Festival de la Luna Mora

This weekend's adventure wasn't to another country or even continent, but a 3 hour drive directly across Andalucía, towards the Med to the tiny medieval town of Guaro. Like many of the white villages of the area, Guaro dates back to the Arabic occupation of Spain. The small community of some 2,500 people keeps its Moorish history very much alive with the annual Festival de la Luna Mora. 

Although the festival only began in 1997, the middle weekends in September attract 60,000 visitors when the streets turn into a large Moorish bazaar, filled with craftsmen, storytellers, performers, musicians, and Arab dishes. Besides a break from Spanish food, the draw of the festival was the 20,000 candles that line the streets in various designs and patterns as the sun sets. You see, for these weekends, the electric lights take a break, leaving the task of illumination to oil lamps and candles. Walking through the maze like streets, illuminated by only candle light, smelling incense on the warm night's air one can't help but humming Arabian Nights while looking for a fez wearing monkey at every intersection.

We spent our evening strolling the streets, drooling over the feast at each passing booth: kebabs, potatoes, sausage, churros, cheese, falafels, pastries, drinks, candy. And yes, trying more than we probably should have as we shopped the craft booths, watched the dancers in the street, and looked for all the candle displays through the the allies illuminated like a runway.

The event was amazing and several times throughout the evening I had to remind myself that I was in Spain and not elsewhere. People in costume milling through the streets. Families sitting at tea tables. Hooka pipes. Foreign music. Lack of English. I loved it. Every bit of it.


And you know I really did love it when I'm already talking about going back next year...yes ME, Little Miss Been There, Done That. Mid September 2015, any visitors expect to experience this fabulous festival!