Virgen del Carmen procession in Fuengirola declared festival of tourist interest

The procession of the Virgen del Carmen in Fuengirola has been declared a ‘unique festival of tourist interest’ by Malaga's provincial authority (the Diputación), a recognition that was also given to the iconic image of the Los Boliches district last year.

The recognition was announced earlier this week by the town’s mayor, Ana Mula, and Manuel Díaz, the head of the brotherhood that maintains the image and which organises the elaborate procession each year on 16 July.

As with other towns along the Costa del Sol, thousands of locals and tourists attend this procession each year, the most spectacular part of which is when the image of the Virgin, patron of fishermen and seafarers, is escorted into the sea in order to bless the waters.

The mayor said that this seal of approval by the provincial authority gives these celebrations an “extraordinary character” that “elevates them to a higher category”, which is important as an “instrument for promoting tourism and conservation of a cultural heritage based on the deepest traditions”.