Monthly Archives: February 2023

Timezones and time changes in Spain

Timezones by region

Spain is located in the southwest of Europe and therefore actually not where the Central European Time Zone would specify the optimal time. This is because the sun should normally be at its highest at noon, around 12 o’clock. However, Spain decided to use Central European Time (CET) as early as 1940 for several reasons. First of all, these are economic reasons. This is the only way to have the same time with most business partners in the EU. Due to this decision, the perceived times of day shift significantly. While it gets light in the middle of Europe at 4:40 a.m. in summer, you have to wait a whole 2 hours longer in Madrid. In the evening and especially in winter, however, the difference is less significant, since the country is also much further south and the days are shorter then anyway.
By the way, neighboring Portugal in the west has tried the CET several times in the past decades. Once from 1966 to 1976 and another time for only 4 more years from 1992 to 1996, but finally the Portuguese decided to move their time back by 1 hour.
On Spain’s mainland and also in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in the north of Africa, CET therefore applies in winter. This time zone also applies to the Balearic Islands, which are located in the Mediterranean Sea. In summer, the whole of Spain sets its clocks 1 hour ahead to daylight saving time (CEST).
The latter even applies to the Canary Islands, although it is still one hour later there. Western European Time applies there. The Canary Islands consist of the well-known islands Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Arrecife and lie far in the southwest before the African coast. So far south, you wouldn’t really need daylight saving time, because the equator is so close that the difference in the position of the sun between summer and winter isn’t that noticeable. But again, if you have a lot to do with the Spanish mainland, you gain significant advantages by having the same time zone.

The next clock changes in Madrid

Mexico Clock-Time Changes: Spring & Fall 2022

Mexico Essentials

October 8, 2022

All except two Mexican states move their clocks forward in the spring, and back in the fall. Discover details of the spring and fall clock-time changes in 2022

by Mexperience

This article explains the clock changes taking place in Mexico during 2022

Since 1996, Mexico has been adjusting its clocks in the spring and fall to account for Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Mexico Abandoning Clock-Time Changes after October 2022

In 2022, Mexico’s congressional representatives and Senate voted to eliminate the practice of changing the clocks in the spring and fall, with exceptions for municipalities bordering the US.

Annual clock changes will continue to take place in a small number of Mexican municipalities along the United States border, where it’s prudent for trade and lifestyle reasons to align Mexican border-city clocks with their counterparts in the US.

Spring Clock Changes in Mexico 2022

(“Spring Forward”)

The state of Baja California (not to be confused with Baja California Sur) and  Mexican cities immediately bordering the US (including Juárez, Reynosa, and Matamoros) clocks move forward one hour at 2 a. m. on Sunday March 13th, 2022.

DST in most of Mexico and the state of Baja California Sur will start on Sunday April 3rd, 2022, when the clocks will be moved forward by one hour at 2 a.m.

Fall Clock Changes in Mexico 2022

(“Fall Back”)

DST in most of Mexico and Baja California Sur will end on Sunday October 30th 2022, when the clocks will be moved back again by one hour at 2 a.m.

The state of Baja California (not to be confused with Baja California Sur) and Mexican cities immediately bordering the US (including Juárez, Reynosa, and Matamoros) clocks move back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday November 6th, 2022.

Learn more about Mexico’s Four Time Zones

The states of Sonora and Quintana Roo

The Mexican state of Sonora (bordering primarily the state of Arizona in the US) will not observe DST in 2022.

The state of Quintana Roo (which includes the popular resorts of Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel) established its own time zone that is always aligned with US EST.

Therefore, clocks in these two Mexican states are not moved forward/backward each spring and fall.

Learn more about time and time zones in Mexico

Mexico has several time zones and most states move their clocks forward in the spring and back in the autumn.

• Learn about Mexico’s Time and Time Zones
• Learn about Mexico’s annual clock-time changes
• Learn about seasons in Mexico

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90,000 Migrants and homeless people illegally occupy empty houses in Spain 90,001 90,002 At the beginning of the year, according to official statistics, about 87,000 houses in Spain were illegally occupied. And this despite the fact that not all cases are known, some owners are afraid to report the offense. It is impossible to say how much these figures have increased during the pandemic. After all, illegal immigrants occupied the homes of even those who, due to the coronavirus, ended up in a hospital or temporarily moved to relatives.

One such egregious case occurred, for example, in the city of Lugo in Galicia in northwestern Spain. An elderly couple moved to live with their son, and when three days later their granddaughter came to pick up some things for them, the “occupiers” were already living in the apartment. They barricaded themselves inside and even called the police to protect them from their rightful owners. Squatters were arrested only when they left the apartment, because the police in Spain do not have the right to force entry into the home, even if the owner requires it. Indeed, according to the law, the one who is inside the premises (even if it is a thief) has more rights to it than the owner standing on the other side of the door. True, exactly until the intruder crosses the threshold. Here is a legal case.

It is worth noting that the problem with illegal “invaders” has been around for many years. Its roots stretch back to the early 2000s, when Spain experienced a building boom. Houses grew by leaps and bounds, and banks willingly issued loans for the purchase of apartments. All this ended in 2008, when the economic crisis struck. Many Spaniards have lost their jobs and the ability to pay mortgage interest. Tens of thousands of people were evicted from their apartments, which became the property of banks and various funds. However, many refused to leave housing, which was their property yesterday, which led to a lot of lawsuits. And then the law was on the side of the former owners.

