Every May, thousands of pilgrims from across Spain begin the arduous yet joyful journey to El Rocio, a small, unique town in Western Andalusia.
It is a place like no other where elegant, whitewashed houses fronted by wooden verandas reminiscent of a wild west film open out onto sandy boulevards. Immaculately dressed men, women and families saunter past on horseback as horse drawn carriages rattle down the street. The sound of excited voices and flamenco music filling the dusty air.
The Romeria de El Rocio is one of Spain’s oldest and largest ferias. It’s roots date back to the 13th century when, according to local legend, a hunter came across a statue of the Virgin Mary inside a hollowed-out tree trunk. A chapel was built where the tree stood, and it became a place of pilgrimage.
