Subcategories

• Festivals and Celebrations in Valencia
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  Valencia is known all over the world for its Fallas. These fiestas came into being to celebrate the arrival of spring by burning, and thus purifying, everything old and negative from the previous year. Today's Fallas are all this and much more. They are a whole culture in themselves and part of the way of life in Valencia. Las Fallas represent the Valencian character – love of art, spectacle, noise, gunpowder and the ephemeral.

  Las Fallas surprise all visitors: for five days the streets are filled with true works of art made from papier-mâché. Complicated statues several metres high which seem to defy gravity. These satirical monuments are the fruit of the labours of the Falla artists, craftsmen who spend a whole year almost exclusively dedicated to their creations. However, on the night of March 19th, only four days after being planted, all the Fallas must burn – to the delight of Valencians, who comment on how well or badly their Falla burned down.

  But many other fiestas are also held in Valencia. As in most Spanish cities, there are the religious fiestas dedicated to the patron saints, in this case San Vicente Martir, San Vicente Ferrer and the Virgen de los Desamparados. There is also a regional holiday on October 9th, as well as other fiestas throughout the year – Corpus Christi, the July Fair, Christmas and the Epiphany.

• Valencia Music
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  The Valencia Opera House, designed by Santiago Calatrava, is, without doubt, the jewel in the crown of Valencia's arts and entertainment installations. From October 2006, the Palau will offer a full programme of events that will introduce Valencia to the international circuits of opera and performing arts. In addition to an array of other concerts and shows, including zarzuela. Its four auditoriums allow for all types of productions, from the classic to the contemporary. The main auditorium has a stage of 460 m2 and seats 1,800. Opera can be enjoyed in various languages as the seats are fitted with digital screens on which translations are displayed. The orchestra pit, of 166 m2 is the third biggest in Europe and by means of mobile platforms and sections it can be adapted to achieve maximum sound quality in accordance with the wishes of the conductor or production director.

  Valencia is also home to the Music Palace, one of the most important music venues in Europe which receives more than 500,000 spectators each year. Placido Domingo himself, has compared the sound quality to a Stradivarius and its recent extension included the integration of the latest technology in its recording studios, rehearsal rooms and concert halls.

  Valencia is a city with a profound musical tradition - the Colon Market, the Cathedral, the Lonja de la Seda, the Santa Catalina Church and La Nau, at the University of Valencia'a oldest building are just some of the city's venues that hold regular concerts. On a slightly different note, the Patriarca Church offers mass with Gregorian chants sung by 1213.

  Music events in Valencia

  Music events in Valencia: live music concerts, opera season, flamenco, jazz, folk music, etc.

• Sports & Recreation
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  Valencia, an ideal place to enjoy major sporting events and entertainment: the Formula 1 European Grand Prix, the Global Champions Tour, Moto GP and, recently, the Valencia Open.

  Valencia hosted the 33rd Americas Cup and the Formula 1 European Grand Prix. Other important sports are: motorcycling, with the Ricardo Tormo Circuit at Cheste; cycling has the Luis Puig Veledrome; tennis, with the Valencia Community Open Championship and Valencia Tennis Open, show-jumping, athletics and golf. And of course, there are some sports that form part of the identity of the city: There are two first division football clubs; Valencia Club de Futbol and Levante and the Pamesa basketball club is also of national importance.

• Food and Drink in Valencia
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  Valencian food is typically Mediterranean and there are an endless variety of dishes. Common ingredients include fish, shellfish such as the red prawn, molluscs such as tellinas - clams - and clóchinas - a local mussel variety, vegetables, desserts with Arabic roots and, last but certainly not least, rice.

• Valencia Restaurants

  The Valencia's food and drink is characterised by its Mediterranean flavour, the richness of its ingredients and the simplicity of its preparation, and is highly prized by the most discerning of palates. Its most typical dishes is made by ingredients like rice, oranges, seafood and fresh fruit and vegetables. Its traditionally-produced sweets, many of which are of Arab origin, including coca moruna, arrop i tallaetes, arnadí and pastissets de moniato.

  Choose a Valencia district:

• Cinemas & Theatres
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  The comprehensive guide to cinema and theatre events in Valencia. Your complete shows information source for the plays and movies in the city.

• Valencia with Children

  Youngsters can simply freak out in Valencia, as there are several options and activities designed specifically for them.

• Conventions & Conferences

  Valencia presents itself as an international city for congresses, conferences, conventions, seminars, company events, business trips and meetings.

• Spanish Schools

  The Learn Spanish section on the Valencia's tourism website includes all the necessary and up-todate information about learning Spanish in Valencia town. Valencia has become one of the most attractive options for learning Spanish. You can learn spanish in Valencia with Spanish language schools. They offer Spanish high quality courses with accommodation.