The fact is that, according to article 47 of the Constitution, “all Spaniards have the right to decent and adequate housing.” In addition, back in 1976, Spain signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, according to which a person cannot be evicted without providing him with alternative housing.

At the beginning of the year, about 87 thousand houses in Spain were illegally occupied

The authorities cannot do this for the simple reason that the country does not actually have a state housing fund. A person’s right to housing in Spain, as the UN recognized a few years ago, depends entirely on his financial capabilities. Young Spaniards either live with their parents or earn enough to take out a mortgage or rent an apartment.

A housing is illegally occupied either by those who previously lived in it legally, but have lost the ability to pay loans or rent (after a sharp increase in the number of unemployed due to the pandemic, the number of such people will clearly increase), or migrants who illegally entered the territory of the country.

Even though Spain reformed the law on urban rentals seven years ago, limiting the lease to three years and allowing the landlord not to renew it, this did not solve the problem. After all, the Constitution requires that every Spaniard be provided with decent housing. If problem tenants have children, it is almost impossible to evict them. However, if before such tenants did not create problems for the owner, usually the parties find a way to resolve the issue (banks can restructure the debt, and private owners can agree on an acceptable payment or deferment). Another thing is illegal migrants.

The recently passed eviction law should remedy the situation. In order to get back their property, the owner must file a claim, which takes about a month (although usually much more). It is worth noting that we are talking about private individuals and government agencies that manage social housing, and not about organizations or banks that own many empty apartments and houses (they can only find out about the problem after a few months).

But at the same time in Spain, squatters were given the opportunity to register in the city where they settled in order to receive unemployment benefits and medical assistance.

Homeowners were not satisfied with the current situation. They criticize the authorities of the Iberian kingdom for their passive attitude towards the problem. In their opinion, the occupiers should be evicted within 24 hours after the complaint, and this issue should not be considered in court. Recently, in the town of Portugalete, not far from Bilbao, local residents were forced to expel illegal immigrants from the empty houses they had seized. And this despite the fact that in the Spanish Criminal Code there are several articles providing for a prison term for breaking and entering, as well as for seizing property against the will of the owner.

Borders I love. Gibraltar: England in Spain

Borders I Loved. Gibraltar: England in Spain | Perito

Border chats and channels in telegram: collected all the main channels in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Finland and Norway

PeritoDestinationsEuropeGibraltar

BordersSpainGibraltar

Publication date 21.01.2020

Avenue through the runway, red telephone booths, red telephone booths yanito.

Irina Zeleneva

text

Editor’s note: We continue to talk about unusual borders around the world. The column was opened by Dmitry Denisenko with an article about the little-known border between Russia and Estonia, but the topic turned out to be of interest to other authors as well. Firstly, which of us does not have a story about the border, and secondly, the border is the first contact of a person with another country and culture: often behind a simple border checkpoint lies a complex history of relations between two or more countries. About the border of Spain and Gibraltar, which Spain does not recognize, Irina Zeleneva, the creator of the podcast “Sorry, geographic” and the telegram channel of the same name, spoke.

“The borders that I fell in love with” is a column in which we talk about unusual state borders. One of our favorite sections on the site.

• Gateway to the EU between Estonia and Russia
• Four Cyprus, or the most leaky border of the European Union
• Gibraltar: England in Spain
• Badakhshan – Pamirs, divided on the “roof of the world”. Part one. Tajikistan

Badakhshan – Medieval Looking Glass on the “roof of the world”. Part two, Afghanistan

• Three outposts on the border of Transcarpathia, Ukraine
• Transnistria: how to live 30 years in the status of an unrecognized state
• 
  Great Slavic trippoint. The history of the “Three Sisters” – the triple border of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine

Gibraltar – what it is

Geographically, Gibraltar is a small piece of land (6.5 square kilometers) in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, half of its territory is occupied by a rock. Politically, Gibraltar is the reason for the complex relations between Spain and Great Britain from the 18th century to the present day. It is considered a British Overseas Territory, that is, it is under the sovereignty of Great Britain, but is not part of it and is part of the European Union. Gibraltar has its own flag and coat of arms, the queen is Elizabeth II, the official anthem is “God Save the Queen”. There is also an alternative: “Gibraltar, Gibraltar, the rock on which I stand. May you always be free, Gibraltar, my own rock.”

Despite the conflict at the state level, a close relationship has developed between the Spaniards and the Gibraltarians. More than 9,000 Spaniards who work in Gibraltar cross the Spanish-Gibraltar border every day. In the evening they return to the Spanish border town of La Linea de la Concepción. From there, people go to work in Gibraltar not only because the salary in pounds is higher, but also because of unemployment. In 2003, the city even erected a monument to Spanish workers in Gibraltar – a statue of a man with a bicycle.

I recommend watching the BBC documentary on the Rock of Gibraltar and reading material on Vice.com about how the UK’s exit from the European Union can affect the lives of people in Gibraltar and La Linea de la Concepción. The theme is revealed through the story of a couple – Gibraltarian Daniel and Spaniard Malena.

The Gibraltarians themselves are neither British nor Spanish, they speak English, Spanish and Yanito, a colloquial mix of the two languages. When you find yourself in Gibraltar, it’s as if you are neither in Britain nor in Spain: British signs, British trash cans, Spanish old men sit on a bench near a British pub and talk about life.

What you need to know about the border between Spain and Gibraltar

The Spaniards do not recognize this border: they use the words “gate” (la verja) or “police checkpoint” (puesto de control de Policía), thus marking that the border with another country cannot be within its own territory.

