My First Las Fallas: The Festival That Completely Surprised Me

Before I moved to Spain, I'd heard people talk about Las Fallas like it was something you had to experience. Everyone said the same thing: "You won't understand it until you see it."

They were right.

Nothing really prepares you for your first Fallas. For two weeks, Valencia completely changes. Streets are closed, music seems to come from every corner, fireworks go off at all hours of the day, and giant sculptures appear in every neighbourhood. The whole city feels like one massive celebration.

And then, after months of work and thousands of euros spent creating them, they set the sculptures on fire.

It sounds completely mad when you first hear it.

The tradition actually goes back hundreds of years. The story is that Valencian carpenters used wooden stands to hold their lamps during the winter while they worked. When spring arrived, they'd burn the old wood in the streets to mark the change of season. Over time, people started decorating the piles, which eventually evolved into the enormous fallas you see today.

Some of them are four or five storeys high, take an entire year to build, and are packed with incredible detail. They're funny, political, creative, and sometimes completely bizarre. Then, on the 19th of March, almost every single one is burned during La Cremà.

The first thing that caught me off guard wasn't even the sculptures.

It was the noise.

Every afternoon there's a mascletà, which isn't really a fireworks display so much as a carefully choreographed explosion. You don't just hear it, you feel it. The ground shakes, your chest vibrates, and everyone around you somehow knows exactly when to clap.

Then there are the firecrackers.

They're everywhere.

Kids are setting them off in the street, adults are carrying bags full of them, and every few minutes you'll hear another loud bang somewhere nearby. I quickly realised that Valencians have a very different relationship with fireworks than I was used to.

I'll admit, I absolutely loved it.

One of my favourite things to do during Fallas is buy a bag of firecrackers and head to one of the designated areas with friends. It's chaotic, ridiculously loud, and probably unlike anything I'd ever be allowed to do back home.

That said, it's definitely not everyone's idea of fun. If you're sensitive to loud noises, Fallas can be a bit overwhelming.

One thing I'd definitely recommend is getting away from the city centre every now and then. The famous sculptures are incredible, but some of my favourites have been tucked away in the residential neighbourhoods. The atmosphere feels a bit more local, it's easier to take your time looking around, and you'll usually find fewer crowds.

And bring earplugs.

Seriously.

You'll thank yourself at two in the morning when someone decides it's the perfect time to let off another string of firecrackers outside your window.

By the time Fallas is over you'll probably be exhausted. Your clothes will smell faintly of smoke, you'll have walked miles around the city, and you'll be looking forward to a good night's sleep.

But if you ever get the chance to experience it while living in Spain, don't miss it.

It's loud, chaotic, slightly ridiculous, and unlike any festival I've ever been to. I finally understood why people kept telling me, "You just have to see it for yourself."