Michael Coy
THE bullfighting season has arrived, and, if you live in Andalucia, there’s no escaping the buzz.
Sevilla’s iconic ‘cartel’ (poster), markied the official launch on Easter Sunday.
As tradition dictates, Sevilla kicks things off with a 10-day festival of toros, featuring three legendary matadors: Morante, Talavante, and Daniel Luque.
I should point out things are different over in Valencia where the season started with the region’s Fallas festival last month.
So, you’ve decided to attend a bullfight. What should you know before stepping into the ring?
First, avoid buying tickets from a tout. You’ll find plenty of them hanging around major bullrings like Sevilla’s historic La Maestranza and Las Ventas in Madrid.
If this is your first bullfight, however, you may find yourself in a smaller ring, such as Inca in Mallorca.
But even in Inca, beware of the ‘scalper’ – they’ve got an eye for tourists and will try to offload overpriced tickets to unsuspecting visitors.
The solution? Head to the official ticket office (the taquilla), as even on the evening of the event, it’s rare that a bullfight will sell out, and you’ll avoid being ripped off.
Next, decide: ‘sol’, ‘sombra’, or ‘sol y sombra’?
Sol tickets are budget-friendly, but there’s a catch: you’ll be roasting in the sun for over two hours.
Plus, the matadors have a preference for the shaded areas of the ring, so the bulls will tend to end up there, leaving you squinting and missing much of the action.
Sombra tickets, on the other hand, place you in the shade, offering the best view of the action – but they come at a premium price.
Then there’s the sol y sombra option, where you get the best of both worlds: part sun, part shade.
Ticket-sellers might ask if you have a preferred ‘tendida’, which refers to the sections or ‘segments’ of the bullring.
If you’re aiming for authenticity, tendida 7 is where the true aficionados sit. Be prepared for some loud cheers, occasional catcalls, and the spirited energy of diehard fans.
Now, with your ticket bought, you’ve got an hour to kill before the event begins.
The tradition here is that the real locals won’t be at the ring just yet. They’re all in nearby bars, enjoying a pre-fight drink.
If you show up early, don’t be surprised to find yourself surrounded by a sea of foreigners – Spaniards are in no rush.
When it’s time to head in, find the gate marked with your ticket details. If the signs aren’t clear, don’t hesitate to ask one of the helpful stewards. They’ll point you in the right direction.
Once inside, it’s time for the ultimate Spanish experience: the ‘cushion dilemma’.
For a few euros, you can rent a charity cushion to soften the hard concrete seating – highly recommended if you want to survive the two-and-a-half-hour ordeal without discomfort.
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And then the fun begins. A steward will lead you to your ‘fila’ (the row of seats you’re assigned). It’s perfectly fine to tip them for their help, though it’s not obligatory
But hold on – what if the old guy in the beret is sitting in your spot?
This is all part of the spectacle. In Spain, personal space is a foreign concept, and within seconds, the crowd will be up in arms, debating whether the beret-wearing man or you deserves the seat.
Don’t expect a quick resolution. When the old chap realizes you’re not going to back down, he’ll shuffle off, and you can finally settle in.
As you catch your breath, ensuring you’ve got your white linen handkerchief on hand, you’ll find that the real action hasn’t even started yet.
Just another part of the unique charm of the bullfighting experience!
Torturing magestic animals to death for the entertainment of a paying crowd is disgusting. Michael Coy is complicit for his own personal gain.
What a deceiving one-sided article, making the torturing to death of innocent animals sound like entertainment!
Where in this piece of ‚journalism‘ is the description of the torture of bulls starting even before the actual insanity of them being stabbed to death in the bullring? How come it doesn’t mention the torture the horses go through that are abused for this as well such as having their vocal cords cut to prevent them from screaming in horror of being forced to run around an injured panicking bull?
whether this article was paid for by those who still support this violence or the reporter is pro animal abuse- shame on olive press to not take a stand against cruelty.
As surely as night follows day just the mention of the word “bullfight” ( an incredibly inapt English name for corrida) brings out the usual contingent of angry antis all a-quiver with self-righteousness Anglo-Saxon indignation. Not for one second will any attempt to address what is, like it or not, a part of Spanish culture be tolerated and anybody foolish enough to even show a flicker of curiosity is immediately branded as a monster on a par with Torquemada or Mengele. Aficionados are not just bloodthirsty drooling knuckle-draggers, but in many cases highly sophisticated and artistically aware individuals. Anglophones are guests in Andalucía – no one demands acceptance, but perhaps a little less vitriolic rhetoric . To finish – my respect to the editors of O.P for publishing an article which I am sure does not reflect their own personal views . Bravo or should I say Ole.
Thanks Chris, and your last point is spot on.
Most of us – although not all of us – oppose bullfighting, but as it’s very much part of the Spanish culture, is still legal and does bring various benefits to the country, we try to be as balanced as possible.
tradition is no excuse for cruelty. slavery was once a tradition, but we now know better and evolved. time to end this needless animal abuse.
The only reason it still exists is due to the massive subsidies it receives. The vast majority of Spanish people, especially the young, are opposed to bullfighting as all opinion polls have shown.