5 January Los Reyes is celebrated with a parade through the streets of Medina Sidonia – the Reyes Magos throw sweets from their floats to the excited children (of all ages!) and gets everyone in the mood for the exchanging of Christmas presents.

23 February – 5 March Carnival is celebrated on a small scale in Medina Sidonia and on a very grand scale in Cádiz! Pilgrimages, parades and satirical cabarets send the whole city of Cadiz into a state of frenzy during the annual carnival.

25 February – 9 April The Flamenco Festival in Jerez has become one of the most important in the world, with a programme of internationally-renowned stars. There are performances by singers, dancers and guitar players at the principle venue, the Villamarta Theatre, and other venues around the town, as well as dance courses, concerts and exhibitions.

9 – 16 April Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, ornately decorated life-size images of scenes from the Via Crucis or Way of the Cross are carried through the streets in every town and city in Andalucía. Semana Santa is one of Andalucía’s richest traditions and attracts many aficionados to witness the event. Cádiz's processions, second only to those in Seville, are particularly grand and ornate

10 April The Motor Grand Prix in Jerez is one of the leading events of the season. Crowds in excess of 100,000 attend - from qualifying races to the chequered flag on the final day

25 – 30 April Seville celebrates La Feria de Abril with round-the-clock flamenco parties. The fair runs for around a week and hosts an enticing programme of typically Andalucían cultural events.

29 April – 1 May Cordóba celebrates the first few days of May by decorating its squares and public spaces with beautiful floral crosses, known as Los Cruces. Local neighbourhood and religious community groups compete in producing these intricate floral designs.

7 – 14 May Spain's world-renowned sherry-producing town hosts the most prestigious equine heritage event in the whole of Spain, and one of the most important in Europe. The Feria del Caballo in Jerez draws many thousands of visitors to witness the superior displays of horsemanship, bullfights and flamenco.

25 – 26 May Corpus Christi in Seville - one of the city's most important religious festivals, the celebration of Corpus Christi in Seville mixes religious beliefs with cultural traditions.

18 June Corpus Christi in Cádiz - The Corpus Christi celebration arrived in Spain during the 14th century and has lived on to the present day as an important part of the religious calendar. Every year, on the Thursday following the eighth day of Whitsuntide, the Holy Host is brought out into the streets of Cadiz around the cathedral, enshrined in magnificent masterpieces of silverwork known as custodias, and the streets are lavishly decorated and covered in aromatic plants.

24 June – 6 July The annual Territorios Sevilla festival in Seville brings music from different parts of the world to the city's squares and plazas, which host outdoor concerts from the traditional to the modern.

25 June – 10 July The International Festival of Music and Dance is held in the exquisite setting of Granada's Alhambra, the Generalife Gardens, monasteries and the cathedral.

16 July Marbella's glamorous present has little to do with its humble past but still the Fiesta del Cármen is still celebrated every year with a traditional procession. Cármen is the patron saint of seafarers and the celebration dates back to when the town's main source of revenue was the fishing industry. Every year on the 16 July the Vírgen del Cármen is taken on a procession around the beach and then paraded through the town.

25 - 27 July The town of Dos Hermanas holds an annual flamenco competition in honour of Santa Ana, the Virgin and Baby Jesus. The tradition dates back to the town's origins; legend has it that two sisters who had travelled from faraway savage lands came in search of the town, guided by the sound of a bell.

1 – 3 August The sherry producing town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda is also home to some of the oldest horse races in Europe - with a racing club presided over by HM King Don Juan Carlos. The races take place along the beach at the mouth of the river Guadalquivir every August. There is second cycle of races from 15-17 August.

8 September La Romeria del Belen, in Palma del Rio dates back to the early 1700s. An emotive procession of horsemen in traditional Andalucían dress and horse-drawn carriages accompanies La Santisíma Virgen de Belén from her sanctuary back to her parish. The festivities start at dawn with a Mass, followed by a flamenco dance in the church.

8 September Écija celebrates its patron saint - Santísima Virgen de La Valle, with an evening procession of floral tributes, carnival giants and cabezudos - large papier-maché heads worn by carnival-goers.

4 – 23 September Every year the pretty Andalucían town of Jerez de la Frontera holds the Festival del Otoño (Autumn Festival), celebrating the grape harvest, the horse and the magic of flamenco. The streets and squares of the town fill with locals and visitors for a diverse programme of entertainment.

16 – 17 September The Andalucían town of Écija celebrates the Feria de San Mateo with popular dances, bullfights, competitions, exhibitions and concerts by well-known artists. In addition there is a Día del Caballo, when some of the finest examples of pure Spanish and Arab horses are on display.

24 – 25 September The Feria de San Miguel is one of Seville's major annual events, with plenty of displays, food, song and dance.

7 October The annual Virgin of the Rosary celebration is one of the most deep-rooted fiestas in Cádiz, with a whole day of floral offerings from people in regional dress, a procession and a spectacular firework display.

18 – 29 October Cadiz hosts the 18th Latin American & Spanish Theatre Festival, with events at various venues around the city.

27 – 30 October The Volvo Masters at Valderrama is the grand finale of the PGA European Tour. One of the richest events on the tour, the prize money awarded here often has a big say in who wins the order of merit. A full-strength field is guaranteed in a tournament that promises to be a celebration of European golf.

1 November All Saints Day is a colourful celebration in Cadiz, with beautifully decorated market stalls, often depicting current events, lining the streets. The wholesale traders' market is also open to the public on this day.

26 December Belen Vivente in Medina Sidonia – a live nativity play in the Plaza de Espana. Locals and visitors alike are enthralled when the straw strewn main square is converted into a medieval scene of baying sheep and lambs and clucking chickens. Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus along with the 3 wise men and many other nativity scenes all contribute towards a very special evening.