Spaniards have been commuting to work in Gibraltar ever since the territory became British (since the 18th century). Be prepared that because of this, you may find yourself in a small traffic jam in the morning. But you won’t get stuck for a long time, because the Spaniards are not stopped, passports are not stamped – it seems that the border guards know them by sight. But when relations between countries are tense, the customs service can deliberately slow down the process of crossing the border.

We drove in the opposite direction in the evening, that is, at the time when the Spaniards return home from work. I didn’t even have to stop: a minute is my personal speed record for crossing the border.

The border itself is a fence, in some places two fences with no man’s land between them and a small checkpoint with Spanish and British control. Russians can travel both on a British visa and on a Schengen multivisa. But before you travel, be sure to check if these rules are up to date – they change depending on the intensity of Spanish-British relations. When you are identified as a non-Spanish at the checkpoint, you will be stopped, asked to show your passport and returned with a beautiful Gibraltar stamp inside. The whole procedure will take five to ten minutes, unless, of course, you overlap with the departure or landing of the aircraft.

Border on the Spanish side

Since Gibraltar has a tiny area, the runway of its airport is located directly across the highway – the main avenue of Winston Churchill, through which you will enter or enter on foot into the territory after customs. When planes take off or land, traffic on Churchill Avenue is stopped. This is probably the only case when travelers rejoice at the barrier closing in front of them – after all, after that, a plane will land right in front of their eyes. The street is blocked for a short time – for 20 minutes, and the airport receives no more than 30 flights per day.

In addition to the land border with Spain, Gibraltar has a sea border with Africa. From Gibraltar you can take a ferry to Morocco, but it runs only once a week, so it’s better to board in Spanish Tarifa and in one or two hours you will be in Moroccan Tangier. There are up to 18 ferries per day on this route.

One of the attractions of Gibraltar is Cape Europe, where tourists come specifically to see Africa through the Strait of Gibraltar.

How Gibraltar became British

At the beginning of the 18th century, the territory of Gibraltar belonged to the Spanish Empire (and before that it was for some time in the possession of the Moors). In 1701, the childless King Charles II died, and the result was a major European conflict – the War of the Spanish Succession. Spain, England, France, the Holy Roman Empire, Austria and other parties took part in it. As a result of the war, a part of the territories of the Spanish Empire was divided. Under the Treaty of Utrecht, England received Gibraltar with its favorable geopolitical position – the Strait of Gibraltar connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the European continent with Africa.

Partition of Spanish possessions under the Treaty of Utrecht

Since the Treaty of Utrecht did not contain a map or other clear definitions of what exactly Spain ceded to Great Britain, the parties interpret Article X in different ways: “Based on this document, the Catholic King, on behalf of himself, his heirs and successors, cedes to the crown of Great Britain the city and castle of Gibraltar, together with the port, fortifications and forts, in its entire possession; he also renounces the right of possession, as well as forfeiting absolute power in this territory, without any exceptions.

The city of Gibraltar, which is mentioned in the treaty, grew over time: the British began to populate the isthmus that runs from the cliff to the border with Spain, and built an airport. But Spain believes that, under the treaty, England owns only the Rock of Gibraltar, where the military base is located, and a small part of the city, and not the entire current territory of Gibraltar. The rest must be in the possession of Spain.

Gibraltar’s border was not always open

Relations between Britain and Spain deteriorated with the coming to power of dictator Francisco Franco. One of the precedents was the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Gibraltar at 1954 year. A chronicle video remains from this event. At 30 seconds, it says that on that day, Franco banned most people from crossing the border into British territory (Spain continued to demand the return of its land). And at 1:30 you will see how the Governor of Gibraltar handed the Queen the keys to the fortress on the Rock of Gibraltar. It is symbolic that she touched them and returned them as a sign that she leaves the government in the hands of the local authorities.

The situation was complicated by the fact that at 19In 1960, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to the Colonies. However, due to the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht, Gibraltar did not have a path to independence: he had to either remain British or go to Spain: “In the event that in the future the royal dynasty of Great Britain decides to grant, sell or in any other way exclude from its holdings of the City of Gibraltar, hereby agrees that the sale shall be given preference to Spain over any other country.”

In 1967, a referendum was held in Gibraltar. The question was put before the people: British power or Spanish? The votes were divided as follows: 12,138 for the British versus 44 for the Spanish. People rejoiced in their unity, the day of voting later became the National Day of Gibraltar. And about those who were in the minority, they said that they simply mixed up the ballot box or something along the lines of: “Here, a granny lives on the next street, she seems to have Spanish roots.”

The Spanish government did not recognize the vote as fair, pointing out that the real inhabitants of Gibraltar should be only the descendants of the Spaniards who lived in this territory before its capture by Great Britain. Franco sought to return Gibraltar at all costs, without taking into account the interests of the people who went there to work. Spain gradually tightened the conditions for crossing the border: they restricted the passage of women working in Gibraltar, they began to delay cars for 12 hours. At 19In 69, Spain completely closed the border. At that moment, the Spaniards who lived on the border had to answer the question for themselves: will I stay in the place where my home is, but there is no work, or will I choose a job, but I will be left without my home?

