Apartment Valencia
Mar 4

March has finally arrived and coming with it one of the most awaited Valencian festivals: the Fallas. This is one of the most famous celebrations in Spain, next to San Fermin and Easter. The Valencia Fallas are world famous. Thousands of tourists come to the city with the unique intention of enjoying such feasts.

After the Cridà (the opening speech) on February 22nd, the Fallas can begin. In fact they’ve already begun! Once again, the firecrackers, the fireworks and the bonfires will crowd the streets of the city. Until March 19th, the Town Hall Square will host a daily Mascletà shot, a pyrotechnic deafening spectacle characterized by the synchronized explosion of thousands of rockets.

Valencia Fallas

Besides the daily mascletà, a myriad of events are held such as parades, fireworks, concerts, the famous flower offering to the Virgen de los Desamparados and, of course, the highlight of the festival, the Ninots’ cremà after having been on show to the public for days.

The Ninots are huge human dolls which satirize real life people and situations such as famous people and politics. In early February, each Fallas committee participates in a ninots exhibition. Thus, through a popular vote, the most voted figure will be pardoned and won’t meet its fate at the cremà (the act of setting fire to the Ninots) on the night of February 19th. The winning ninot will form part of the Fallas’s Museum.

Up to 600 Fallas’ monuments are spread around throughout the city. The Fallas are grouped into separate sections, which highlight the Special Branch and the Town Hall Square, which stays out of the contest.

As a preamble to the big Fallas day, the night from 18th March to 19th March, the Nit del Foc (Fire Night) is celebrated. This is an impressive pyrotechnic festival where they proudly put on a show of the best fireworks in the city.

One of the most important acts of the Fallas is an offering to the Mare de Deu Virgin: the Fallas commissions and the falleras perform an offering to the virgin.

Famous Spanish bands such as Taxi, Presuntos Implicados and Seguridad Social will be performing during these days.

Are you going to miss it? The entire city of Valencia becomes something unique and different. Rent Apartments in Valencia and enjoy one of the most impressive and fun festivals in the world.

Mar 3
Valencia Fallas 2009
icon1 valenciablogger | icon2 Valencia | icon4 03 3rd, 2009| icon31 Comment »

One of the most popular festivals in the world has already begun, the Valencia Fallas. Starting from today, lights, fire and noise will seize the whole city. After the Cridà (the opening speech) of the Fallera Mayor, the masceltàs (an explosive barrage of concussive effects of co-ordinated firecracker and firework displays), the parades, the fireworks and the concerts will begin. The famous cremà (the act of setting fire to the Ninots) will bid farewell to the festival on 19th March. On this day all the Ninots (huge human dolls) will be burnt, except the winner. You shouldn’t miss this famous Valencian festival. Rent Apartments in Valencia for the best accommodation. You’ll love it!

Valencia Fallas

Programme Fallas 2009
From 1th to 19th March

Mascletá
Place: Plaza del Ayuntamiento
Time: 02.00 pm
________________________________________
Monday, March 2th

Children’s Ninot Parade .
Route: C/ La Paz, San Vicente, Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Marques de Sotelo, and concludes in C/ Xàtiva.
Time: 05:30 pm
Alter, a colourful mascletá will be launched.
________________________________________
Sunday, March 8th

Mascletá ( Pirotecnia MARTI, S.L de Burriana ).
Patrocinada por Helados Nestlé
Place: Plaza del Ayuntamiento
Time: 02.00 pm
Ninot parade
Route: Xàtiva, Marques de Sotelo, Plaza del Ayuntamiento por Correos hasta Marí¬a Cristina, Plaza del Ayuntamiento, (por Ayuntamiento) Marques de Sotelo, and concludes in C/ Xàtiva.
Time: 10.30 pm
Alter, a colourful mascletá will be launched.
________________________________________
Saturday, March 14th

Closure ceremony of the “CHILDREN’S NINOT EXHIBITION” (children’s figurines)
Time: 06.00 pm
________________________________________
Sunday, March 15th

Plantá (setting up) of all “FALLAS INFANTILES” (children’s fallas
Time: 08.00 am

Closure ceremony of the “NINOT EXHIBITION” (adult’s figurines).
Place:Plaza exterior de Nuevo Centro
Time: 06.00 pm

