As summer draws to a close, Spain leads the spotlight with cultural celebrations, while Europe and the UK navigate diplomatic ripples and economic pulse points. Here’s your carefully curated preview.
Spain: Festivals, Heat and Cultural Resilience
Spain’s late August calendar remains vibrant. The Vuelta a España (23 August–14 September) gets under way in Italy, making its way through rugged terrain across Spain and Andorra in its 80th edition. Fans in Valladolid, Andorra, Angliru and Bola del Mundo should brace for dramatic cycling battles over ten summit finishes and a critical individual time trial.
At home, cities continue their August fairs:
- Feria de Málaga, a ten-day street festival rooted in tradition and community pride, began last week and runs through the weekend.
- Across Spain, a spectrum of regional traditions flourishes—from the Moorish Games of Aben Humeya in Purchena to Festas de San Roque in multiple towns.
Record-breaking heatwave alerts persist across southern Spain, with temperatures well exceeding 40 °C. Authorities urge caution and access to cooling spaces remains vital across urban centres.
Transport remains under pressure as Ryanair’s handling contractor, Azul Handling, prepares strikes at 27 Spanish airports—including Madrid, Barcelona, and Malaga—from mid-August and repeating multiple times weekly until year-end. Passengers are strongly encouraged to check flight status and allow for delays.
United Kingdom and Europe
In the geopolitical arena, attention turns to Trump and Putin’s meeting in Alaska, with possible fallout this week that might reshape European responses depending on outcomes and diplomatic messaging.
Monday 18 August brings the end of a summer court docket with a deposition from former US Attorney-General Bill Barr. Tuesday 19 sees the opening of the Edinburgh International Television Festival, while Wednesday 20 features the UEFA Super Cup between Tottenham and PSG and a court hearing in the Weinstein case.
Thursday 21 August delivers the results of UK Q2 GDP, as the UN environmental plastics committee wraps up. On Friday 22 August, the Fed chair speaks in Jackson Hole, and England faces the USA in the Women’s Rugby World Cup opener. Saturday offers culture with Notting Hill Carnival, and Sunday 24 August sees the US Open begin and Zelenskyy’s address for Ukraine Independence Day.
Economically, a flash PMI update will reveal first signs of post-tariff trade impacts in major economies.
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In Spain, the Feria de Málaga offers a vibrant reminder of cultural continuity, as music, dance and colour illuminate summer’s last weekend—coexisting with cycling’s grand tour and shared national heritage.
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