Once a year for about three weeks, Valencia sets itself on fire.
Las Fallas dates back centuries, and no matter what else is going on in the world, Fallas persists.
The scent of gunpowder blended with sugary churros and hot chocolate permeates the air. Children throw firecrackers to the ground, giggling with delight when they pop.
Last year was our first Fallas. In our second year, somehow, we’ve made our peace with the noise and have mostly slept through the live music drifting into our apartment from the street below. (Let’s not even get into the mortar-style fireworks exploding all around us.)
This past weekend, we rounded up the kids and went on a scavenger hunt for monuments near the city center. We were dazzled by them last year, but this year? The monuments were even more elaborate, and the political messages were clear, with Trump dominating much of the imagery.
This is probably our final year remaining in Valencia while the city burns—at least for now. Peace with the noise only goes so far. With an elderly dog, kids, and the general 40-something desire for a good night’s sleep, unless you’re part of it, even most Spanish people will tell you to leave. (My neighbors did and advised us to do the same.) The party stretches well into the wee hours of the morning, with live concerts beginning at midnight, fireworks exploding, and drunken partiers shout-singing off-key.
It takes months and millions of euros to build these monuments, only to watch them burn—symbolic of renewal.
I took the photos below with my iPhone on a gray and gloomy Saturday (using Lightroom to highlight their artistry), but you can see how much effort goes into their creation and why the Valencians are so proud of their city’s tradition.
Feliz Fallas!
I write here about building a life abroad—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of trial and error.
You can subscribe to receive new posts by email, or support this work with a paid subscription, one-time contribution, or just hit the ❤️ button below to help others find poco a poco.
If you’d like to reach out directly, you can find me at jen@jeninspain.com.
Read more of our family’s adventures in Spain with these pieces:
Wow those monuments are incredible! But I’m with you, I’d probably be leaving the city for better sleep. We’ve got an elderly dog too and a baby, so the noise all night wouldn’t work for us.