Plantá (setting up) of all “FALLAS” (adult’s fallas)
Time: 00.00 am

Fireworks on the Paseo de La Alameda (between Exposición Bridge and Las Flores Bridge).
Place: Paseo de la Alameda
Time: 00:00 am
________________________________________
Monday, March 16th

Ceremony of Fiesta de las Fallas,
Place: Plaza exterior del Complejo Comercial NUEVO CENTRO.
Time: 12.00 am

Awards Ceremony for “Childrens Fallas” in all participating sections.
Place: Tribuna instalada frente al Ayuntamiento
Time: 04.30 pm
“Folklorical Parade” around the “Plaza del Ayuntamiento” ( City Hall Square ).
Route c/ Xàtiva, Marques de Sotelo, Plaza del Ayuntamiento to Maria Cristina, Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Marques de Sotelo, and concludes in C/ Xàtiva.
Time: 10.30 pm

Fireworks on the Paseo de La Alameda (between Exposición Bridge and Las Flores Bridge).
Place: Paseo de la Alameda
Time: 01:00 am.
________________________________________
Tuesday, March 17th

Awards Ceremony for “Fallas” in all participating sections.
Place: From the stage outside the City Hall building
Time: 09.30 pm.

First day of the Flower offering to our Lady of the Forsaken (“Virgen de los Desamparados”)
Place: Por la calle de la Paz y la calle San Vicente.
Time: 04.00 pm

Fireworks on the Paseo de La Alameda (between Exposición Bridge and Las Flores Bridge).
Place: Paseo de la Alameda
Time: 01:00 am.
________________________________________
Wednesday, March 18th

First day of the Flower offering to our Lady of the Forsaken (“Virgen de los Desamparados”)
Time: 04.00 pm
Place: Por la calle de la Paz y la calle San Vicente.

Nit del Foc
Place: Paseo de la Alameda
Time: 01:30 am
________________________________________
Thursday, March 19th

First day of the Flower offering to Fallera Mayores and Cortes de Honor
Place: En el Puente de San José.
Time: 11.00 am.

Cabalgata del Fuego (Fire Parade)
Route: C/Ruzafa, C/Colón, finalizando en la Porta de la Mar
Time: 07:00 pm

Cremá or burning of the Children’s fallas.
Hora: 10:00 pm.

Cremá or burning of the Children’s fallas having obtained First Prize among the Fallas of the Special Section.
Time: 10.30 pm.

Cremá or burning of the Children’s falla in the “Plaza del Ayuntamiento” (City Hall Square).
Time: 11.00 am.

Cremá or burning all the remaining adults fallas in Valencia.
Time: 12.00 am.

Cremá or burning of the adult “falla” having obtained First Prize among the fallas of the Special Section.
Time: 12.30 am.

Bouquet of aerial fireworks in the “Plaza del Ayuntamiento” (City Hall Square) and Cremá or burning of the “falla” in this plaza.
Time: 01.00 am.

Feb 27

Valencia’s gastronomy is based on a healthy Mediterranean cuisine, characterized by a wide range of fresh and natural products. It is a cuisine with a mountain of flavours and textures: delicious seafood, fruits, vegetables and very good wines. But if there is a special dish that defines Valencian cuisine, it would be “paella”, which is also the best known Spanish food.

Valencian Paella

Despite it culinary diversity, the rice monopolises most menus in Valencia, becoming the absolute protagonist. But the repertoire of Valencian rice dishes is not a monotonous succession of paellas – Rice is prepared in a myriad of ways! Some cooking experts maintain the original paella recipe – the one that is made with chicken, snails and vegetables (Paella a la Valenciana), but is has been transformed in many different ways since rice will take almost any ingredient: vegetables, meats and especially fish and seafood together.
The most consumed paella is Paella Marinera, prepared with rice, saffron, sea-food, fish and vegetables. Often chicken is added to it (Paella Mixta). The original paella has thus derived into many other different dishes such as: “arròs negre” (rice in squid’s ink), “arròs a banda” (rice with seafood), “arròs amb fesols i naps” (with haricot beans and turnip), “arròs al forn” (oven-baked rice) and “arròs amb bledes” (rice with chard). “Fideuà” is similar to paella, but the rice has been replaced by noodles.

