Samaín is older than Christianity, older even than the word “Galicia.”
Today, in villages across Galicia, bonfires still flare, and carved turnips (pumpkins are so nouveau) glow from stone windowsills. Children parade through medieval streets in handmade masks, drummers keep time for the ancestors, and everyone pretends not to believe in ghosts while checking twice behind them on narrow lanes.
But this is no somber rite. Samaín is Galicia at its most theatrical: laughter wrapped in smoke, music echoing off granite walls, the smell of roasted chestnuts (magostos) drifting through town squares. And always, somewhere nearby, someone preparing a queimada, a flaming cauldron of aguardente, sugar, lemon peel, and spells.
The ritual's famous incantation begins:
'Mouchos, coruxas, sapos e bruxas' ('Owls, witches, toads and warlocks')
As blue flames lick the clay pot, the reader names every evil spirit – envy, gossip, bad weather – and sends them into the fire. When the sugar caramelizes and the liquid glows amber, everyone drinks, laughing with the kind of relief only superstition can justify.
Galicia doesn’t celebrate Samaín to scare; it celebrates to remember that we are part of a longer story, one that began with the forest, the sea, and the belief that darkness is just another form of light.
A First Timer’s Guide to Samaín
So, you’ve traded candy corn for candlelight. Excellent decision. Here’s how to join the celebration without accidentally summoning anything uninvited.
1. Dress for the Elements (and the Spirits)
Layers are essential. Fog rolls in unannounced, and capes are always in fashion here. You won’t go wrong with black wool, long scarves, and boots that can handle both cobblestone and the occasional puddle of spilled aguardente.
2. Bring a Turnip, Not a Pumpkin
Forget orange. Galician children still carve turnips – grotesque, wonderful little lanterns with the personality of mischievous ancestors. Local markets start selling them the week before.
3. Learn the Conxuro (or at least pretend to)
During the queimada, someone will recite this Galician spell. Mouth the words mouchos, coruxas confidently and you’ll be fine. The important thing is the intent: to burn away the year’s bad energy and laugh while you do it.
4. Try the Chestnuts
Look for magostos, communal chestnut roasts held in village squares. Locals say eating at least three roasted chestnuts protects you from bad spirits.
5. Follow the Music
Bagpipes, tambourines, drumming lines mark the night’s rhythm, which guides you from fire to fire. If you hear music, walk toward it. Galicia rewards curiosity.
6. Toast the Invisible Guests
Every home sets an extra plate for those who’ve gone before. If someone hands you a glass and asks you to drink “por os que non están,” raise it. You’re part of the story now.
Where to Go
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El Agustín: A terrace fire, a pot of queimada, and a whispered conxuro before dinner. Light the flame, pour the wine, and toast the living – and those who still visit in memory
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Tui: Evening parades and the annual “Ruta do Terror” through the old town.
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Allariz: Turnip-carving contests and open-air fire rituals in the Praza Maior.
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Cedeira & Ribadavia: Family-friendly Samaín festivals with ancestral storytelling and mask workshops.
When to Go
- Every year, on the eve of October 31st.
