Every March, Valencia celebrates the arrival of spring with firecrackers, bonfires, and music. The whole city lets loose and the streets become an outdoor art gallery and non-stop party zone. Here I give you the scoop on what really happens at Las Fallas festival in Valencia and how to survive the round-the-clock noise and crowds.
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What happens during Las Fallas festival?
In a country known for its unique and odd fiestas, Las Fallas is undoubtedly one of the craziest ones. During the last five days of the festival, locals put on dazzling traditional clothes, build hundreds of enormous polystyrene monuments called fallas, and send tons of gunpowder up in smoke.
It is estimated that over 3 million people attend each year and Valencia’s population more than triples during Las Fallas festival. Some even consider it to be the biggest street party in Europe!
In 2016, Las Fallas was declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. It’s a multi-layered festival, with plenty of things to do, see and taste. And by a curious twist of fate, Las Fallas is also an incredibly family-friendly festival in spite of the deafening explosions and chaos.
When and where does Las Fallas festival take place?
Las Fallas festival is celebrated every March in the city of Valencia and the nearby villages. It takes place from March 1 to 19, but the most important and fun-filled days are the last five.
Las Fallas is a great opportunity to discover centuries-old traditions, scrumptious recipes passed down through generations, and a local community bustling with creativity.
The festivities last well after midnight every day and the party ends only at the break of dawn on March 20. Las Fallas is definitely one of the most epic experiences to have in Valencia so make sure you add it to your calendar.
Origins of Las Fallas festival – why is Las Fallas celebrated
The origins of Las Fallas are lost in the mists of time. But we can assume it all started with a few fallas monuments, a healthy dose of craziness, and lots of creativity.
One theory claims that Valencia’s world-famous festival was born from the ancient tradition of setting fires to purify the homes and celebrate the arrival of spring and the spring equinox.
Another even more fascinating origin theory says that centuries ago, with the arrival of spring and the daylight hours getting longer, local carpenters went into somewhat of a spring cleaning frenzy.
As they were decluttering their workshops, they started to pile leftover pieces of wood on the streets of Valencia. The next step came quite naturally – burn all the trash on the day of St Joseph (March 19), the patron saint of the carpenters.
But Valencianos are creative by nature. Over the years, what was once a pile of junk, started to take shape and meaning. And what can be more fun than ridiculing and criticizing your neighbors and public figures, right? Right.
That’s how the fallas monuments became satire-infused works of art with a predilection for criticizing current events and (anti)social behaviors.
It wasn’t until 1885 that a local magazine started creating a top of the best fallas monuments. This awakened a sense of competition between the neighborhoods.
In 1901, the City Hall itself started awarding the best fallas. And the rest is history…
Nowadays, Valencia builds approx 700 fallas monuments every year. They come in all shapes, sizes, and budgets and are made of a wooden structure with a polystyrene shell.
Fun fact, the most expensive falla ever built was in 2009 and cost around 1 million EUR. Since then, budget restrictions were set in place.
Las Fallas festival specific vocabulary
During Las Fallas you’ll hear a lot of strange words that don’t make it into everyday conversations in other parts of Spain. To understand this fiesta better, here are just a few of them.
Fallas
Las Fallas or Fallas is the name of the festival.
Fallas are also the colorful, cartoonish, and satirical works of art around which the festival revolves. They can be anything from 3 to 30 meters tall.
Fallas are designed and built by talented local artists months in advance of the festival and stored in huge workshops in a neighborhood in the northeast of Valencia called Ciudad del Artista Fallero.
During the first days of March, they are brought to the streets of the city and assembled for the very first time. Eventually, they are dramatically burned on March 19 around midnight.
Ninots
Ninots are the individual dolls that accompany each falla monument. Traditionally, they used to be made out of cardboard and wood and the figures were dressed up in fabric clothes.
These days, however, they are made of light and easily combustible materials like polystyrene, which can be easily molded.
Once ready, the figures are covered in paper and plaster and eventually painted. The frame continues to be made of wood.
