Massive Churros at Las Fallas

Spectacular papier mâché sculptures, explosions, and more...

Who here has heard of Las Fallas?! This is one of the most significant cultural events in Spain held right here in Valencia! It is on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is celebrated by Valencians and Spanish citizens who come to visit specifically for this festival. It celebrates St. Joseph who is the patron saint of carpenters who used to have a tradition of burning pieces of wood to celebrate the arrival of spring. This simple act turned into what we know of as Las Fallas today - a celebration that lasts an entire month with daily “mascletàs” - firecracker explosion shows, satirical sculptures (the Fallas) sprinkled all over the city, firework shows, traditional parades, and the grand finale where all the Fallas are burned except one (the winner).

The best part about Las Fallas as a foodie? Churrerias are set up on every street corner. They sell everything from the classic churros to doughnut-shaped churros, to Nutella stuffed churros… Honestly, it was a struggle not to indulge every day! What do I recommend? Porras – these are thick, long churros served with a cup of chocolate for dipping.

Another thing I loved about this past month was how Valencians completely transformed the layout of the city with lights and decorations. Walking down familiar streets becomes a whole new adventure as the decorations sparkle and you stop to analyze the different Fallas and the messages behind them.

And who doesn’t love fireworks? Every weekend in March, pyrotechnic teams from all over the country put on their own special show in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and at The Ciutat de les Arts. Some were short, dramatic, and intense whereas others were longer and more romantic, communicating a story to the audience.

Firework show at The Ciutat de les Arts

It’s difficult to condense an entire month of cultural celebrations into one article. Living here throughout Las Fallas was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced and my roommate and I were tired by the end however I was grateful to have lived through an unforgettable time in a very special city. Hopefully one day you will get to experience it yourself, and if you do you have a friend to tell you how to navigate the craziness ;)

Grazie mille,

Nada

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