Carnaval de Cádiz

Cádiz carnival is not Rio. There are costumes and there is a parade, but the substance of it is satirical sung verse, performed by groups who have rehearsed all year and compete in a formal competition — the COAC — at the Gran Teatro Falla. Chirigotas are the funny ones, comparsas the serious ones, coros sing from floats, cuartetos do sketches. The final is on the Friday.

Then the city takes over. The Gran Cabalgata is the Sunday; the Lunes de Coros is a local holiday with choirs on floats in the cathedral square; it closes with the burning of the Bruja Piti on the second Sunday.

Two practical things. The lyrics are dense, local and political — you will enjoy the street version without Spanish, but the theatre version is largely lost. And Cádiz is a small city on a spit of land: it sells out. Book six months ahead, or stay in Jerez or El Puerto and take the train.

See the Cádiz province guide and trains in Andalucía.