FIESTA The Spanish word fiesta has long since entered the vocabulary of English, largely due to the centrality of such celebrations in the Spanish-speaking world. There are a number of national holidays when offices are likely to be closed or short-staffed — notably during “Semana Santa” (Easter) and in August. There are also annual regional and local celebrations, and these can also mean that little important business can be done. For example, Valencia has its “Fallas” (a week-long celebration based on fireworks and bonfires) in March, while Pamplona has its nine day “Sanfermines” (with the famous running of the bulls through the streets) in July.