Closed gates on the border of Gibraltar and Spain, 1977

Gibraltar, when the border was closed, actually turned out to be cut off from the mainland for 16 years – it was possible to get there only by water (through the Moroccan Tangier) or by air. Up to this point, the inhabitants of Spain and Gibraltar had closely coexisted for more than two centuries. The closure of the border has divided loved ones, leaving friends and relatives with only one way to communicate – to shout to each other, being on opposite sides of the neutral zone. There were few leisure options in an area of ​​​​six square kilometers: to diversify life in isolation, on weekends, Gibraltarians got into cars and rode around the cliff.

Franco’s death in 1975 brought back the issue of the border, but the negotiation process was hampered by various events in the political arena, such as the 1982 Falklands War between Argentina and Britain. Finally, in 1985, the border between Gibraltar and Spain reopened.

What to see in Gibraltar

Magot monkeys

They are the unofficial symbol of Gibraltar. This is the only place in Europe where Magots, natives of North Africa, live freely in the wild. There is a heavy fine in Gibraltar pounds for feeding magots, but sometimes the animals take food themselves.

According to legend, Gibraltar is in the power of Great Britain as long as at least one magot lives here. Legend is legend, but in 1942, during World War II, when the population of Magots was reduced to just a few individuals, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill ordered the immediate import of Magots from Morocco and Algeria.

Rock of Gibraltar

Climb to the top to see the Atlantic Ocean, all of Gibraltar, Spain and Africa. To save time, you can go up on the funicular, and go down on foot, seeing the sights along the way. There is often a queue at the ticket office of the funicular. Tickets are available online, but the electronic ticket will still have to be exchanged for a physical one at the box office, also standing in line. At the checkout downstairs, you will be given a Wi-Fi card and password – a nice addition.

Gibraltar has always been of great strategic importance. Since the Second World War, many artillery structures have been preserved on the rock. The most famous of them is the Harding battery. The latter is located on the highest point of the cliff, so the best view opens from there.

Another good view of the city and the bay opens from the Windsor Suspension Bridge, which stretches for 70 meters from one to the other part of the cliff. It was built relatively recently, in 2016, but it has already become a popular attraction.

At the top of the cliff you will also find the cave of St. Michael – a beautiful place with huge stalactites, rock paintings and beautiful lighting, but touristic.

During the Second World War, 52 kilometers of tunnels were dug inside the rock to protect against attacks, store equipment, house hospitals and other military purposes. Some of the underground passages are available to tourists today, so if you find yourself in Gibraltar, look there too.

The last place I would like to mention when talking about the rock is the Moorish Castle. It began to be erected in the 8th century, when Gibraltar, along with other Spanish territories, was in the possession of the Moors.

Gibraltar itself

Below you will find a city with British signs, red post boxes and other recognizable things. Check out Casemate Square for restaurants and cafes (it’s grown out of the car park) and take a stroll along the main pedestrian street, which is full of small shops with inexpensive alcohol, cigarettes and perfumes.

Gibraltar is a duty-free zone. In these shops you will find typical British souvenirs, toy monkeys and raincoats. Spain is almost always under the sun, and the British Gibraltar is under a huge gray cloud – this phenomenon is called the levant cloud. Here is such a natural irony.

In Gibraltar, on an area of ​​only six and a half square kilometers, many nationalities peacefully coexist: the British, Spaniards, Jews, Portuguese, Italians, Moroccans and Indians. They call themselves Gibraltarians and say that the realization that they are one big family came when Franco closed the border. The city also has a temple of Our Lady of Europe, and the Ibrahim al-Ibrahim mosque, and the cemetery “Jewish Gates”.

A few practical tips

• It is optimal to go for one or two days. Be prepared for little Gibraltar to be crowded with people – book your accommodation in advance if you are going to stay overnight. During the high season (summer) parking can be difficult. In this case, consider leaving your car at the exit of Spain and walking across the border on Winston Churchill Avenue or taking a bus that will take you directly to the city center.

• You can pay for your purchases with a bank card, euros (but with an extra charge) and Gibraltar pounds, which can be exchanged at any local bank. But in the latter case, plan your expenses so that there is no money left – Gibraltar pounds are rarely accepted in banks outside Gibraltar.

• Despite the hot weather in the Iberian Peninsula, a warm jacket in windy Gibraltar will not be superfluous.

• You can buy a stamp in any shop in the city and send yourself a British postcard in a red mailbox.

Casa Del Carnaval (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)

Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5

50 reviews

Excellent

Very good

Average

Terrible

Dogwyllie

Elgol, UK3 contributions

Great little friendly museum.

Aug 2022 • Family

Great little museum. Full of colourful costumes, displays and videos. You can even indulge in a bit of dress up at the end. Also it’s entirely free. What’s not to live about this place? It’s also very suitable for kids who don’t ordinarily like being dragged around on their holidays.

Written August 3, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

DR SEET

Bournemouth, UK162 contributions

Stunning displays and helpful staff

May 2022 • Couples

Despite being central, this place is a bit tucked away. You need to cross the Puente Serrador bridge in the direction of the Mercado Nuestra Senora de Africa, walk down a flight of stairs on the right to the road below called Calle Aguere, then essentially keep along the bank of the river until you reach the end of the cul de sac where the museum is located. But it is more than interesting a visit and well worth the hike. You will be mesmerised by the elaborate costumes on display, a cornucopia of plumes, sequins, diamanté and rhinestones that is simply eye-catching and also testimony to the creativity of their designers. In separate halls are outfits won by the parade performers (musicians and dancers etc) and the winners of the annual carnival queen (Reina), senior carnival queen and young carnival queen titles, respectively. The row of original posters on the wall, all executed by the luminaries of the Spanish art scene, is a veritable record of art history, encapsulating the zeitgeist associated with the theme of each particular year while simultaneously distilling the unique style and aesthetic vision of each artist. There is also a room where visitors can dress up for photos, adding a touch of levity to a site of significant cultural documentation. What is particularly special are the staff members at the reception who are inspiring in their passion, knowledge and exuberance. Kudos to Nuria Bilbao, Luis Aleman and Kevin de la Rosa for going beyond the call of duty to make our visit such a pleasurable, informative and insightful occasion. They are truly congenial hosts/guides and invaluable assets of the Casa del Carnaval, which will hopefully soon become a major landmark on the itinerary of every tourist in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Written May 25, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Sanni