Ninot indultat
Ninot indultat is a ninot (doll) that is saved from burning by popular vote. Every year, there are two ninots indultats (one from a small falla and one from a big falla).
Once the festival is over, the two ninots indultats are taken to the Museo Fallero, close to the City of Arts and Sciences.
Falleros and falleras
Falleros and falleras are the people that organize every aspect of the festival, from the building of the fallas monuments to the firework displays, music, and religious processions.
Being a fallero, and especially a fallera, doesn’t come cheap. The whole outfit (dress with golden thread, stockings, shoes, golden comb, jewelry, etc) can cost more than 20.000EUR.
One visit to the hairdresser for the traditional hairstyle is about 400EUR, although cheaper options are available.
Fallera Mayor
Fallera Mayor is the queen of the festival. Every year, two falleras mayores are elected – a young lady in her early twenties and a girl around 10 years of age.
A set of skills are taken into consideration at the time of choosing them – they must be natural-born leaders and public speakers, spontaneous, responsible, elegant, and charming, among others.
The title of Fallera Mayor is an extremely prestigious one in Valencia and the competition is fierce and expensive.
Cortes de honor
Cortes de honor is the entourage of the Fallera Mayor. Each Fallera Mayor has 13 other ladies that accompany her wherever she goes when on official duty. The Fallera Mayor Infantil also has an entourage made of 13 young girls.
Espolín
Espolín is the silk fabric used for the falleras dresses and falleros costumes. The name comes from the technique used to weave the flowers and other motifs that end up resembling embroideries. It was first used during the 15th century when big part of Spain was under Moorish rule.
Junta Central Fallera
Junta Central Fallera is the body that regulates and coordinates the festival.
Comisión fallera
A comisión fallera is a group of neighbors who support or sponsor the festival. There are a total of almost 400 such groups in Valencia and nearby villages.
Casal faller
A casal faller is a physical place where the falleros and falleras of each neighborhood meet. It’s usually a commercial space situated on the ground floor of an apartment building and used for social gatherings year-round.
Carpas
Carpas are huge tents that take over the streets of Valencia during the last days of the festival. They are used by falleros and falleras to celebrate and organize events related to the festival.
Buñuelos
Buñuelos are fried-dough fritters, a typical food from Valencia usually eaten during Las Fallas festival. They are served with sugar and dunked in hot chocolate. You’ll find them at street stands around the city and they are some of the best party food you can get.
Churros and porras
Churros and porras are two other delicacies you should eat during Las Fallas festival. While churros have become popular all over the world, porras not so much. Simply put, porras are thicker churros. They taste similar, but they are not the same thing. I recommend you give them a try.
Las Fallas festival key events & key dates
While there are various events taking place throughout the months of January and February, most of them aren’t popular with the general public. Hence, for most people, Las Fallas starts with the first despertà on the last Sunday of February or even with the first mascletà on March 1.
Here are a few key events during the Las Fallas festival in Valencia that you cannot miss.
The ninot exhibition
The ninot exhibition is inaugurated on January 31st at the City of Arts and Sciences. It lasts until March 14. During this time, the visitors vote for their favorite ninots (one from the children category and one from the adults category).
These are the only two puppets that will be saved from the flames. Once the festival ends on March 19 the two ninots are taken to the Museo Fallero (Fallero Museum). This museum is situated next to the City of Arts and Science. The oldeest ninot dates back to 1934.
La despertà
Officially, the festival is kickstarted on the last Sunday of February at 7:30 am with the ‘despertà’ (the awakening).
This is one of the events that the falleros love the most and everybody else who doesn’t participate hates the most. That’s because the falleros take to the streets in the wee small hours of the morning throwing firecrackers and making as much noise as possible. The idea is to wake everybody up.
If you’re in Valencia on the day of the despertà, I encourage you to join them. For the participants, this is tons of fun (provided that you’re not scared of firecrackers). Plus the march ends in the City Hall square, where everybody is rewarded with a cup of thick, hot chocolate.
