The Wheel of the Year is a symbolic calendar used in various modern pagan and Wiccan traditions to celebrate and honor the cyclical nature of the seasons. It consists of eight festivals ...

As the Wheel of the Year turns to the spring equinox, it’s the time of Ostara, a Wiccan celebration of renewal and rebirth.

Now, you might see them in shops just after New Year’s. They once symbolised pagan festivals, then moved into Christian rites, survived royal bans, and sailed through waves of superstition.

Europe’s most intriguing festivals aren’t always the ones on postcards or Instagram feeds. As winter melts into spring, ...