What is the Moros y Cristianos de Alcoy?
Alcoy, or Alcoi in Valencian, is an industrial town in the mountains of the Alicante province, in eastern Spain. Every April, it stages the most famous of the many Moros y Cristianos, Moors and Christians, festivals held across the region. For three days, the town is taken over by thousands of people in spectacular costumes, marching bands, and battles re-enacting the medieval struggle between Muslim and Christian armies.
The festival honours Saint George, the patron of Alcoy. According to tradition, the town was attacked in April 1276 by the forces of the Muslim leader al-Azraq, and the saint appeared on the walls to defend it. The town made a vow to celebrate him each year, and documents of that vow go back to 1317. The festival was declared of International Tourist Interest in 1980.
The festival is organized by groups called filaes, 14 on the Christian side and 14 on the Moorish side, each with its own costumes, music and traditions. Members prepare all year, and the costumes, from glittering Moorish robes and turbans to Christian armour and plumes, are among the most lavish of any festival in Spain. In recent editions, the parade has drawn around 14,500 participants, and the town of about 60,000 people swells to around 200,000.
The highlight is the Entrada, the parade in which the Christian and Moorish armies enter the town, each led by a captain on horseback, with marching bands playing pasodobles and festival marches written for the occasion. The third day brings the Alardo, the battle for the castle built in the main square, with gunpowder and arquebuses, ending with the appearance of Saint George on the battlements.
What to expect
The festival runs for three days around April 23, Saint George's Day, with the dates sometimes moved when Easter falls late.
Day one
The Entradas
The Christian army enters the town in the morning, and the Moorish army in the afternoon, in long, slow parades of filaes, bands, captains and horses.
Day two
Saint George
The day of the saint brings processions, masses and the children's procession of Sant Jordiet, a boy who plays the young Saint George.
Day three
The Alardo
The armies battle for the castle in the square with gunpowder, until Saint George appears on the battlements to end the fight.
Costumes in the Alcoi parades
Photo by Xavier68 / flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Planning your trip
Getting there
Alcoy is about an hour by road from Alicante, whose airport has flights from across Europe, and about an hour and a half from Valencia. Buses run from Alicante, and the town is on a regional railway line from Valencia via Xàtiva.
Where to stay
Alcoy has a small number of hotels, which fill up for the festival. Many visitors stay in Alicante, Valencia or the towns of the Costa Blanca and travel to Alcoy for the day.
What it costs
Watching from the streets is free, with paid seats for the Entradas. Alcoy and the region are affordable, with good, inexpensive food in the town's bars and restaurants.
Go like you know
- Visit the Museu Alcoià de la Festa to see costumes and learn the history of the festival.
- Try the café licor, Alcoy's coffee liqueur, and olives farcides, stuffed olives, in the town's bars.
- Listen for the festival marches, a whole genre of music composed for the Moors and Christians.
- Stay for the evening, when the town fills with music, bands and members of the filaes celebrating in the bars and the festival headquarters.
- If you can't make it in April, many other towns in the region, such as Villena and Elda, hold their own Moors and Christians festivals.
- Valencia's Las Fallas, in March, burns giant sculptures in the streets.
- Alicante's Hogueras de San Juan, in June, is the province's other great fiesta.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Moros y Cristianos de Alcoy in 2027?
In 2027, the Entrada is on Saturday, April 24, Saint George's Day on Sunday, April 25, and the Alardo on Monday, April 26. The festival is usually held from April 22 to 24, but the dates move when Easter falls late or the days fall on weekdays.
What is a filà?
A filà is one of the groups that make up the armies of the festival, each with its own costume, music and traditions. There are 14 Christian and 14 Moorish filaes in Alcoy. Members pay fees, rehearse all year, and march together in the parades and battles.
Is it safe to watch the Alardo?
Yes, if you stay out of the marked areas. The battles use real gunpowder fired from arquebuses, and the noise and smoke are intense. Spectators watch from the edges of the square and the streets around it. Bring ear protection, especially for children.
