Hey all ... I wanted to know if anyone is going to Las Fallas in Valencia in about a week ... I'm going for the first time and I'm very excited!!
Hope to hear from you all - C

Lucky you!

I'm still managing to get a couple of days at my job for going to Fallas, but it's hard...

Anyway, check my website for some helpful info about fallas. And enjoy the Fallas for all of us that can't go.

http://es.geocities.com/activi02/

I just got back from an awesome weekend in Cadiz for Carnaval (partied all night, no hostal, slept on the beach the entire next day haha). I am also going to Valencia for this one this coming weekend. La Universidad de Granada plans cheap trips to all these, so I figured why not go!!! Can anyone explain what exactly this is to me? Im going, but I dont really even understand what it is, costumes like Carnaval? Parties? Parades? What should I expect?
Kelly

Kelly writes: It's the celebration of Valencia's Patron Saint San José! It's also pretty much the 'kickoff' of the bullfight season. It used to be just the city of Valencia; not it's the whole Comunitat de Valencia extending south to Benidorm & Alicante.
The fallas are papier maché figures about 8 ft. tall that are burned the last night of the celebration

Thanks Eddie. So what do people do at night? Are there parties until late? When would be the last day, or when would they burn them? The University of Granada bus leaves to go to Valencia on Saturday morning, and comes back late Sunday night. I wouldnt have a hostal, and so would probably just stay out all night . Is there a beach in Valencia to go to for Sunday?? Do you guys think that it is worth it to go this coming weekend like this, or is all the good stuff going on the last night only??

Go to v diaz's web site above and you will learn almost everything you need. I understand there are major noisemaking affairs every day and that it's a good idea to go early (as you know it's March 15-19) to get a good look at the Fallas on the different town squares before the crowds move
in. There are excellent beach towns near by, such as Gandia, where we plan to stay, though the water may be a tad cold at this time of year.

Thanks to this message board, I learned special buses and trains would be running to and from Valencia late into the night on those days. See you there!

This year the first day of Fallas is sunday 16, but most of then are already set up by day 15 by night, and most important and bigger takes several days to mount, so on 15 saturday you'll see 'much' of many fallas.

Anyway things ou can do on saturday and sunday:
Go to the Mascleta at the Plaza del ayuntamiento, stay there at least one hour before. If you go on saturday i'll bet you'll go again on sunday,Mascletas are quite impressive fireworks.

At 12pm of saturday night, see the fireworks at the Alameda (at the old bed of the river).

If it's a warm day you can go to the beach, nearest and quite good beach is Malvarrossa and Las Arenas (are the same beach indeed), take a bus or a Tram to get there. gandia it's goood but you'll loose much of your time going there, Malvarrossa is in the same city of Valencia, but quite far if you are walking. It's also a good place to eat a Paella.

In the night, just walk in the center of Valencia, see the aleready set up fallas and join to any party you may find. Fallas are an open party, and being saturday i think that many fallas will put some music on the streets. Also you may go to a Cafe Paris and drink some Agua de Valencia.

Enjoy with Las Fallas!

Check also
www.fallas.com

Following up this topic

If somebody want to take a look at some pictures about Fallas 2003 i have posted some here:

http://es.geocities.com/activi02/

Did anyone besides v diaz go to Las Fallas???? We haven't had any reports here. How was it? Where did you sleep? (or did you?) Was it something you'd recommend?

Saludos, MadridMan

I went! We drove from Madrid on Friday afternoon. Stayed at the brand-new (and clean but inexpensive) Holiday Inn Expresss in Cuidad de Las Ciencias. Stayed thru until Sunday.

Had a great time. The fallas were quite impressive - all kinds of different designs from dinosaurs, genies, humourous, etc.

The mascaleta was really loud. I preferred the fireworks each evening - had a great view from the bridge.

Awesome tapas, wine, and ambiance. We walked almost everywhere since the traffic was so bad didn't make sense to take a bus or cab. But firecrackers are going off constantly. Jumped up fast when someone rolled one under our cafe table!

Would like to go another year when I can see the burning on the last day.

Sadly the weather was cold and rainy, but still had fun.