Fallas Bonfire - Festival of San José
Each spring, Valencia bursts into life with Las Fallas, one of Spain’s most spectacular and internationally renowned festivals. Marked by creativity, satire, fire, and celebration, the event showcases the city’s unique cultural identity and has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2016.
At the heart of Las Fallas are the monumental and ephemeral sculptures known as ninots. Crafted from cardboard, wood, and modern materials, these towering figures are the result of months of work by local artists and neighborhood associations. Often reaching heights of up to 20 meters, the ninots combine artistic ingenuity with sharp humor, offering satirical commentary on politics, celebrities, and current events.
The origins of the festival date back to the traditions of Valencia’s carpenters, who would burn wooden lamp supports, known as parots, at the end of winter on the eve of Saint Joseph’s Day. Over time, these simple structures evolved into increasingly elaborate figures, eventually becoming the large-scale monuments that define Las Fallas today.
Festivities build throughout early March, beginning with the daily mascletàs—powerful midday firework displays held in the city’s main square. As the celebration reaches its peak, hundreds of fallas are installed across Valencia’s streets and plazas during the plantà, transforming the city into an open-air gallery of caricature and imagination.
The festival culminates with the cremà, when the sculptures are set ablaze in a dramatic finale of fire, music, and fireworks. Only one ninot, selected by popular vote, is spared from the flames and preserved in the Fallas Museum. Another deeply moving moment is the floral offering to the Virgin Mary, during which falleros and falleras parade through the city to create a towering tapestry of flowers in her honor.
With parades, open-air celebrations, music, competitions, and cultural events filling the streets, Las Fallas is more than a festival—it is a powerful expression of Valencian tradition, creativity, and community spirit, offering visitors an unforgettable springtime experience.