Ciberfallas International

Between 2nd and 6th July, you can enjoy a whole host of activities, concerts, shows, markets, parades, firework displays and competitions in emblematic locations all around the city of Valencia thanks to its July Fair.

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Since ancient times, the villages of the Mediterranean coast celebrated the coming of the summer solstice around bonfires that cleansed and purified. In Alicante, the ritual of fire survived throughout the centuries as a festivity connected to the farming community.

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Advice to enjoy fully las hogueras festivity

Many streets in the centre of Alicante will be no-through roads because of la plantà de las Hogueras,
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Nou Campanar photo: ciberfallas

* Go around and see the various fallas, but especially the Sección Especial

* Pay to enter one of the bigger fallas to get a closer look at the individual ninots.
* See la mascletà and the la nit de foc
* See one of the various parades especially the ofrenda
* See the virgin made of flowers
* Buy churros or buñelos at one of the many stands on the street.
* Go to one of the temporary bar/nightclubs set up on the street and dance all night long.

* Take a day trip to the Albufera to see this fresh water lake and the surrounding area where rice is grown. The Albufera is also known to host an interesting variety of migratory birds. The local village in the area, El Palmar, is also a good place to try paella and other local dishes.
* Take a trip to the beaches of Saler. These beaches are on “protected” land and are the cleanest and most secluded beaches near the city. Accessible by bus but complicated. A round-trip taxi ride should cost between 10€-20€, depending on how far along the beach you go.

* Manises, fifteen kilometers soutwest of Valencia, is not only the site of Valencia’s airport but also an important center for pottery. Some 100 ceramics factories are in the municipality, where the art has been practiced for 700 years. At the MCM museum there are exhibitions about the history of ceramics in the area.

* Rent a car and do a day trip to any number of picturesque villages or small cities in the region, including  Chulilla, Sot de Chera, Xátiva, Sagunto, among others.

On the last Wednesday of August nearby Buñol hosts La Tomatina, a festival that involves thousands of participants throwing ripe tomatoes at each other. Make sure you wear clothes that you can throw out afterwards, as it gets very messy.

European Grand Prix. Street circuit of August

When to come

• Summer – Like most European countries, August is a slow month as many of the residents are on vacation. At this time of year Valencia is extremely hot and humid with temperatures averaging between 30º-40º Celsius.
• Fall – September and October are more active months and the weather permits beach outings. Sidewalk cafes are still open until around the end of October.
• Winter – Though temperatures are still relatively mild, it´s too cold to sunbathe at the beach.
• Spring – a lovely time to visit. The annual Fallas de San José unofficially mark the beginning of spring. Cafes and restaurants open their terraces and life spills out onto the street once again.

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By plane

Valencia Airport (VLC) is 9 km from the city center. The bus to Tùria station departs every 11 minutes and takes about 30-40 minutes. Additionally there is the Aerobus which goes directly to the city center, but costs a bit more. Local trains run every 20 minutes. Subway goes directly to the town centre from the Airport.

Valencia is served by Iberia, Spanair, Clickair, AirBerlin, TuiFly, Lagunair, Ryanair, Vueling and several other airlines.

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If you are coming to Valencia for the first time in Fallas, you will probably think it is total chaos, you won’t know where to sleep if you haven’t booked in advance, how to get here, where you can park, or even when the shops open while the fiesta is on.
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