Watch Out For... La Romería del Rocio

Spain's biggest pilgrimage is coming up in June when over 1 million people take to the streets and countryside of Andalucia to worship the Shrine of the Virgin Mary, sing, eat, dance and celebrate in the small village of El Rocio in Huelva.

It is generally a very traditional event with most people travelling on foot or on horseback, the pilgrimage was first established 800 years ago and it is still going strong. Of course urban legends and myths surround the statue at the shrine as with any great religious figure: the hunter who found the statue in the trunk of a tree claimed it could cure disease, infertility and mental illnesses.

The fiesta atmosphere done best by the Spanish

Despite being a religious festival there is a great party atmosphere to be found, as with any Spanish Fiesta: women wear bright gypsy skirts and men wear traditional wide- brimmed bolero hats. Accompanied by the sound of tambourines, flutes and guitars the crowd sings traditional folk- songs such as "Viva La Reina de la Marisma" (Long Live the Queen of the Marshes) as they enter the village and set up camp for the next two days.

The Shrine of the Virgin Mary in Rocio- the centrepiece of the pilgrimage taken by 1million people each year

First time visitors have the chance to baptise themselves by dipping their hats in water and pouring it over themselves and everyone enjoys the traditional food and music and general festivities until the village empties and becomes quiet again for another year.