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Everything is ready for the start of one of the busiest and best-known Catalan Medieval fairs: the Vic Medieval Market (5-8 December), when the city decks itself out to relive the distant times of the Middle Ages.

The squares and steep, cobbled lanes of the historic part of the city will become the stage, giving the city an authentic Medieval air. This is where folks dressed in period costumes will attend lines of stands and carry out demonstrations of old trades.

There will be 360 stands from Catalonia and beyond at this year's Vic Medieval Market, which is celebrating its 13th year. Handicrafts will account for 70% of the stands and food for 20%. There will also be taverns and stands with medicinal and aromatic herbs. A highlight will be the area dedicated to gastronomic and cultural customs from the Arab world.

This year's programme will also include archery demonstrations, and for the first time the falconry demonstration will include horses.

And, finally, two other key events will be running alongside the market: an exhibition of armour worn by Catalan knights between the 11th and 14th centuries and a participative exhibition entitled 'The Trade of Painter in the Middle Ages'.