Las Fallas Festival
15 – 19 March 2019
Las Fallas is one of the most exciting festivals in Spain. Held every year in the city of Valencia, the event is celebrated from the 1 March onward with fireworks every day in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Town Hall Square) at 2pm..
For four days the city erupts into a pyrotechnic orgy of fun and noise, the streets are closed and the partying begins.
There are many events throughout the month leading up to the 15 March which is when it all starts happening.
Huge papier-mâché figures, known as fallas, are erected all over the city. This is all done very tongue-in-cheek as the figures portray political and well-known artists.
A few of the winning smaller versions ‘ninots’ are saved and kept in the Museo Fallero, but the rest are burnt in la créma on 19 March, the last day of the festival.
Las Fallas ~ Street Food ~ Paella and Buñuelos!
Gastronomic delights from hundreds of street vendors assail your taste buds – Valencian specialities such as paella and buñelos – (small doughnuts made from pumpkin) are dipped in cups of hot thick chocolate.
Huge paella pans overflow with a variety of paella, including the famous Paella Valenciano – bars and restaurants all over town are full of tapas and paella.
The famous horchata (orxata) is often accompanied by fartons which the kids will love. Two of the most famous horcharteries are in Plaza de la Reina in the old town.
Tip! You can buy fartons and packets of horchata from local supermarkets, the panaderias (bakeries) are also full of fresh fartons.
Tapas bars, restaurants and clubs overflow with people enjoying the most amazing festival ever. Hotels and apartments fill up very quickly so be sure to book your hotel / apartment and flights to Valencia well in advance.
Falleras Dresses
An important part of the festival includes the fabulous dresses the women of Valencian and girls wear to the festival (women are called Falleras).
Falleras carry bouquets of red and white carnations and roses for the ‘Offrenda de Flores’ (offering of flowers).
These flowers are magically woven into a beautiful mantel which covers the statue of the virgin outside the Basilica of the Virgin of the Forsaken in Plaza de la Virgin.
The last day of the festival is 19 March when the burning of the fallas takes place. It’s sad to see all that hard work going up in smoke and reduced to ashes but they do keep some of them.
Nino Exhibition
There is usually a Ninot Exhibition at the Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe (City of Arts & Sciences) which is well worth visiting.
Las Fallas is said to have originated around the end of the 16th century. Local carpenters burnt left over wood in honor of San José, patron saint of carpenters and it’s continued from this day.
Las Fallas festival officially begins on the last Sunday in February outside Torres de Serranos in Barrio del Carmen with La Crida.
Music and fireworks and the fallas queen mark the official opening of this exciting festival.
Las Fallas events include the following:
- La ‘Mascleta’ are firework displays held every day in Plaza del Ayuntamiento until 19 March.
- The daily ritual of the Mascleta at 2pm.
- Nightly Firework displays in the Turia Gardens (old Turia riverbed).
- 16 & 17 March – the ‘Offrenda de Flores’ (offering of flowers).
- 18 March ~ 1.30 a.m “Nit de foc” (Night of Fire) in the Paseo de la Alameda.
- San José’s day (19 March) – Las Fallas ends with the burning of the fallas on ( la créma) in Plaza del Ayuntamiento – 10 p.m. Cremà (burning) of the children’s Fallas.
10.30 p.m. Cremà (burning) of the winner of the children’s Falla special category
11 p.m. Cremà (burning) of the children’s Falla of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
12 p.m. Cremà of all the Fallas.
12.30 p.m. Cremà of the winning Falla in the special category.
1 a.m. Aerial fireworks display of the Falla in Plaza del
Ayuntamiento
Check out Las Fallas
Valencia_Fallas_program_2017
Want to be near all the action?
The Venecia Hotel overlooks Plaza del Ayuntamiento and comes with a buffet breakfast, free WiFi and flat screen TVs. Some rooms have balconies overlooking the square. and Xátiva Metro Station is just a 5 minute walk from the hotel.
The Hotel Sorolla is in a pedestrianized area, surrounded by cafes, bars and shops. The hotel is just 50 meters from Plaza del Ayuntamiento and a 5 minute walk from Estacion Del Norte. Free Wi-Fi and rooms include air conditioning, heating and satellite TV.
The Melia Plaza Hotel overlooks Plaza del Ayuntamiento and is just a few minutes walk from Estacion del Norte and Xativa station where the metro arrives from the airport.
The Vincci Lys Hotel is in a pedestrianized area of the old town, a few minutes walk from Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Xàtiva Metro Station is a 5 minute walk from the hotel and offers direct services to Valencia Airport.
There are many more lovely hotels in the old town or near the Turia Garden and the stunning City of Arts and Sciences – you can also stay close to the beautiful sandy beaches of Valencia.
Booking.com have a huge variety of hotels, B&Bs, apartments and villas to suit everyone’s taste, in the city and surrounding areas of Valencia – just book online and pay when you get here.
Vacation Planner (Book 1)
For Amazon UK / For Amazon .com
As well as information on where to go, there are photos plus two images of maps with links to online interactive maps of Valencia city center and local restaurants. You will need an Internet connection to access them. There are also various links to pages of interest featured on this website.
More Kindle book guides such as Valencia Walks and the Costa Blanca Guide and our video of Valencia.
Bunyols de Carabassa (pumpkin donuts)
Buyols ~ Recipe for Las Fallas
Ingredients
400g boiled and drained (or roast) pumpkin flesh
(keep the liquid from cooking the pumpkin or use warm water if pumpkin is roasted)
25 g bakers yeast
300g plain flour
1½ liters sunflower oil for frying
sugar to sprinkle on top
Method
- If you are roasting the pumpkin use a round one and cut in half. Fill with sugar to taste, place in the oven for about an hour at 180 C or cut into pieces and boil.
- Allow to cool down and then scrape the flesh (discarding the seeds etc) and put in a bowl.
- Dilute bakers yeast with a little warm water and leave for 5 mins. Then add half the flour and work it into the mixture.
- Add the pumpkin and blend well.
- Slowly add the remaining flour with water or pumpkin liquid when needed.
- Cover with a damp cloth and leave for 2hours to rise.
- Heat the oil in a large pan and test with a small piece of the dough – it should come to the top if ready. Don’t have the oil too hot otherwise the donuts will burn.
- Take a handful of dough and squeeze so that a blob forms between your thumb and finger.
- Using the other hand, poke a hole in the middle then add to the heated oil – this gets easier with practice.
- Repeat and place on a paper towel to drain away excess oil.
The donuts can be sprinkled with sugar or dipped in hot chocolate ~ Enjoy!
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