Seafood Festival in O Grove (Galicia), 2nd-12th October: Ahoy seafood lovers! Ready to slurp up oysters and chew on octopus until your belly screams “enough, I can’t take any more deliciousness”? This “Fiesta in Honour of Seafood” couldn’t be held in a more appropriate setting – Galicia – with its quaint port towns and generous helpings.

Human Castle Competition in Tarragona (Catalonia), 28th September – 5th October: Prepare to be gobsmacked by the ‘castells’, an incredible feat which sees men, women and children (in that order) climb up on each other’s shoulders to form human towers six to ten tiers high. A UNESCO Cultural Heritage event since 2010, this Catalan tradition is usually accompanied by lively festivals and partying. 

Photo: Filippo Monteforte/AFP

International Video Gaming Fair in Madrid, 17th-19th October: Ready to play the coolest new games out on the market? Maybe you’re on the lookout for state-of-the-art gadgets and home entertainment systems not even in shops yet? Held in Madrid’s IFEMA Exhibition Centre for only three days, this fair is a must for videogame lovers.

Real Madrid – FC Barcelona, 25th October: The Clásico, the nail-biting football match everyone in Spain watches. This season’s first derby has the added advantage of being Luis Suárez’s first official match with Barça after his long ban for biting (things could get brutal). Try booking tickets now if you really want to watch it live at Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium. Otherwise, rest assured that pretty much every bar in Spain (and many thousands more around the world) will be showing it.

International Organ Festival in León, 19th-25th October: This atmospheric music festival has been held in Leon’s beautiful Cathedral for more than 30 years. Throughout that time it has gained international prestige and features some of the world’s best organ players, symphonic orchestras and solo singers.

Catalonia International Film Festival in Sitges, 3rd-12th October: If you missed out on San Sebastián’s Film Festival, here’s a chance to watch the best horror and fantasy films soon to premiere in Spain and abroad. There’s even a Sitges Zombie Walk, an undead-style carnival parade where anyone with a thirst for blood and guts can take part.

Night Marathon in Bilbao, 18th October: If you want to do a run with a difference make sure you book a place in this race, the only one in Spain that takes place at night.  It starts and ends at Bilbao’s emblematic Guggenheim museum, going along the Nervión river and through the city’s old quarter. There’s also a half marathon and an even shorter race.