One of the world’s most spectacular festivals will be celebrated  this week amid a cloud of smoke,  firecrackers and fireworks. People in Valencia spend an important part of the year preparing more than 700 papier-mâché effigies, or fallas that are the focus of the event. The fallas can reach 20 m in height (this year’s highest one is 29m tall), and often depict celebrities with a satirical slant. Fallas cost around €900,000 to make. Once they are finished, they are displayed in colourful street parades throughout the five-day event that starts today. At the end of the week, all the fallas are set alight in what is called the Cremá (the burning), to celebrate the end of winter.

If you decide to visit this fantastic city at this time of the year you shouldn’t miss the Nit del Foc (Night of Fire) on the 18th. Another must is the parties held in the Turia gardens that go on long into the night with discos, markets and paella. Check the hotels in Valencia in Hotelopia

Monday 15 March 2010 23:54 | Published by Blogtelopia-krds2 | Categoriy: Interesting Stuff,events