Linea Directa 200 LEFT COL CAR INSURANCE

PROPERTY SEARCH

Date Published: 25/03/2026

Spain strips town of its historical fiesta's tourist status for refusing to let women participate

The controversy in the Valencian Community has raised fresh questions about gender and tradition in Spain

Spain has begun the process of stripping Sagunto’s Holy Week of its Festival of National Tourist Interest status after a row over the exclusion of women.

The decision was announced by the Ministry of Tourism after one of the town’s main religious brotherhoods publicly opposed allowing women to take part in its processions. According to the ministry, the move goes against principles of equality that events with national recognition are expected to uphold.

The case has put Sagunto, in Valencia, firmly in the spotlight and reignited a wider debate about tradition versus equality in Spain’s most famous fiestas.

Officials explained that while religious and cultural traditions are respected, they cannot override basic rights. The government now plans to move ahead with formally revoking the event’s status, a label that helps attract visitors from across Spain and beyond.

This is not the first time tensions over women’s participation have surfaced. In recent years, similar disputes have emerged in other parts of the country, often involving long-standing traditions that historically excluded women.

One high-profile example came in Tenerife, where a centuries-old brotherhood that only admitted men was forced to change its rules. In 2024, the Constitutional Court ruled in favour of a woman who had been denied entry, stating that the exclusion breached her fundamental rights.

A similar controversy played out in the Region of Murcia in 2025, when a religious brotherhood in Cartagena faced complaints after refusing to allow women to take part in one of its parade groups. The case drew national attention and even involved the Ombudsman.

There have also been gradual changes elsewhere. Events that were once male-only, such as San Sebastián’s famous Tamborrada, have become largely mixed over time, with women now making up a significant share of participants.

Even so, some traditions continue to resist change. In certain festivals and religious events, organisers still argue that limiting roles based on gender is part of preserving their historical identity.

Back in Sagunto, the government’s intervention sends a clear message that public recognition comes with responsibilities. According to officials, events that benefit from national status must reflect modern values as well as cultural heritage.

The final decision on the fiesta’s status is now pending, but the debate it has sparked is unlikely to fade anytime soon.

Linea Directa Bottom Article M-Z CAR INSURANCE

Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox

Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)