Festival Luna Mora in Guaro

by Richard
(Marbella)

Some people were telling us about a festival with candles in the village of Guaro. Can you tell me more about it and when it is supposed to take place?

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Sep 17, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Entrance to Luna Mora
by: Marbella Family

No, you don't have to pay entrance. However, the festival is over. It was held September 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2012. Try again next year.
Sep 16, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		lunarmora
by: Anonymous

Do you have to pay to enter guarro, even if you do not wish to go to the concerts?
Sep 12, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		A Must See!
by: Marbella Family

We attended the Luna Mora festival 2011 and had a great time. We went with the kids at about 7:00pm, but I recommend you get there between 5:00 - 6:30pm. This way you can park directly in the village instead of having to take the 5 minute bus ride from the massive parking lot down below.

Keep in mind that there are two entrances to the festival. The closer one is through the village of Monda (about 20 minutes from La Cañada shopping center in Marbella). However, you can only enter this way if you have advance purchased tickets for the concert that night (if you try to enter after 7:00pm). Otherwise, you will be directed to go through the village of Coin, which is another 10 - 15 minute drive.

If you are going with the kids, I highly recommend you get there early, because it gets really crowded. We arrived at 7pm and the crowds just started to enter and it was still daylight, so we were able to have a bite to eat and managed to find a table to sit down at. We also could see all the tables selling artisanal goods and handmade arts and crafts.

When night began to fall the candles lit up the whole village, which was absolutely gorgeous. Bring your camera!!

By about 10:00 the kids wanted to eat again, but it was a lot trickier this time. The crowds were in full force and we couldn´t find a table, so we wound up eating shwarmas on the sidewalk. We couldn´t see what people were selling anymore, because it was too dark and there were to many people pushing and shoving. The kids were tired by 11:00 and it was time to go home.

As we were leaving we could see the lines of cars waiting to enter. The bus driver said the last bus leaves at 5:00am, so this festival lasts all night long.
Sep 08, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Magical!
by: Katherine

Truly magical! Definite place to go :)
Sep 07, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Luna de Mora
by: LindsayinSpain

This has to be one of my favourite festivals, I was lucky enough to see Paco de Lucia performing there last year - the whole setting of the new open air theatre is surreal against the moorish moon, and what a privilege to see one of the worlds greatest guitarists playing back near his home town
Aug 25, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Festival Luna Mora 2011
by: Anonymous

This year the festival Luna Mora in Guaro is taking place over two weekends - September 9 &10, 16 & 17, 2011
Sep 12, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Festival de la Luna Mora 2010
by: Marbella Family

The Luna Mora Festival is a cultural event that takes place over two weekends in the village of Guaro, which is situated in the Sierra de las Nieves natural reserve park near Monda, just 15 - 20 minutes from Marbella.

This year the festival takes place on September 10th and 11th and then again on the following weekend of the 17th and 18th.

One of the biggest attractions of the festival is that the whole village of Guaro is illuminated with 20,000 candles, which makes for a very surreal and beautiful ambiance bringing the village to life at night.

The Festival de la Luna Mora, which translates as The Festival of the Moorish Moon, began in 1997 as a spiritual tribute to Andalucia´s Muslim, Christian and Jewish past. Each year there are different artists performing music and dance with Arabic, Andalusian, Sephardic, European and Mediterranean influences. Tourists and locals alike join in the festivities of outdoor entertainment, drinking, eating and shopping all under the stars of a warm summer night.

Nearly 50,000 visitors flock to the city over the two weekends to enjoy the many events that take place in the city´s historical center. Some of the events taking place this year are:

Moorish arts and crafts market (opens around 5:00pm)
Painting with candles workshop
Candle lighting ceremony (around 6:00pm)
Children´s chess workshop
Parades
Children´s storytelling
Percussion and afro-arabic rhythms workshop
Tea concert
Henna workshop for children and adults

Every year special internationally and nationally renowned performers come to Guaro to perform. This year Guaro invites Paco de Lucía (world famous flamenco guitarist), Antonio Orozco, Diana Navarro and Vicente Amigo among others. To visit these concerts you must purchase tickets that vary from ?22 to ?32.

The atmosphere in Guaro during the festival is very Arabic which is smelled by the incense in the air and seen in the stalls selling Moorish handicrafts, sweet cakes, folk jewellery, henna tattoos and green tea. The performers even dress up in traditional costumes to play Arabic and Andalusian music or bellydance.

To get to Guaro from Marbella, take the A355 from the La Cañada shopping center also known as the road to Ojen. Continue straight until you see the signs exiting to Guaro on the right hand side. This should only take you about 15 or 20 minutes. Try to get there early as parking fills up quickly. If you are late then there is a "park and ride" service that will bring visitors by bus to the village safely.

For more information and program schedule visit the Luna Mora website www.lunamora.org

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