Tartu, Estonia62 contributions

Nice small museum

Feb 2022 • Friends

It’s not a very large place, but definitely worth checking out, since you can get a feel of the carnival and the entrence is free. At least now though, it was required to book a time slot online, to limit the number of people due to Covid.

Written March 3, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

C_Leighton

Nottingham, UK525 contributions

A great find!

Feb 2022

We popped into the Casa del Carnaval whilst on a day trip to Santa Cruz. It’s a great little museum and well worth visiting if you are in the area (it’s free as well). We particularly liked seeing the costumes up close – I don’t know how earth the queens manage to walk in them!

Written February 22, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Sunil F

Derby, UK20 contributions

Fun for a quick stop

Sep 2021 • Couples

Really fun and colorful museum for the carnival in Santa Cruz. The exhibition hall was fully equipped with information screens which display in various languages. Staff were friendly and helpful.
Not super interactive so probably not one for very young kids and it’s not a massive exhibit either, so we didn’t stay that long.
Pros – fun and colorful, great central place in the city to kill some time.
Cons – not super interactive, might not be great for young children with short attention spans

Written September 17, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Debi Z

Jerusalem, Israel3,717 contributions

Hidden Gem of a Museum, and Free as well !!

Jan 2020

We found this museum by accident. I had parked in Santa Cruz and was looking for interesting things to do in the area, so googled around, and found this museum. The costumes are fantastic, the videos are very interesting, and on top of it all, the museum is free !

Written February 2, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Stanton S

Fallls Church, Va.19 contributions

A wonderful discovery through the Hop On Hop Off Bus

Nov 2019

This gem of a museum had no tourists there when we visited late on a weekday afternoon. Admission was free with our taking the Hop On Hop Off bus in Tenerife. The costumes are magnificent and beautifully displayed along with films and commentary about Carnival. This is not to be missed.

Written December 15, 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

janetukus

Aberdeen, UK21 contributions

Fascinating Collection

Oct 2019

FREE entry. A fabulous collection of costumes and memorabilia of past Santa Cruz Carnivals. Lots to see and plenty of clear, informative signs, many in English and other languages. Interesting multimedia displays as well as some virtual reality 3D. Friendly staff, but not many other visitors when we were there.

Written October 4, 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Bohojen

Dundee, UK282 contributions

Museum of carnival

Sep 2019

Lots of costumes from their carnvals. Also designs and displays. Interesting if you can’t actually visit at carnival times. Also have videos of various carnivals

Written September 21, 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Andre T

Toronto, Canada173 contributions

Fabulous!

Feb 2019 • Solo

The staff was very welcoming for my visit. It was not very busy (a good thing for taking photos and videos). Very informative. Spectacular costumes! It is a very good complement when you visit during the actual carnival. A must visit!

Written April 6, 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Todo lo que necesitas saber de los carnavales de Santa Cruz de Tenerife

El carnaval más popular de nuestro país ya está aquí y es que es el segundo carnaval más conocido del mundo, después del de Río de Janeiro.

Después de que fuera aplazado por la pandemia han vuelto a celebrarse de los días 3 al 26 de junio. Las calles de la ciudad se llenan de colores, música y ritmo a lo largo de todo el mes. Las comparsas, las agrupaciones, las galas, o las cabalgatas toman protagonismo durante estas semanas de celebración. Los escenarios principales están siendo el Recinto Ferial, el Teatro Guimerá y las principales calles de la ciudad.

La primera semana de festejos se han celebrado la tradicional Gala de elección de la Reina de las fiestas, el Festival de la Zarzuela o el Concurso de Agrupaciones musicales. A partir del lunes 20 de junio se van a poder ver las Murgas Infantiles o la Cabalgata anunciadora. Para acceder a algunos de los eventos que se van a realizar estos días hace falta entrada. Para las tres fases del Concurso de Murgas Infantiles la entrada cuesta 3 euros y se pueden comprar un máximo de 4 entradas.

Programación del carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife:

Lunes 20 de junio

– 20:00 h 1ª Fase Murgas Infantiles

Localización: Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos

Martes 21 de junio

– 20:00 h 2ª Fase Murgas Infantiles

Localización: Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos

Miércoles 22 de junio

– 20:00 h 3ª Fase Murgas Infantiles

Localización: Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos

Jueves 23 de junio

– 20:00 h Inauguración del Carnaval en la calle

Localización: Partiendo desde la calle Juan Pablo I, Méndez Núñez, Pilar, Villalba Hervás, La Marina y finalizando en la plaza de España. Quema de la Sardina en la Avenida Marítima

– 22:00 h Bailes con actuaciones de grades orquestas

Localización: Plazas del Príncipe y la Candelaria

Viernes 24 de junio

– 20:00 h Cabalgata Anunciadora del Carnaval 2022

Localización: Partiendo desde la plaza de la República Dominicana y recorriendo la Avenida de la Asunción, Ramón y Cajal, Galcerán, Plaza Weyler, Méndez Núñez, Pilar, Villalba Hervás, La Marina y finalizando en la Avenida Francisco La Roche.

