At Sercotel, we believe there are two types of festivals: those that are celebrated and those that truly take over a city. And we believe that San Froilán in Lugo in 2026 belongs to the second group. The music, folk traditions, street parties, octopus and the constant flow of charangas fill the streets, turning these October celebrations in Lugo into one of the great events of the Galician autumn. There will be nine days of festivities, from 4 to 12 October, beginning with the traditional opening speech. From then on, all you have to do is step outside and discover everything that has been prepared for you.

San Froilán has been celebrated since 1754 and, although the festivities honour Lugo’s patron saint (5 October is the main day of celebration), over time they have gone beyond their religious origins to become a true celebration of Galician popular culture. A great example of this is Domingo das Mozas, which this year will take place on 11 October and will showcase Galician folklore and traditional dress, with its own parade and even a traditional-style Galician street party.

Local traditions and Galician heritage will take over Praza de Santa María throughout the festivities. Choirs, bands, bagpipes, hurdy-gurdies and dance groups will share the stage with names such as Cántigas e Frores, Airiños de Orbazai and Xisco Feijóo.

We already know that, when it comes to Galicia, and especially during a festival, good food comes as standard. And San Froilán is no exception. What’s more, we couldn’t love its gastronomic star more: octopus. The octopus stalls and traditional cooking pots set up in the fairground are an essential part of the celebrations. Choose one, find a table and enjoy generous portions. The recipe is simple and delicious: octopus, cachelos (boiled potatoes), bread, wine and a long lunch afterwards.

A Galician festival without a verbena would simply not be the same. At San Froilán, they take it seriously, with live music and traditional dances every night of the nine-day festival, featuring 13 orchestras spread across four different areas of the city. And, of course, two names capable of making thousands of fans travel kilometres to experience their legendary performances could not be missing: París de Noia (5 October) and Panorama (12 October). They will be joined by other groups such as Marbella, Los Satélites, Suavecito and Costa Dorada.

Beyond the street parties, San Froilán is one of those festivals that can be enjoyed from one concert to the next. The programme is so varied that attending the scheduled performances is one of the must-do experiences during San Froilán. And yes, of course, the line-up includes options for all tastes and generations. It features names such as Nil Moliner (4 October), Sidecars (5), The Rapants (6), Santiago Auserón (7), Celtas Cortos (8), Malú (9) and Juan Magán (10). The concerts will take place at Praza Horta do Seminario and admission is free. We know, choosing which one to attend won’t be easy.

San Froilán is one of those festivals where you don’t need a plan B when travelling with children. They have their own programme, San Froilán Miúdo. This year, we know they won’t want to miss the musical show by Pica Pica (5 October) or the performances by Diminuts and the Carrusel Ambulante. There will be magic shows, storytelling, music and fairground attractions. Because San Froilán is all about taking over the streets, even when you’re still too young to stay up late.

A getaway to Lugo in autumn has the perfect excuse in San Froilán, but it would be a shame to leave without discovering the city. To make the most of your visit, at the Hotel EsteOeste by Sercotel we have an advantage: we are located right in the historic centre and we keep a little preview of what awaits you outside. The design of our facilities incorporates a section of the ancient Roman decumanus, the road that crossed Lucus Augusti from east to west.

From there, all you need to do is step outside and continue travelling back in time: the Roman Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cathedral and the Provincial Museum are just a couple of minutes away from our hotel. A reminder that San Froilán may be the reason for your trip, but Lugo has plenty of reasons to make your stay a little longer.