Las Fallas
Valencia's biggest festival, Las Fallas takes place every March with five days of city fires, explosions and parades in honour of Saint Joseph, attracting around two million people. Just remember to take some ear plugs!
The city is adorned with a myriad huge ninots papier maché figures - politicians, film stars, bullfighters and anyone of local, national or international notoriety can find themselves colourfully lampooned in caricature.
The highlight of the festival is the burning of these monumental effigies on the 19 March, known as the cremà. Although local neighbourhoods labour for months to create the statues, within seconds they are stuffed with fireworks and left to burn into the night, except one, which is placed in a museum.
Burning effigies are not the only speciality during Las Fallas. Another highlight is the daily mascleta, which takes place in the Plaza Ayuntamiento, a mass of firework explosions, rockets and firecrackers. Each day sees different neighbourhood groups competing for the most impressive display, with the prize going to the loudest. Good standing space is hard to come by, unless you book yourself into one of the square's hotels months in advance.
Ambulances wait on standby throughout Las Fallas, particularly on the final night. Some people faint with the sound of the firecrackers and pregnant women are forbidden from attending the mascleta. So come if you dare - this event is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
No-one knows the true origins of Las Fallas, but it seems to be a pagan/Christian hybrid. Medieval guilds built bonfires in homage to St Joseph, patron saint of workers, and by the 18th century, fire and effigies were at the heart of the event, going up in smoke on 19th March, St Joseph's Day.
Related Information
Website: Las Fallas Website
Website: Fallas From Valencia Website
| Town Information: | Valencia |
|---|---|
| Full Name: | Valencia,Spain |
| Name: | Valencia Municipal Tourist Office |
|---|---|
| Location: | Valencia |
| Address: | Plaza del Ayuntamiento, 1, 46002 Valencia, Spain |
| Email: | touristinfo.aytovalencia@turisme.m400.gva.es |
| Phone: | +34 963 51 04 17 |
| Fax: | +34 963 52 58 12 |
| Name: | Valencia Provincial Tourist Office |
| Location: | Comunidad Valenciana |
| Address: | Patronato Provincial de Valencia, Plaza de Manises, 2, Puerta 7, 46003 Valencia |
| Phone: | +34 96 351 49 07 |
| Fax: | +34 96 391 78 72 |
| Name: | Spanish National Tourist Office |
| Location: | Spain |
| Address: | José Lazaro Galdiano, 6, Madrid 28036 |
| Fax: | +34 913 43 35 00 |
| Name: | Spanish National Tourist Office (TourSpain) |
| Location: | Spain |
| Address: | José Lazaro Galdiano, 6, Madrid 28036 |
| Phone: | +34 913 43 35 00 or UK: +44 (0) 20 7486 8077 |
| Name: | Spanish Tourist Board (London) |
| Location: | Spain |
| Address: | PO Box 4009, London, W1A 6NB |
| Email: | info.londres@tourspain.es |
| Phone: | +44 (0) 20 7486 8077 |
| Fax: | +44 (0) 20 7486 8034 |
