Summer Festivities in Sant Agustí, Bocairent

The heart of these festivities is les danses: street dances in traditional dress, performed to the tabal (drum) and dolçaina (a reed shawm). In Bocairent they survive as a ritual rather than a show put on for visitors. Before them come the dansetes, the rehearsal, which in many villages turns out to be as enjoyable as the main event. A parade opens the week, led by the clavariesses — the group who take on running the fiesta that year, a role that rotates, which is why the programme is never identical twice. Exact times and the full running order are set close to the date, so check the official programme.

Getting to Bocairent without a car

Bocairent is in the Vall d'Albaida, around 90 km south of València and close to the Alicante border. By car it is a little over an hour on the A-7 and CV-81. By public transport it is harder than it looks: the Xàtiva-Alcoi rail line that serves the village has been under engineering works, with replacement buses, so check with Renfe how the service stands on the day and, more importantly, whether anything runs back late. Spanish village fiestas run deep into the night, so plan to stay locally or drive.

The old town is steep and narrow, built on rock. Park at the bottom and walk up. The village guide is worth reading first.

What to see the same day

The medieval quarter takes about an hour to walk and is why Bocairent turns up on every list of pretty villages near València. Just outside are the Covetes dels Moros, rows of windows cut into a ravine wall, and in the village itself the plaça de bous, carved straight into the rock. During fiesta week expect museums and shops to keep irregular hours, on top of the usual long midday closing.

The village sits above 600 m, so evenings are cooler than on the coast. Bring a light layer if you are staying for the late acts.