants, who have been referred to as 'donkey killers' for many years on account of a legend, hang a cardboard donkey to the sound of the song,
A Solsona bona gent (the Solsonese are good people).
VILANOVA I LA GELTRÚThe
Merengada (meringue fight), the
Arrivo (arrival of king Carnival), the
Ball de Mantons (shawls dance), the
Comparses (huge collective dance), the
Xatonada (traditional Vilanova i la Geltrú dish consisting of salt cod, tuna salad and
Romesco sauce dressing),
King Caramel (children's sweets king)... The
Carnival in Vilanova i la Geltrú includes many events and everybody is invited to take part in them. The big, and much-anticipated event, known as the
Comparses, is held on the Sunday. It is when thousands of couples with Manila shawls, barretina hats and carrying bags full of goodies, cover the streets of the town with sweets. In 2010 this satirical festival was declared Heritage Festival of National Interest by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia).
Have we managed to inspire you? If you have any other interesting suggestions please send them to us on Facebook or publish your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #patrimonicultural 
