It's not El Rocío: this is the other Huelva pilgrimage that has one of the most 'beautiful' virgins.

The month of May stands out in Andalusia as the seasonal setting for some of the most traditional and cherished festivals. The eight Andalusian provinces are filled with colorful pilgrimages that attract thousands of people who come to perpetuate the customs established by their predecessors. Without a doubt, the most famous of these is the El Rocío pilgrimage , but that doesn't mean there aren't other interesting celebrations where visitors can enjoy unforgettable moments.

On the second weekend of May, all eyes are on a well-known town in Huelva. This is the case of Lepe , world-famous for its irresistible strawberries, which hosts the pilgrimage of the Virgen de la Bella (Our Lady of the Beauty) during this time of year. It's a celebration that never disappoints and is experienced with unusual intensity in this town located just a few kilometers from the coast.

Our Lady of Beauty is a historic devotion in Lepe, tracing its history back to the dawn of the 15th century. For more than half a century, it has been the protagonist of a pilgrimage that literally paralyzes the town, attracting many foreign visitors and considered one of the most important in the entire region.

The town dresses up for the second weekend of May with its characteristic blue and white confetti, while the pilgrimage site located next to the El Terrón port is carefully prepared. Joy is undoubtedly the predominant note of this pilgrimage, where singing and dancing sevillanas become the soundtrack to an intense weekend.

The origins of this festival date back to 1966, when a group of young people organized a rural excursion to a place called Cabezo de la Bella, located near the ruins of an old Franciscan convent. Little by little, the tradition grew, becoming the massive pilgrimage that can be experienced today, and which everyone who experiences it ends up repeating.

The activity begins on Friday afternoon with the flower offering. On Saturday morning, the unmistakable sound of drummers fills every street in the town, while the pilgrimage to the pilgrimage site begins in the afternoon. Before reaching the site, there is a stop at the so-called Cruz Primera , where you can hear a moving Salve a la Virgen (Salve to the Virgin).

As night falls, Our Lady of the Beautiful arrives at her shrine, where the Puja del Pendón (Banquet of the Banner), the symbol representing the patron saint of Lepe, takes place. Throughout the night, pilgrims organize different shifts to keep vigil so that the Virgin is never alone. On Sunday evening, the Holy Rosary also takes place, creating a beautiful image in the area, along a route by torchlight.

The pilgrimage site, located in the same place where the instigators went in the 1960s, features large green areas and booths built in the typical pilgrimage style. This site attracts up to 100,000 people this weekend, and of course, there's no shortage of food, drinks, singing, and socializing.