– 20:00 h Concurso de Carrozas y Coches Engalanados

Localización: Avenida Bélgica

– 22:00 h Bailes con actuaciones de grades orquestas

Localización: Plazas del Príncipe y la Candelaria, Avenida Francisco la Roche

Sábado 25 de junio

Carnaval de día

– 11:00 h Actuación de los Fregolinos

Localización: Plaza del Príncipe

Carnaval de noche

– 22:00 h Bailes con actuaciones de grandes orquestas

Localización: Plazas del Príncipe y la Candelaria, Avenida Francisco la Roche

Domingo 26 de junio

– 11:00 h Actuación de la Afilarmónica Ni fú- Ni fá

Localización: Plaza del Príncipe

– 12:00 h Actuaciones de grandes orquestas

Localización: Plaza del Príncipe

– 12:00 h Carnaval de Día con espectáculos en los distintos escenarios

Localización: Plazas del Príncipe y la Candelaria

– 20:00 h Concurso de comparsas Ritmo y Armonía ‘’Manolo Monzón’’

Localización: Avenida Francisco La Roche

– 22:00 h Entrega de premios de Comparsas Ritmo y Armonía y Carrozas y Coches Engalanados. A continuación, bailes con actuaciones de grandes orquestas

Localización: Plaza de la Candelaria

– 23:30 h Fin de Fiesta con gran exhibición pirotécnica

Localización: Plaza de la Candelaria

…

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Los carnavales de Cádiz y Santa Cruz de Tenerife, entre los más populares del mundo

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• Tenerife

Tour Carnival in Tenerife! Departure from Vilnius – prices and booking 2020

Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the biggest carnival in Europe. This event is one of the brightest in the Canary Islands and is world famous. Carnival takes place in Tenerife every year. For the sake of it, about a million tourists from all over the world come to the island. It is believed that the carnival in Tenerife is the second largest and most popular after the Brazilian carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

The Tenerife Carnival is listed in the Guinness Book of Records: in 1987, 240,000 people danced all night in the streets of Santa Cruz de Tenerife at the same time.

The carnival is known for its scale; festive processions take place in all cities of the island.

Both locals and tourists take part in it, dressed up in carnival costumes. Everyone is having fun. The main action takes place in the Plaza de España in the capital of the island. The square is decorated with garlands and flowers, live music is played, various food and souvenirs are sold on the street.

One of the main events of the carnival in Tenerife is the election of the queen , they take place at the very beginning of the holiday. Everything further unfolds with her participation and around her.

Festive procession is the next stage of the carnival, the holiday spills over into the streets of the city, and they are filled with the fun of tens of thousands of colorful masks, amazing costumes, music and procession dances.

However, despite the scale of everything that is happening, the festive procession is only the threshold of the main event of the carnival, the parade.

Parade is a grandiose many-hour costume procession, accompanied by fireworks, the roar of firecrackers and dancing until the morning, in which almost the entire population of the island takes part.

For children, within the framework of the “big” carnival, there is a “mini-carnival”: with the choice of a queen and a festive procession. The children’s groups participating in the carnival represent the schools and colleges of Tenerife.

The last chord of the carnival is “sardine funeral” – an action reminiscent of Russian Shrovetide. A huge papier-mâché fish, symbolizing the spirit of the outgoing holiday, is burned to the groans and cries of inconsolable “widows” (usually mustachioed men). Local residents and tourists say goodbye to an enchanting and bright holiday, during which they completely forgot about the problems of everyday life.

The parade ends with fireworks, but people walk until the morning.

The days of the carnival in Santa Cruz depend on the date of Easter, and change from year to year.

Tour price includes

• direct flight Vilnius – Tenerife – Vilnius;
• accommodation 7/10 nights in the selected hotel with the indicated meals;
• transfer airport – hotel – airport;
• services of a Russian-speaking assistant.

Extra charge

• visa to Spain;
• tourist service;
• medical insurance.

Fake Pope on carnival vehicle – Stock Editorial Photo © philipus #9344335

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2011: Fake Pope on carnival vehicle – Stock Editorial Photo © philipus #9344335

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SANTA CRUZ, TENERIFE, SPAIN – MARCH 8: Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival 2011: Fake Pope on carnival vehicle. Photo March 8, 2011

— Photo by philipus

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Tenerife Carnival Dates for 2022

Final Schedule of the Santa Cruz Carnival

The definitive calendar of the Santa Cruz Carnival was made public at the end of March. The party will become the first great event of the post-COVID era in the Canary Islands, once all the restrictions imposed by the regional government have been lifted. The evolution of the pandemic has ended up proving the Santa Cruz City Council right in its decision to delay the celebration of the festival until June, which will allow for a Carnival of “contests, galas and [for the celebrations in the] street”.

After the inauguration of Carnival 2022, on Friday, June 3 at 9:30 p.m. at the Tenerife International Centre for Trade Fairs and Congresses (Recinto Ferial), the Rondallas begin the calendar of competitions, on Saturday, June 4 at 5:00 p. m., in the emblematic Guimerá Theater stage. On Sunday, June 5, at the Recinto Ferial, the Choreographic Festival will begin at 5:00 p.m.

