A total of 32 nationalities are represented at the fair. Marina Rivas

Feria Internacional de los Países fills Fuengirola with flavour, music and colour

Until Monday, the town's fairground will host its most iconic festival, where cultures from many corners of the world come together

Marina Rivas

Fuengirola

Friday, 28 April 2023, 11:41

Fuengirola's popular Feria Internacional de los Países kicked off in style yesterday (Thursday 27 April) with stands for 32 nations proudly displaying their culture.

Previously known as the Feria de los Pueblos, the event got off to a great start with a steady stream of tourists coming through the fairgrounds' gates, and with the long 1 May weekend, even bigger crowds are expected to visit and soak up the various cultures.

With the warmer than usual temperatures, the fair makes it easy to imagine yourself on holiday in the Caribbean enjoying an authentic Cuban mojito or the catchy beat of the music coming from the Dominican Republic stand. But to escape the heat you can also head inside each nation's booth.

There is something for everyone when it comes to music: the United Kingdom goes for its well-known British pop-rock, Mexico, of course, for its rancheras and mariachis, Ireland is a fan of live rock bands and the Latin American countries are undoubtedly the most acclaimed by the young public, who enjoy music, but above all, dancing inside each nation's booth.

If you are a foodie, it is definitely worth spending at least one day here. The more curious will enjoy dishes unknown to the general public: from a zebra or buffalo burger at the South African stand or a kangaroo steak at the Australian stand, to sweets such as kurtos kalacs from Romania.

There are the latino classics such as arepas or empanadas, kebabs from Turkey, sushi from Japan, woks from China, hot dogs from the United States... And of course, the Argentinian asado. Of all the grills you can find at this fair, the Argentinean one is the most striking: metres and metres of grilled meat... even on the bonnet of a car. It is one of the must-see nations at this year's fair.

But of course, it would not be a proper cultural fair without the flair that the host country brings, Spain. The Spanish stand, although clearly focused on foreign tourism due to its decoration - with bulls, the Meninas or the Puerta de Alcalá - stands out for its gastronomy, where you can find everything from octopus or veal, to ham, cheese, and of course, sweet wine from Malaga.