Las Fallas Without Losing Your Mind

Las Fallas is Valencia’s annual five-day festival in mid-March. Giant satirical sculptures (the fallas themselves) appear on every corner. Daily mid-morning percussion bombings (the mascletà). On the final night, every sculpture in the city is burned to the ground.

It’s loud, beautiful, exhausting and unforgettable. It’s also genuinely overwhelming for some people. Both can be true.

The basics

• The big days are March 15-19. The daily mascletà runs at the Plaça de l’Ajuntament at 14:00 throughout March.
• The whole city pedestrianises. The metro runs late. Taxis are scarce. Sleep is optional.
• Cremà on the night of March 19 is when the sculptures burn. Awe-inspiring; the city’s most distinctive single experience.

Getting the most out of it

• Walk a falla tour during daylight before the burning. Some are huge and intricate, satirising politicians, celebrities and current events.
• Watch one mascletà in person. It’s less a fireworks display and more a coordinated full-body percussion that you feel in your chest.
• Eat buñuelos de calabaza with hot chocolate from a street stall. Pumpkin doughnuts, basically. Everywhere; cheap.
• Go to one despertà (street wake-up) if you can bear being awake at 8am. The brass bands wandering through the streets are a strange particular pleasure.

If loud noises aren’t for you

• Earplugs. Carry several pairs. Loop and Alpine make decent reusable ones; cheap foam ones work fine.
• Plan to be out of the centre during mascletà hour (14:00-14:30 daily) if you don’t want to feel it
• Cabanyal, Patacona, Malvarrosa and the northern barrios are quieter than Ruzafa or the centre
• Many residents leave the city for the last 48 hours. The surrounding countryside (Bocairent, Xàtiva, the Sierra Calderona) is calm and beautiful.
• Sound-cancelling headphones at night. The unofficial firecrackers carry on past midnight in central neighbourhoods.

If you have pets

The petardos (firecrackers) start in early February and continue through March. Anxiety builds for dogs especially. Vets sell anxiety medication; reserve early in February. Discuss specifics with your vet.

If you have children

• Children’s fallas (the infantiles) are gentler than the adult ones — worth seeking out
• The processions and traditional dress are spectacular daytime entertainment
• Naps before the late nights are non-negotiable
• Don’t try to push them through the cremà if they’re anxious; watch from a quiet street rather than the central plaza

A practical note

Many shops and most services close from March 17-20. Stock up on groceries on the 15th if you’re staying. Cash is useful — some smaller stalls don’t take cards.