https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The San Sebastián International Film Festival, the most prestigious of its kind in Spain, kicks off on Friday September 18th. Here are 10 fascinating anecdotes and pieces of information that will help you understand its importance to Spanish culture. https://www.thelocal.es/20240919/san-sebastian-what-to-know-about-spains-biggest-film-festival Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:23:36 +0200 san-sebastian-what-to-know-about-spains-biggest-film-festival Hollywood stars Naomi Watts, Brad Pitt and Penélope Cruz are due to grace Spain's San Sebastián Film Festival from Friday, where great expectations await a mini-series by Chile's Pablo Larraín. https://www.thelocal.es/20260917/brad-pitt-and-naomi-watts-to-light-up-spains-top-film-festival Thu, 17 Sep 2026 15:49:45 +0200 brad-pitt-and-naomi-watts-to-light-up-spains-top-film-festival Spain's Oscar entry "The Black Ball" has proven buzzy across the festival circuit, as its powerful message championing LGBTQ rights emerges from intertwined storylines revolving around sexuality and the Spanish Civil War. https://www.thelocal.es/20260917/what-to-know-about-spains-oscar-contender-the-black-ball Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:06:50 +0200 what-to-know-about-spains-oscar-contender-the-black-ball British rockers Oasis on Monday announced a new world tour in 2027 with shows planned in Paris, Munich, Barcelona and Rome after the sell-out success of their surprise comeback tour last year. https://www.thelocal.es/20260914/british-rockers-oasis-announce-tour-dates-in-paris-munich-barcelona-and-rome Mon, 14 Sep 2026 18:22:40 +0200 british-rockers-oasis-announce-tour-dates-in-paris-munich-barcelona-and-rome Small town Spain is breaking down barriers and showing that 'pueblos' can be progressive and welcoming places for sexual minorities, even helping revitalise some of the country's depopulated areas at the same time. https://www.thelocal.es/20260701/how-rural-spain-is-embracing-lgbtq-initiatives Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:14:58 +0200 how-rural-spain-is-embracing-lgbtq-initiatives Nobody celebrates festivities with quite the same flair and diversity as Spain, and Saint John's Eve (June 23rd or 24th) is no exception. https://www.thelocal.es/20190621/san-juan-this-is-how-spain-celebrates-midsummer Fri, 21 Jun 2019 13:25:25 +0200 san-juan-this-is-how-spain-celebrates-midsummer US astronaut Christina Koch, the first woman to take part in a lunar mission, was on Wednesday named the winner of a top Spanish prize for having "helped extend the frontiers of humanity". https://www.thelocal.es/20260618/ground-breaking-us-astronaut-christina-koch-wins-top-spanish-award Thu, 18 Jun 2026 09:03:51 +0200 ground-breaking-us-astronaut-christina-koch-wins-top-spanish-award Spanish star Javier Bardem made his mark in Hollywood on Tuesday, leaving his hand- and foot-prints in the cement outside the Chinese Theatre, alongside movie legends like Marilyn Monroe and Jack Nicholson. https://www.thelocal.es/20260617/spanish-actor-javier-bardem-leaves-his-mark-on-hollywood-boulevard Wed, 17 Jun 2026 07:48:45 +0200 spanish-actor-javier-bardem-leaves-his-mark-on-hollywood-boulevard The Local Spain's reporter and long-term Barcelona resident Esme Fox reports from the Sagrada Familia as Pope Leo XIV blesses its tallest tower. https://www.thelocal.es/20260611/the-local-spain-attends-popes-historic-mass-at-barcelonas-sagrada-familia Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:52:01 +0200 the-local-spain-attends-popes-historic-mass-at-barcelonas-sagrada-familia Veteran British author Julian Barnes was on Wednesday named the winner of Spain's top literature prize for decades of work that "offers a lucid, warm and compassionate vision of humanity". https://www.thelocal.es/20260611/uk-writer-julian-barnes-wins-top-spanish-literature-prize