Mid-day mascletàs
The mascletà is a pyrotechnic event held every day from March 1 to 19 at 2 pm in front of the City Hall. While not so much visual, mascletàs are definitely ear-shattering (up to 90 decibels).
Every day a different tune is played, but the most important mascletà of them all is the one organized on March 19. The firecrackers and fireworks are synchronized like an orchestra and the result is a one-of-a-kind symphony.
The City Hall mascletàs are attended by thousands of people, so it’s advisable to arrive at least half an hour early if you want to find a good spot. Smaller mascletàs are organized in the neighborhoods around Valencia simultaneously.
La Plantà
La plantà takes place on March 15. This marks the moment when all fallas monuments are set and people start hitting the streets to see them.
A dozen of these monuments are surprisingly large and complex. These are the ones everybody wants to see. Smaller fallas can also be ridiculously detailed.
If efficiency is your middle name, you can either get a paper map from one of the tourist offices in the city center or download the Las Fallas app from the App Store or Google Play. Then try to see the ones from categoria especial. They are usually the best.
Awards ceremony
This ceremony takes place in front of the City Hall on March 16 and 17. Each falla monument falls into a certain category, depending on how much it costs. The best fallas in each category receive a prize.
For one afternoon and the subsequent morning, groups of falleros pass by the tribune installed in front of the City Hall to collect their prizes. It can be fun to watch them for a while.
La Ofrendà
This is a religious event that goes down on March 17 and 18. Hundreds of falleras and falleros head to the Plaza de la Virgen, behind the cathedral, carrying white and red carnations.
The flowers are then used to form the dress of the 14 meters high statue of the Virgin Mary. The design is different each year.
Light displays
Colorful light displays are a common sight at Las Fallas and many streets around the city put on such installations. But only a handful of them are truly fabulous. Most of them are in Ruzafa.
Strolling along these streets can feel like stepping into a fairytale. The extravagant light displays, the loud music, the awe-lit faces, and the unforgettable smell of buñuelos and hot chocolate are all memorable images highly representative of Las Fallas.
Cabalgata del fuego
This is a pyrotechnic parade organized on the evening of March 19. It announces the impending cremà and it involves fire-spitting metal dragons, fire eaters, seductive dancers, red devils, people on stilts, and of course, very loud music.
La cremà
La cremà is the grand finale in which the fallas are burned. Ittakes place on the night of the 19th towards the 20th of March and is the moment everyone has been waiting for.
The whole festival builds towards this moment when fallas throughout the city are set on fire. First the smaller, children fallas, around 11 pm, then the larger ones.
Eventually, the falla in front of the City Hall is burned down. Since firefighters need to be present for the burning of all the big fallas, there is no fixed schedule. The last falla is, however, usually burned around 3 am.
Tips for not only surviving Las Fallas festival but enjoying it too
I must say, Las Fallas isn’t a one size fits all festival.
Some locals hate it so much they decide to flee the city year after year.
Others tolerate it, try to keep calm and carry on with their daily lives, except for the occasional cone of buñuelos, a cup of hot chocolate, and a few noisy neighbors that happen to be falleros and decided to live in the carpa under their bedroom window.
Yet a third group can’t get enough of Las Fallas. They are downright obsessed with it and become falleros.
If you weren’t born in Valencia, well, then you’ll have to discover for yourself which category you fall into.
What to expect during Las Fallas celebrations
If new year’s eve firecrackers startle you, there’s a good chance Las Fallas isn’t your jam either.
If you hate crowds, Las Fallas can be particularly stressful. Expect to get stuck in what I can only describe as pedestrian traffic jams.
That can happen especially during main events like the mascletà, the awards ceremony, and ofrendà. But also on the narrow streets close to the biggest and best fallas, as everyone wants to take a close look and a selfie with the winning monuments.
If I can offer you a nugget of wisdom, don’t even bother to rent a car during Las Fallas, unless you stay in a remote neighborhood AND plan to do day trips around Valencia.
