Every year, the Las Fallas festival in Valencia, Spain, takes place on the same dates. The main events take place March 15-19, but numerous events take place during the two weeks leading up to this week. The official dates for 2019 are Friday, March 1, 2019 and Tuesday, March 19, 2019.
Las Fallas is a month-long spring festival with fireworks, giant paper sculptures, bonfires, food, and parties. It is such an important event that it has been named UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) event.
About Las Fallas and key dates
As with most celebrations in Spain, Las Fallas includes Catholic festivals as part of its origin. In Valencia, they celebrate the feast of San José on March 19. There is also a ceremony to pay tribute to the Virgin Mary. On March 17 and 18, thousands of people tour the city dressed in traditional costumes heading to the Plaza de la Virgen, where they will place beautiful flower arrangements in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary. The procession begins around 3:30 pm, but the event lasts past midnight.
The word Falles refers to the festival and the artistic monuments that are built for the event and then burned on the last night. The construction of these structures and characters are commissioned by groups of neighbors. Then they are judged on March 15 and parade through Valencia during the following days.
There are different events throughout Las Fallas. There are fireworks in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento around 2 pm from the first month of the month, as well as parades, shows and other festivities. Once you have seen the Falles figures, the next big event involving these structures and the puppets that accompany it is March 19 when the smaller structures burn around 10pm and then the larger ones burn around the midnight making huge bonfires.
Where to stay during Las Fallas
Accommodation during Las Fallas can be expensive and will fill up early. Book early to avoid disappointment. Plus, with all the firecrackers, fireworks, and celebrations going on, downtown Valencia will be a place where you won’t sleep much. Those who need rest may want to stay on the outskirts of the city.
Or, perhaps doing your research and finding out beforehand that your hotel has quiet rooms (not facing the street) will be an option. The Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace is one of those centrally located hotels with quiet rooms and rooms facing the street. There are a variety of hotels in Valencia, as well as youth hostels, but for all of them, early booking is key.
Arriving at Las Fallas
If you are traveling from other cities in Spain, you can get to Valencia by train and bus or by driving yourself:
- Madrid to Valencia
Madrid and Valencia are connected by the AVE high-speed train, which means that the trip takes just over an hour and a half. - Barcelona to Valencia
High-speed train services on this route and tickets can be purchased online. There are also buses that travel between the two cities and take approximately four hours. - From Malaga to Valencia
It is not so easy to get from Malaga to Valencia; the best option is to take the high-speed train, which changes in Córdoba.