Thu, 11 Jun 2026 08:42:47 +0200 uk-writer-julian-barnes-wins-top-spanish-literature-prize Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny kicks off a series of 10 concerts on Saturday in Madrid, a city with a booming Latino population now emerging as a new hub of the Latin music industry. https://www.thelocal.es/20260527/how-madrid-became-europes-gateway-for-latin-music Wed, 27 May 2026 10:08:55 +0200 how-madrid-became-europes-gateway-for-latin-music Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest on Sunday with Dara's catchy floor-filler "Bangaranga" sweeping the 70th edition of the world's biggest live televised music event and pushing into second place Israel, whose participation had triggered a major boycott. https://www.thelocal.es/20260517/bulgarias-bangaranga-wins-eurovision-with-israel-second Sun, 17 May 2026 10:44:45 +0200 bulgarias-bangaranga-wins-eurovision-with-israel-second Watching Spanish TV can often feel like it's all just ads, and the actual programmes are the fillers. Why is it that ad breaks in Spain often run for more than 12 minutes? https://www.thelocal.es/20241115/why-are-tv-ad-breaks-so-long-in-spain Fri, 15 Nov 2024 10:32:25 +0100 why-are-tv-ad-breaks-so-long-in-spain The public broadcasters for Spain, Ireland and Slovenia said Monday they will not show the 70th anniversary Eurovision Song Contest this week, as they boycott the TV extravaganza over Israel's participation. https://www.thelocal.es/20260511/boycotting-spain-will-not-show-eurovision-on-tv Mon, 11 May 2026 15:07:54 +0200 boycotting-spain-will-not-show-eurovision-on-tv The swish of a flamenco skirt, the soft beat of hooves drumming on the roads and the smell of sweet sherry, these are the senses you'll experience at Jerez de la Frontera’s Feria del Caballo in May, a worthy alternative to Seville's busy April Fair. https://www.thelocal.es/20240422/flamenco-horses-and-sherry-jerezs-feria-del-caballo Mon, 22 Apr 2024 09:19:14 +0200 flamenco-horses-and-sherry-jerezs-feria-del-caballo How is it possible that there can be such a difference between two neighbouring countries so culturally similar, with related Romance languages and tourism-based economies? https://www.thelocal.es/20231102/why-do-portuguese-people-speak-much-better-english-than-spaniards Thu, 02 Nov 2023 11:00:14 +0100 why-do-portuguese-people-speak-much-better-english-than-spaniards The Eurovision Song Contest is famous for celebrating everything from cross-dressing ballad singers to heavy metal bands in monster masks, but geopolitics is threatening its 70th anniversary edition. https://www.thelocal.es/20260426/geopolitics-threatens-70th-anniversary-of-eurovision Sun, 26 Apr 2026 13:03:11 +0200 geopolitics-threatens-70th-anniversary-of-eurovision Spain is the fourth country in the world with the most sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list, just behind Italy, China and Germany, and with so many there's bound to be several you haven't heard of. https://www.thelocal.es/20230929/spains-lesser-known-unesco-world-heritage-sites Fri, 29 Sep 2023 09:03:36 +0200 spains-lesser-known-unesco-world-heritage-sites Spanish singer Rosalia spent her early years training in classrooms, rehearsal spaces and small venues across Barcelona as she developed the voice and style that would define her career. https://www.thelocal.es/20260415/rosalia-caps-journey-from-student-to-star-with-barcelona-concerts Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:17:23 +0200 rosalia-caps-journey-from-student-to-star-with-barcelona-concerts Every year, the small Catalan town of Verges celebrates Easter in a unique way - the hair-raising 'Danza de la Muerte', or Dance of Death. https://www.thelocal.es/20260401/dance-of-death-spanish-holy-weeks-spookiest-celebration Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:00:01 +0200 dance-of-death-spanish-holy-weeks-spookiest-celebration