That’s because many central streets are closed during the last days of the festival and there’s little car traffic allowed in the city center during Las Fallas.
Even the bus service gets disrupted! So your best bet for moving around the city during Las Fallas is the metro. But beware that this too can get crowded and the metro stations in the city center are closed during the mascletà for safety reasons. See metro schedule here.
Now, I happen to love Las Fallas, but whether you like it, merely tolerate it, or can’t run fast enough away from it, is a very personal thing.
What to wear and what to bring for Las Fallas festival
Weather during Las Fallas can be pretty unpredictable. Some years you can get a tan just by doing some falla hopping. Other years it might be jacket and scarf weather.
What’s certain is that most years see at least one rainy day during Las Fallas. But don’t reach for the umbrella just yet. Packing a light rain poncho or a waterproof jacket will make it more comfortable for you to navigate the crowds.
If you come to Valencia for Las Fallas festival only, watch the forecast before you get on the plane. It will give you a good idea of what to pack and what to leave at home.
In case you bring totally inappropriate clothing, most shops stay open during the festival days, except for March 19 which is a bank holiday in Valencia. If need be, check out my guide to shopping in Valencia to save time.
Since you’ll be walking a lot, comfortable shoes are a must. Resist the temptation of packing new shoes that you haven’t broken in previously.
And forget about flip-flops – they make you clumsy, increase your risk of tripping, and are the worse choice when walking in a crowd. Ideally, pack closed shoes that you know you’ll feel good walking in for hours.
Safety and security at Las Fallas festival
Valencia is a pretty safe city. However, Las Fallas is not your average day in Valencia.
Petty theft
The sheer amount of people that gather here during the last festival days obviously attracts more petty theft than usual.
That being said, Valencia continues to be very safe during Las Fallas. There is a lot of police on the streets at any given hour of the day or night.
However, I do recommend you to pay extra attention to your surroundings, especially when stuck in the crowd, be it during the mascletà, ofrendà, or other events and situations.
Walking around Valencia at night shouldn’t be a safety issue either. However, you might encounter drunk people and I suggest you use common sense before taking the side streets.
La cremà
As for the cremà, you don’t have to worry at all. Valecianos have been doing this for hundreds of years and they know what they are doing. All fallas are built to collapse (that’s part of the artistry) and they are always burned under supervision. On top of that, the larger fallas will have the fire department present.
Seeing a fallas burning is a pretty impressive and unique experience. But I don’t recommend you to fight for a spot in the front row when a falla is burning.
While you will most likely be pushed back to a safe distance, the heat from the flames might still feel unbearable. And because you’ll have loads of people behind you, you won’t be able to leave.
Mascletàs
Mascletà is another event that if you don’t know what to expect, you might want to be first in line. That’s not recommended either. Mascletàs are super loud. Even at a safe distance, you’ll feel your clothes vibrating.
On top of that, mascletàs are not visual – all you can see is mostly just a giant cloud of white smoke from the exploding gunpowder.
Sometimes bits and pieces of these firecrackers get in the air. Some are super small and harmless. Occasionally, however, a bigger piece might get loose and those come down pretty fast. Try to avoid getting hit by these by protecting your head.
If you’re afraid of firecrackers, explosions, or are easily bothered by loud noises, go to a smaller neighborhood mascletà.
Kids playing with firecrackers
Also, you’ll see kids playing with firecrackers in the streets. Lots of them! Unsupervised! Believe me, they know what they are doing. But that might not be true for you. While you can buy firecrackers from specialist shops during Las Fallas, I can’t encourage you to do that.
The falleros teach their kids how to through firecrackers when they are toddlers. They start with the smallest, most harmless stuff. As the kids grow, they are allowed to use noisier firecrackers. They do this under adult supervision and know how to stay out of harm’s way.
Accidents still happen, but they are not a common occurrence. It’s more likely for a reckless adult to get harmed than for a kid.
