Alicante meets Galicia: Seafood, wine and bagpipes

Alicante welcomes the famous MarisGalicia seafood festival for the first time this March.

From 06 to 22 March, the event takes place in a large tent at El Muelle Live, in the Volvo Ocean Race area. The space covers more than 1,500 m² and has room for over 1,000 diners.

Inside, it has been transformed to look like a traditional Galician port, complete with open kitchens, food counters, a bakery, a rice station and even a live shellfish tank.

Alicante: 20 tonnes of seafood

The figures are impressive. This year, organisers expect more than 18,000 visitors. In total, around 20 tonnes of seafood will be served. Alongside this, guests will enjoy some 10,000 bottles of Albariño and Ribeiro wine.

Meanwhile, the menu highlights some of Galicia’s best-known specialities. Dishes include fresh Atlantic barnacles, tender langoustines and Pulpo a la gallega. Visitors can also try large spider crab legs. As a result, the focus remains firmly on the classic flavours of northern Spain.

The key to MarisGalicia is simple. Trucks bring live seafood daily from Galicia directly to Alicante, with no middlemen. This keeps the produce fresh and prices reasonable.

Alicante Seafood Festival: How it works

The system is simple. First, visitors take a paper sheet. Next, they walk around the different stands and choose what they would like. In this way, each person can build their own menu.

Once they have made their selections, they can sit down to eat. They may choose a table inside the tent or, alternatively, a spot on the terrace.

The event features six main stands:

A bakery with empanadas, cakes and traditional Galician bread
A rice stand where chefs prepare classic rice dishes
A pulpería dedicated to octopus
A grill and stew area with a live fish tank where you choose your seafood
A bar serving wines and spirits
A souvenir stall

All of this is paired with Galician wines at accessible prices.

Music, bagpipes and the famous conxuro

The festival is not only about food. In addition, live bagpipe music and traditional Galician dances help to create an authentic atmosphere.

On Saturday evenings, from 23:00, visitors can take part in the well-known conxuro ritual. During the ceremony, participants recite traditional words believed to drive away bad spirits. At the centre of the event is a large queimada, a typical Galician fire punch that is prepared and set alight as part of the spectacle.

Meanwhile, the tent itself is decorated with fishing nets, buoys and other maritime details. Outside, an exhibition of 40 large photographs showcases Galicia’s landscapes, culture and produce..