Las Hurdes Carnival

Declared a Fiesta of Tourist Interest in Extremadura in October 2017, the Carnaval Hurdano is one of the most unique carnivals not only in the region but in the whole of Spain. Its exact origin is unknown (it appears to have started in Cerezal, in the municipality of Nuñomoral), but we do know that its renowned colourful, traditional and rural nature, characters, legends, songs as well as its gastronomy  attract locals and visitors alike.  

The fiesta is held every year in a different hamlet or village in the region. One of its peculiarities is that it has its own characters, such as "el rey del Antrueju", who rides a donkey and is hailed by the people, "el obispu jurdanu", "la tía rechonchona", "el machu lanú",  "los diablillos" who throw straw and flour, "la mona", "el burru", "la tarara" or  "el morcillu", a straw doll with a goat's head and body of man with large sexual attributes that is paraded through the streets of the villages and, in the end, is hanged and burned. Men and women dress up in old shepherd’s and farmer’s clothes to take part in this ancient festival.  

At this Carnival you will also see "corrobras" of drummers, locals singing popular songs, telling local legends and myths, and giving out liquor made with the fruit of the strawberry tree and typical sweets to the attendees.

The typical dish eaten is bean, cabbage and pig trotter stew, washed down with local wine and liquor.

After several days of festivities and overindulgence, "enzamarraos", "antruejaos" and "encarantonaos” proudly claim they have eaten and drunk their fill ("a jinchapelleju").

*(Gallery images by courtesy of the newspaper "La Aldaba").