And yes, sometimes the kids will throw firecrackers in front of you. Not because they want to. It’s you who’s crossing the invisible boundaries of their playground. So pay attention to your surroundings. While it’s unlikely that a firecracker exploding right next to you will harm you, it will be very loud and that can be unsettling.
Where to stay during Las Fallas festival
As I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, Las Fallas is a very noisy festival. While there are more rules and regulations in place with every passing year, choosing a place to stay can be a bit complicated.
For starters, you have to book way in advance. As it’s common during festival time, accommodation is in super high demand during Las Fallas. Leaving the travel logistics for the last minute might mean either that you won’t find anything available or that you’ll end up in a less than ideal place.
If you don’t mind the noise and crowds, I recommend you book a hotel in the city center. At least this way you’ll have the option to go back to your room in the middle of the day to freshen up, escape the crowds and take a deep breath.
Does this mean that you might suddenly wake up in the middle of the night due to a firecracker explosion? Quite possible. But that’s a risk you’re taking anywhere you stay in Valencia during Las Fallas festival.
A big no-no, however, is booking your accommodation next to a falla. Of course, since there are hundreds of fallas throughout Valencia, this isn’t easy to figure out upfront. But as a rule of thumb, smaller fallas are generally harmless unless they put on a carpa in front of your hotel or apartment.
On the other hand, the big fallas from sección especial are a non-stop party. Most hotels in Valencia aren’t situated right next to a falla. But Airbnbs are a different story altogether. They are where they are. They weren’t built on purpose like hotels were.
Ruzafa is one of the neighborhoods that gets super noisy during the festival and that’s where many apartment rentals are. I advise you to read reviews from people who stayed there during Las Fallas in past years to figure out if a particular apartment is a good fit for you.
For more suggestions, read my post about where to stay in Valencia.
Tips for making the most of la cremà
The falla monuments go up in flames at midnight on March 19. But wait, it’s not quite that straightforward. Not all fallas are burned at once. That being said, you might still not see more than one falla burning. But with a bit of planning, there are a few workarounds.
The children’s fallas are all burned down at 11 pm. The event doesn’t usually attract a crowd unless a particular falla is really special like it won the first prize or is right by one of the big fallas from sección especial.
If you want to see one of these smaller fallas burning, find yourself one on a quieter street where it will be only you and the locals.
If you want to see one of the bigger fallas going up in flames, you can find a decent-sized one that’s not squeezed between buildings.
Chances are, it won’t require the fire department to be present so they can burn it at midnight-ish without waiting for a third party to be present. These fallas will still create a big enough bonfire. Plus you might even get to see a second one burning nearby.
If you want to see a falla belonging to the sección especial or the one in front of the City Hall, then you’ll not only have to brave the crowds but also arrive hours in advance.
Is it worth all the wait and pushing? I’ll let you be the judge of that. There are usually among the last fallas to burn and they are the most popular as well.
It’s unlikely you’ll see any other falla burning after that. So you can either try to see a smaller falla burning before that or find a good spot well in advance.
Where to see fallas any other time of the year
If you’re visiting Valencia throughout the year, you can still get a glimpse of the essence of this fiesta. No, that wouldn’t be the party aspect but the fallas monuments.
Museo Fallero is a museum across the street from the City of Arts and Sciences. Since this complex is one of the top things to see in Valencia you’ll probably head that way during your visit. So why not pop in to check out this museum as well?
This museum is where all the ninots indultats are kept. You can see hundreds of ninots and as you can imagine, there are some of the best ones produced each year.
Another place where you can learn about Las Fallas festival is Ciudad del Artista Fallero. There you’ll find a museum of the artisan guild where you can learn how falla monuments are built, as well as visit the artists’ workshops and see them in action.
Since designing and building the fallas monuments take the whole year, you’ll be able to see the artists working themselves into a frenzy pretty much any time. This will surely give you a unique perspective on this festival of fire.
Lara, I enjoyed reading your posting. We’ll be experiencing our second Las Fallas Festival this March and we’re looking forward to it. Thank you for your tips.