Have you heard of Els Bous a la Mar? It’s a festival declared to be of National Tourist Interest in Denia. It’s one of the most famous celebrations in this city of Spain.
This festival is also one of the oldest traditions of Spain and the biggest attraction during the festival of Denia that happens in July.
When And Where Do These Celebrations Happen?
It’s during the festival of the Most Holy Sang that the Denia bulls are highly celebrated. This is the week when patron saint festivities in the municipality take place.
This awesome festival always takes place at the beginning of the month of July. This happens somewhere in the week of the Day of the Most Holy Blood.
In the year 2022, the festival of Els Bous a la Mar will take place from July 9 (Saturday) to July 17 (Sunday).
Bous to Sea takes place in the port of Denia in a semicircular square near the fish market. This enclosure has been prepared particularly for this very festival.
Prices For The Festival
If you wish to attend this festival, the tickets will be cheaper for you during the morning sessions and will get costlier for the afternoon and evening sessions.
If you are booking the morning show, it will cost you only 1 Euro. The afternoon show can cost you anywhere between 3 Euros to 5 Euros approximately.
The reason why the cost of the tickets goes slightly higher in the afternoon is that more and more people want to attend the show during this time, naturally making the availability difficult, hence more expensive.
You can purchase the tickets from the box office at the square. This box office only opens an hour before the show starts and remains closed for the rest of the time.
If you are attending the show in 2022, the prices are as follows:
- 5 Euros of general admission in the afternoon
- 3 Euros as a late ticket for retirees and children
- 1 Euro for morning entrance
A Brief History Of The Festival
If we are to believe the works of Roc Chabàs, a historian, the origin of this festival can be traced back to 1749. The bulls came from Marina Alta’s capital somewhere in October 1749.
That being said, we can’t yet take his words at their face value. There are documents that date back to the XNUMXth century proving the existence of bullfights back in those days as well.
Although, bullfights in ancient days happened mainly in the community near the municipality itself and far away from the sea.
Water became the differentiating factor of the festival only after the port dock had been built and the square was opened. Back in the second decade of the XNUMXth century, these bullfights were a part of the Sant Pere festivals.
Conclusion
The festival has been going on for almost a century now and not much has changed about it, except that perhaps it has become more inclusive. In its very essence, Bous a La Mar has not changed at all – it’s still the same.
That being said, this festival has become extremely important from the perspective of tourism and tourist interest. That’s right, Bous a la Mar is now a National Tourist Interest that attracts hundreds and sometimes thousands of tourists from around the whole world.
This festival is not only a cultural heritage but also one of the oldest festivals that still survives and represents the city. What’s perhaps a little sad, though, is the fact that despite being a festival of national interest since 1993, somehow, its relevance and importance have decreased over time.
