El
Rocio
is to
be
found
on the
edge
of the
Doñana
National
Park
and is
normally
a
quiet
town
with
some
bars
and
restaurants.
At the
feast
of
Pentecost
however,
the
town
comes
alive
with
the
arrival
of the
famous
Romeria,
a
religious
festival
in
which
millions
of
pilgrims
gather
to
sing
the
praises
of the
Virgin,
more
popularly
known
as the
Blanca
Paloma
or
White
Dove
who
appeared
in the
13th
century
and
has
become
one of
the
most
important
objects
of
devotion
in the
whole
of
Andalucia. This special day is 50 days after Easter Sunday.
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The
town
consists
of
streets
of
sand
in a
grid-based
urban
layout
with
one or
two
storey
houses
and
rows
and
rows of
churches
and
chapels.
Pictured
above
and
below
is the Santuario
of
Nuestra
Señora
de el
Rocio,
the
biggest
construction
in the
town. |
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Low cost car hire in this part of Spain - Instant quotes, online booking and guaranteed reservations. Access to all the top car hire companies in Spain |
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The
lake
in El
Rocio
is
home
to
flamingos
and
other
birds.
The
lake
is
encompassed
by a
pleasant
walkway
with
seating. |
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Pictured
Right
is
just
one
row of
churches
that
form a
square
around
a
green
area. |
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The pilgrimage to El Rocio is one of the largest religious festivals in Spain and certainly the largest in Andalucia. Romerios from all over the region head for El Rocio. The hermanidads (Brotherhoods) all meet for the weekend. El Rocio is suddenly thrust into a mass of colour and music. More than a million people are usually in attendance to pay their respects to the Virgen. Read about our visit here, along with a video. |
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