9. La Vírgen de Atocha

The Buzz -- One of the patron saints of the city, the Virgin of Atocha has been worshipped since the 7th century. Even the recent royal wedding of Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz ended with a reverential visit to the cult figure. Her life-sized wooden effigy holds an apple in one hand and the infant Christ in the other. Followers parade her with great pomp and ceremony through the streets surrounding her basilica, accompanied by the statue of Santo Domingo de Guzmán. Hundreds cry out in appeal to the Virgin for relief from disease, misfortune and illness. This procession is the most emotional in the city and a sight to behold.