The Guimerá Theater will also host the Los Fregolinos concert on Tuesday, June 7 at 8:30 p.m. A day later, on Wednesday, June 8, also at 8:30 p.m., it will be the turn of the La Zarzuela Festival.

Continuing with the final calendar of the Santa Cruz Carnival 2022, during the second weekend of June, the Carnival Queen Election Gala will be held on Friday, June 10 at 9:30 p.m. On Saturday, June 11 at 9:00 p.m., it will be the turn for the Musical Groups Contest and on Sunday, June 12, starting at 5:00 p.m., it will be the Election Gala of the Senior Carnival Queen.

From Monday 13 to Wednesday 15 June, the 3 phases of the adult murgas will take place, starting at 9:00 p.m., with the final being held on Friday, June 17, also at 9:00 p.m. The Comparsas Contest will be on Saturday, June 18 at 9:00 p. m.; and to close the week, the Junior Carnival Queen Gala, which will be on Sunday, June 19 at 6:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m.

In the last week of June, the 3 phases of the children’s murgas contest will take place, from Monday 20 to Wednesday 22 June, starting at 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 23, will be when, starting at 8:00 p.m., the Carnival in the street begins with a species of Burial of the Sardine. On Friday, June 24 at 7:00 p.m., the traditional Carnival Opening Parade will begin, which will run into the night time dances to the orchestras on the stages distributed throughout the streets of Santa Cruz. On Saturday, June 25, the Daytime Carnival will be held, which will continue until it merges with the second night of carnival in the streets.

On Sunday, June 26, and as the culmination of the 2022 carnival, the Daytime Carnival will be held, to conclude at 8:00 p.m. with the Rhythm and Harmony Contest on Anaga Avenue. A fireworks display will close this edition, the most anticipated in the history of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Calendario definitivo del Carnaval de Santa Cruz: arrancará el 3 de junio

Science Fiction’ to be the theme of Santa Cruz Carnival 2022

Puerto de la Cruz Carnival

• Thursday 24 February 2022 – Election of the Carnival Queen
• Saturday 26 February 2022 – Proclamatory Parade
• Wednesday 2 March 2022 – Burial of the Sardine
• Friday 4 March 2022 – Men´s Marathon in High Heels
• Saturday 5 March 2022 Sunday 6 March – Main Parade

More details: Puerto de la Cruz International Carnival 2022

Los Gigantes Carnival

Los Gigantes held carnival events in August 2022.

Wild street parties at Tenerife Carnival, 28 February

Slip into some fishnets, put on your highest heels, and get ready for some hedonistic street celebrations in the Canary Islands.

And if you’re a man, borrow a party dress, stuff a couple of balloons down the front ;).

When Tenerife Carnival starts, it’s time to shed your inhibitions and join in with the revelry!

If a trip to Rio is beyond your budget, the Tenerife Carnival is the most Brazilian of the Spanish carnivals, an extravaganza of colour, light, music and mayhem.

So how did this all start?

Tenerife Carnival arrived along with the conquistadors at the end of the 15th century.

It was a chance for a last big bash before Lent, like carnivals everywhere.

The Catholic Church tried to ban it, then Franco’s regime sent it underground.

Masks and cross-dressing were crucial for identity concealment – now they’re simply a part of the electrifying atmosphere.

Street parties in Santa Cruz.

Tenerife gets into the Latin spirit weeks before Lent begins, so the start date varies each year.

Main celebrations are in the capital city, Santa Cruz – and most events are free.

Carnival Tenerife-style can be both exhausting and exhilarating.

The best street parties occur over the opening and closing weekends but check the dates for the main events in each part of the island.

Santa Cruz is a popular base, so the crowds can be overwhelming.

Boogie to the beat in Santa Cruz

The first major event of the Carnival is the opening parade – this year’s theme in Santa Cruz is cartoon characters.

What follows is a full week of masked balls, daytime parades full of scantily-clad dancers in flamboyant outfits, and long nights of dancing in the streets to the pulsing beat of Latino-style bands, old-school disco classics and Spanish pop.

Hundreds of thousands of people take part, and it’s very much a pick-and-mix party.

Don’t think you must see everything, or you’ll end up worn out on the first day.

The elected Carnival Queens and their entourages ride elaborately-decorated parade floats, in overwhelmingly huge costumes.

So enormous that they have to be mounted on wheels so that their wearers can move.

Down a Dorada – or two

There is no real need to pack a picnic for the parades – roadside stalls provide an endless flow of beer for the thirsty while tempting food stands to fill the air with the aroma of street food specialities.

Every Canarian carnival celebration tempts visitors with typical dishes to try.

On Tenerife, snack on tortillas de Carnaval, small round pancakes served warm and drizzled with honey.

Santa Cruz mourns the Sardine.

The most surreal of the carnival events in Santa Cruz has to be the Burial of the Sardine.

On Ash Wednesday, a giant paper-mâché sardine, fluttering long eyelashes and painted with bright red lipstick, is carried through the streets.

The Sardine is followed by a funeral cortège of men in drag.

It’s not often that you get to see a huge transvestite fish at the centre of an ostentatious funeral, so make the most of it.

The mourners do – they’re decked out in a parody of widows’ weeds, wailing and sometimes collapsing with grief (or perhaps one too many beers).

It’s a little like the Rocky Horror Show crossed with a gipsy wedding, and the night ends with a flashy firework display as the Big Sardine meets a fiery end.

