Torrevieja Carnival (Carnaval de Torrevieja) consists of several events held in January and…read moreFebruary every year. There are two street parades and several contests that take place during two weeks. The fist carnival was held in 1986 and became quite popular in the recent years. During the first parade some 30 "comparsas" (groups of dancers) dance though the city and compete for €14000 worth of prizes. There several categories, individual prizes vary from €300 to €1400. The winners are decided by a jury, not really fun because the public don't have a say. The second parade ("the evening parade") is the last day of the carnival. The event is informal and anybody can participate. Both parades start from Plaza Maria Asución, go along Calle Ramón Gallud and end at Calle Patricio Perez. There were many plastic chairs installed along the street this year for the event, you could find one to enjoy the parade in comfort (it lasts for at least three hours). The cleaning service after the parade is great, they are really fast and productive. No signs of the huge party just an hour after its end. It seemed like the 2016 parade was smaller than the 2015, both in terms of numbers of performers and spectators. More convenient to for everyone but not a great trend. Torrevieja carnival is the event enjoyed by people of all ages, both locals and tourists. It is safe and convenient for the kids and for the elderly. Some areas close to huge outdoor speakers can be really loud, be careful. Check out the pictures and short videos from 2016 and 2015 carnivals. Phone battery went off this year, I wish I took more pictures!

"I run because it's good for me. Also because I like to eat. And drink. A lot" -- TheNaughtyNurse1…read moreon someecards .com This is the first time I'm reviewing a running race on Yelp. More reviews to come! Why run a race? "Cross Popular Nocturno La Purisima" was the first race I ever ran (2014). I didn't understand the point of running events until I participated in one. I'm so glad I did, here are some of the reasons why running events are so exciting: - You compete with other runners. It's fun even if those others run much faster (my case) :) You are unlikely to come last in the race (there are hundreds of people, someone will always run slower than you, haha). Even if you do finish last - you are cool anyway, you have run the full distance! Congrats! - You will run faster than you usually do. Competition is exciting, you are more motivated than during your usual runs. You will break down your limits and find out how fast you can really move! - You will be part of a great show. There are hundreds of spectators on the sidewalks who will cheer you up. Tons of positive energy in the air! - You will just enjoy the experience! I have never heard of anyone who didn't. There are many others reasons to run races, you will discover yours, just give it a try. I didn't expect it to be so much fun! Why run this particular race? - "Cross Popular Nocturno La Purisima" is a night race. Most other races take place in the mornings. This one feels like a party :) - Nice location - seaside Mediterranean city, beautiful square (start/finish point) and streets decorated for Christmas - Perfect running weather. The air temperature is around 15°C/60°F. Not cold - you can escape from the winter of Northern Europe. Not hot - if you are local you better run now than in the heat of the summer. Now, the details of the race. The race take place once a year on the second Saturday of December. The route goes through the streets of the city of Torrevieja. 2015 start time was 7pm (next year's time can be different). The distance is very comfortable 7.2 km/4.47 miles (it's not even 10k!). The total number of participants is approximately 500-600. There are several age/gender groups. If you are fast you may win in one of the groups. There's also a costume contest - you may win a prize if you wear a costume while running. The cut off time is not mentioned on the race's website. I think 99% of runners finish within 50 minutes. The race clock stops at 60 minutes. The total elevation is approximately 67 meters as measured by my RunKeeper app. There are no steep hills but I expected it to be flatter. It's not windy and humidity is quite high. After run drinks and some food are included into the fee, pick them up after the race. In case you leave the town the same day - there are showers available but they are located some 2 km from the start/finish point. How to subscribe? The participation fee is €8. You can register and pay online (the deadline is some 5 days before the event, check out the website). Subscribe in advance, there's no decent support if you have problems. Not all credit/debit cards are accepted. You can also subscribe in one of the Urban Sport shops (Habaneras Shopping center and Paseo Maritimo) in Torrevieja and pay cash. Bib numbers and T-shirts can be picked up in Urban Sport shop the day before the event or in Plaza de la Constitución on the day of the event. Final words. If you run and you never ran official races - go subscribe to any event in your area! You won't regret the time spent and you will remember your first running race forever. If you are in Spain or visiting in December - check out "Cross Popular Nocturno La Purisima". I love this event and I couldn't recommend it more! Get in touch if you have any questions and maybe see you next year, I'm in!

"Los Reyes Magos (The Magi, Three Wise Men, Three Kings) - a group of distinguished foreigners who…read morevisited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh" - Wikipedia Dia de los Reyes Magos (January, 6) is a big holiday in Spain that ends the Christmas holiday season. Kids get more gifts than on Christmas. Adults often give each other gifts too. The eve of the holiday (January, 5) is celebrated with parades in cities throughout Spain (Gabalgatas de los Reyes Magos). There are local features in different cities. The Costa Orihuela event is relatively small comparing to parades in other cities nearby. It starts at 5pm (calle Nicolás de Bussi) and ends in La Zenia Boulevard shopping center. There are three main parts in a typical Reyes Magos parade: 1. Arrival (Llegada de los Reyes Magos). The three kings may arrive to a city by ships, trains, cars or even camels depending on place. People gather at the point of the arrival to welcome the kings. Kings arrived to Orihuela Costa in classic cars in 2016. 2. Parade (Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos). The kings parade trough the city's streets accompanied by musical bands, dancers and people wearing costumes. During this part the kings throw candies and people around catch them. Umbrellas and similar objects are often used for collection. Kids shout out the kings' names to get their attention (Spanish spellings of the kings' names are Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar). 3. Speech. After the parade the kings give speech, typically in the city's main square and sometimes give gifts. This part of the Orihuela Costa parade takes place inside La Zenia shopping center. The duration of the event is approximately 3 hours. Good: - Cosy and convenient. You can easily see the kings, talk to them and take pictures. - Free gifts are given to all kids at the end of the event. Kids are invited to the stage where the kings talk with them individually. - No need to drive anywhere if you live or stay in this part of Costa Blanca. The downsides: - It's not very authentic. Feels like an adaptation for tourists and expats of Costa Orihuela. - Small. You don't see the variety of costumes, dancers, bands and animals you would see in Torrevieja (10 km drive). Conclusion: - For locals. Worth visiting at least once. You may like it more than the bigger parade in Torrevieja. - For visitors. If this is your first "Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos" and you may not go to another parade soon - choose a bigger event in Torrevieja, Alicante or in other cities around.