Fun festive activities in Valencia
Christmas in Spain is usually a very traditional affair, a time of year that you spend with your family, the season for giving, being merry, and a good opportunity to eat lots of good food. And,
Valencia is no exception. Christmas in this enchanting city is truly a magical time of the year as Valencia has some wonderful Christmas traditions and the streets are beautifully adorned and lit up, the shops ablaze with seasonal lights and decorations, and as is the tradition in Spain there is a nativity scene gracing the front of the city hall, as well as in the homes of the locals and in other parts of the city. This is the perfect place to spend your Christmas if you would like to experience a traditional and pleasant, but fun-packed Christmas whether you are visiting with your family, partner, or friends. Here are some festive activities taking place in Valencia during the Christmas season that might be of interest to you:
Christmas Markets
Like in many big cities there are Christmas Markets set up around Valencia. There is a Christmas crafts market on Plaza de Reina, which is good for buying souvenirs, stocking fillers and local delicacies, as well as an excellent way of getting you into the Christmas spirit. Furthermore, there are three kings market that come piled high with fresh seafood, fish, and meats, which is common to eat at this festive time of year.
They also offer a wide variety of articles such as Christmas decorations and nativity figures, as well as a wide variety of gift ideas. On the 13th of December Mercadillo Avenida Del Cid will open, and frequently so every Wednesday leading up to Christmas. This fabulous market will again sell a range of festive articles and seasonal food including some local delicacies.
The largest market in Valencia comes after Christmas, the Cabanyal kings markets which opens on the 2nd of January and comprises approximately 200 stalls offering gifts, nativity figures, crafts, and food spanning over an impressive 3,550m2. Finally, the Plaza de Ayuntamiento (City Hall) will host the main nativity scene, whilst other smaller ones will be dotted around the city.
Circus and Fun-Fair
Every year, Valencia usually hosts the Fira de Nadal which is a seasonal fun-fair for children held in the Jardin de Turia. It has an exciting rollercoaster amongst nearly 40 other attractions.
A circus also comes to Valencia to perform for the locals in the city’s bull ring as is the tradition there. The performances usually start at the beginning of December and go on until the mid January.
The circus features animals, jugglers, trapeze artists, acrobatics, and much more than you can expect from a circus. Finally, there is a small fun-fair at Nuevo Centro for smaller children, and the classical circus El Circo Gran Fele can usually found in front of the IVAM (Valencia Institute of Modern Art) on Guillem de Castro.
New Year and King’s Day
As usual New Year’s means a big party and at this time of year Valencia goes all out with its celebrations. Many venues host New Year events and the crowds gather in the Plaza de Ayuntamiento for the years biggest and most impressive firework display at midnight to see in the New Year.
Similarly to Seville, Madrid and Barcelona, the valencians eat 12 grapes each in time with the chimes of the clock to bring good luck for the New Year. King’s Day is also a big celebration and is when presents are traditionally handed out in Spain. On the 5th Of January the kings ride around on beautifully decorated floats accompanied by children (called a Cabalgata) and travel through the city.
There are usually different ones for each neighbourhood and they throw sweets to the children and adults that have come to see the event as they pass through the streets in a procession and it really is a lively and festive affair with lots of music and dancing, as well as some spectacular costumes. The event concludes with a music concert and the three kings handing out presents to the children. They then go home and leave their shoes out in the evening to wake up in the morning and find them filled with presents by the kings.
Anna – Marketing Team