Valencia’s cuisine is not only based on rice though. Other culinary specialities are “all-i-pebre d’anguiles” (garlic,pepper and eel stew), “suc de peix” (made of fish, oil, garlic, onion and parsley), “esgarrat” (roasted red pepper, cod and olive oil) and “titaína” (a recipe made of vegetables, pine kernels, spices and tuna).

Valencia also offers a wide variety of sweets inherited from Moorish culture, such as “arnadí”, made with pumpkin preserves, yams and almonds, or the classical pumpkin fritters with chocolate other delights are the “rosegons”, the “arrop i talladetes”, or the pastries made of the extract of a kind of sweet potato called a “boniato” and “cabello de angel”, made from the extract of a type of local melon. In addition, Valencia has high quality fruits, in which oranges play a major role and are also exported to the rest of Spain.

The Valencian drink par excellence is the “horchata”, or tiger nut milk, a delicious ice cold beverage mostly consumed in summertime. The other typical Valencian drink is “Agua de Valencia”(Valencian Water), a very agreeable cocktail made from freshly squeezed orange juice and Cava. Valencia can also boast of having an excellent wine selection – white from the Alto Turia and Serranía areas, or red from Requena, Utiel and Campo de Llíria.

Valencia is definitely one of the great cuisine capitals. Travel to the city and rent Valencia Apartments for the best accommodation. And remember, you should taste all the different types of delicious Paella!

Feb 9
Valencia, city of arts and science
icon1 valenciablogger | icon2 Valencia | icon4 02 9th, 2009| icon3No Comments »

A trip to the city of Valencia – the city of arts and science

Are you planning your next trip for your vacations and you still have no idea where do you want to go, neither what do you want to do or where you can find a good accommodation? Before you decide to do a typical, normal and not very interesting trip …..STOP and WAIT! We have the perfect solution for you: Come to Valencia and discover the city of arts and science!

Valencia - the city of arts and science

If you think that in Valencia you can only eat the Paella Valenciana or visit Las Fallas, then you’re completely wrong! The third biggest city in Spain gives you the possibility to dive into the world of culture and science which is full of historical, entertaining and enchanting events. The most outstanding thing in Valencia is the city of arts and science. It’s a spectacular architectural, cultural and entertaining complex which will captivate you. The famous architects and designers Santiago Calatrava and Felix Candela created this gigantic building which was inaugurated in the year of 1998 and is now the main attraction for most of the tourists in Valencia.

You can spend all days long in the Ciutat de les Arts I les Ciències, as it is called by the Valencianos, without getting bored in any moment. Valencia offers you the possibility to visit in this cultural space a huge amount of museums and expositions.

Why don’t you start your trip through the cultural and scientific world in the Museo de las Ciencia Príncipe Felipe? This interactive museum of science with a surface of 40.000m2 is divided into three floors. The architecture seems to have the form of the skeleton of a dinosaur. There you can discover the world of science and participate in a lot of workshops and activities which take place on the wonderful squares of this little enchanting city. Besides, the area has been the venue of uncountable cultural and society events, like for example the biggest European LAN Party.

L´Hemisfèric makes it possible for you to experience a real adventure: it is a huge IMAX cinema and a planetarium which will captivate you. This building stands also out because of its architecture which seems to be a big eye.

If you think that in the city of arts and science you will be locked in a lot of stuffy museums, then you’re wrong! In the L`Umbracle you can do a fascinating walk through its special gardens and from its suspended arches you can enjoy the best view over the city. In addition in the interior you can find the Paseo de las Esculturas where you can admire a gallery of incredible sculptures of contemporary artists under the open sky.
You also shouldn’t miss the L´Oceanogràfic, the biggest aquarium in Europe, as well as the Palacio de las Artes Reina Sofia, dedicated to music and eccentric arts, neither you should miss to visit the Puente de l`Assut de l´Or, whose pylon with a height of 125m is the highest point of the city. El Ágora is very interesting too, because it’s a spectacular square where a lot of concerts and sport events take place.

Las Torres Valencia, Castellón y Alicante are parts of a project which has the aim to construct skyscrapers of a height of 308m, 266m and 220m. A huge spectacle.

Why are you reading this article with your mouth wide open? Could it be that you are completely impressed? If that’s the case, you only have to organize your trip to the third biggest Spanish city and rent a comfortable apartments in Valencia. Your stay will be an unforgettable experience.