Get your glad rags on

Tenerife has an all-year-round holiday climate so that you won’t need lots of layers during the daytime on the Island of Eternal Spring.

But February nights can be a bit chilly, and long hours watching the parades mean that sensible shoes are advisable – unless you’re entering the High Heels Marathon.

But you will need a fancy dress to make the most of the Carnaval – and anything goes.

Regulars bring a different outfit for every night.

The giant supermarkets stock Carnaval costumes, and even specialist shops sell outfits and kitsch accessories.

Stalls on the main plazas can provide anything from face paint to unconvincing fake breasts.

The only way to tackle Carnaval’s craziness and full-on sensory attack is to slip into those stockings, throw away your hang-ups, and come well-prepared to stay up all night long.

Top 10 Carnivals in the World (2022)

This is a list of cities that offer the best carnivals in the world, so if you like masquerade parties, you can visit these places.

Venice

Carnival brings joy and celebration to all Italian cities, but by far the most famous Venetian carnival. If you’ve always wanted to be someone else, you’ve come to the right place because masks are very effective. Carnival time: It starts two Saturdays before Clean Wednesday and ends on Maundy Thursday. During this time, you can enjoy various concerts and parades, which are free for all visitors.

Port of Spain

The capital of Trinidad and Tobago is well known for its carnival. This is the largest event of its kind in the Caribbean. During carnival, “slave” celebrations are often combined with Catholic customs. The locals dance happily in the streets so you can join them in celebration, and here you can taste food you won’t find anywhere else in the western hemisphere.

Montevideo

And the capital of Uruguay has its own carnival. If you come here in late January or early February, don’t be surprised by the sound of drums in the streets of the city, because this is a carnival ceremony. If you visit this city at any other time, you should know that there is also a carnival museum that you can visit.

Rijeka

Croats love this carnival in Rijeka, which attracts people from all over Croatia, as well as visitors from abroad. The highlight of the carnival ceremony is the parade in the city center, and the ringers are the hallmark of the carnival.

Quebec

Quebec has a slightly different carnival. During the carnival, the city is specially decorated and decorated, and winter sports are the most popular. The city is full of ice rinks, ice sculptures, and various shows including skiing, field hockey, and sled dogs.

New Orleans

This city is known as the cradle of jazz, but also as the place where perhaps the best carnival after Rio and Venice is held – Mardi Gras. Here, the masks are perhaps the most creative, and every year during the carnival, a river of domestic and foreign tourists flows into the city. It’s best to join the parade and have fun!

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

The winter is warm here, so the pleasant climate is a big plus for visiting the carnival. Having fun under the masks, you will enjoy the sun’s rays. The carnival is quite extravagant, reminiscent of the Brazilian one.

Mazatlán

Mazatlán hosts the largest carnival in Mexico and the third largest in the world. It is said that this carnival is actually a mixture of everything and everything – mariachis, fiestas, Christian traditions… There are also fireworks, parades and live music, so if you are a fan of all this, visit this city during the carnival.

Basel

In this city, carnival usually starts a week after carnivals around the world end. This carnival lasts from February to March and is a worldwide Protestant carnival with about 20,000 people.

Rio de Janeiro

The most famous and largest carnival in the world takes place every year in Rio de Janeiro. This is one of the most important events of Brazilian culture, which begins 40 days before Easter. Several million people take to the streets, dance the samba, and there is fun all over the city. This carnival is definitely worth putting on your wish list.

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Blog about Tenerife – interesting articles and notes about life in Tenerife

For everyone born in the USSR, the very word “Carnival” was a symbol of something distant and exotic. No, it is clear that the unforgettable Gurchenko in “Carnival Night” tried (and very successfully) to break this stereotype, but still CARNIVAL, like an enchanting procession, and not a decorous absorption of five-star cognac to the chiming clock, is a foreign and mysterious phenomenon for a Russian person, but the city of Rio de Janeiro, in which the most famous carnival takes place, is another planet altogether. This becomes especially clear when, entering the house from the February blizzard, you see a report from the summer, in which curvaceous tanned beauties in feathers, right now, at this moment, are dancing along a sunny street framed by palm trees. Dream…

But this dream is not as far as it seems. The bright February carnival takes place not only in Brazilian Rio (by the way, one of the most criminal cities in the world, where watching a procession can cost you a wallet and a phone at best). The capital of the Canary Islands, Santa Cruz, competes confidently with Rio, arranging a holiday in February that is in no way inferior to the Brazilian carnival. At this time, tourists from all over the world come to Tenerife to see this bright and exciting show.

All the streets of the city are filled with festive flow and stormy, unbridled fun. Loud music, contagious dances, bright costumes, feathers, masks, fireworks – all this goes on from dawn to dawn, pulling in a wave of everyone who accidentally or deliberately came into view.
The election of the carnival queen is a special moment of celebration, the queen is not just a title, it is a symbol around which the whole enchanting action develops.

Throughout the year, the islanders are looking for candidates for this high post, and local designers prepare simply incredible outfits that can amaze even the most sophisticated viewer. At the same time, in addition to exclusiveness and originality, each costume must correspond to the theme of this year’s carnival.

Of particular interest are young ladies who claim to receive the title of queen: they are distinguished not only by brightness, beauty and sexuality, but also by amazing endurance (which, of course, affects their forms). Imagine: the weight of one dress reaches ten to fifteen kilograms, and you have to dance for several hours in it!

The “sardine funeral” completes the carnival – a very funny ritual, somewhat reminiscent of our Shrovetide.