Valencia Tourist Guide 2018

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EXPER I ENCE VAL ÈNC IA’S FEST IVALS

València’s festive calendar is made up of more than 20 festivals. The mixture of rites, ingenuity and gunpowder, and the prominence of music and fire, make València a unique destination. The mixture of rites, ingenuity and gunpowder, and the prominence of music and fire, make València a unique destination. Although the Fallas, the most international festival, concentrates most of the festive activity, the calendar includes events throughout the year. In July, the Gran Fira de València (Great València Fair) fills the city with a festive atmosphere with concerts, activities for children, theatre, spectacular firework displays and the famous Battle of Flowers on the last Sunday of the month. The festive calendar is completed with the Maritime Holy Week, one of the city’s most important

religious celebrations, the Corpus Christi procession, the events in honour of Saint Vincent, the festival of the Virgen de los Desamparados (Our Lady of the Forsaken) and València Day, which is celebrated on 9 October . This is also the traditional Valencian lovers’ day and, according to custom, men give women a gift of a scarf filled with marzipan sweets in the form of fruits and vegetables. Some unique celebrations also deserve a mention, such as La Tomatina , the romería (pilgrimage) by boat on Albufera Lake in honour of Cristo de la Salud (Christ of Health) or the famous Corregudes de Joies or horse races on Pinedo Beach. At Christmas, the special lighting, ice rinks, nativity scenes, street markets, circuses and the Christmas Fair next to the Marina combine to create a magical atmosphere in València. The New Year’s Eve Festival in Plaza del Ayuntamiento and the Procession of the Wise Men are another two unique festivals for those who visit the city at Christmas.

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