Wondering if the Las Fallas festival in Valencia is worth visiting – here’s my honest opinion, along with helpful tips after visiting it for the sixth time in 2026, as well as experiencing it with kids a few years ago.
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Visiting Las Fallas Festival in Valencia in 2026
One of the top Spanish festivities
Festivities are a central part of life in Spain. Beyond national holidays, nearly every town hosts at least a week of lively local celebrations each year. While embracing fiestas is one of the most typical Spanish traditions, some festivals truly stand out and are worth experiencing at least once in a lifetime.
A perfect example is Las Fallas in Valencia. What began as a local celebration has grown into an internationally renowned event and a major reason many travelers choose to visit Spain.
As someone who lives near Valencia, I don’t attend every year, but over my 15+ years in Spain I’ve experienced it many times – both on my own and with my kids. In this guide, I’ll share my honest opinion, practical tips, and a collection of personal photos and videos from past visits, including my most recent trip to Las Fallas 2026.
What you need to know about the Las Fallas festival
The History of Las Fallas
Las Fallas is a Spanish feast taking place every year (usually from March 1 to 19) on the streets of Valencia. This festivity is so unique that it´s been added to UNESCO´s cultural heritage list. While the origins of Las Fallas could be traced back to the Middle Ages (back when the carpenters were burning wood to celebrate the arrival of spring), these days it is still a big deal for the locals to partake in the preparations and celebrations.
The Fallas Statues
The biggest attraction of the fiesta is the huge paper-mache statues (called fallas) built across the different neighborhoods of Valencia. The figures usually create a scene (often with political or satirical motives, cause Spaniards love both).
Near the main falla you will also find falla infantil (e.g. the children´s Falla). While the whole celebration lasts 2 weeks, the statues are only erected for a few days (usually from March 15 to 19).
The first day when the fallas are built is called La Planta (March 15). It marks the beginning of the contest for the best statue of the year. By the way, all of the Fallas will have fencing, but for an extra fee (usually from 2 to 5 euros per person) you can access it.
The Competition of Las Fallas
Different neighborhoods of Valencia prepare for the feast during the whole year to win the competition for the best Falla. While you can easily find around 750 fallas of all sizes, these are divided by categories (with Seleccion Especial being the most spectacular one). The winner is announced on March 16 and is called ninot indultat. It will be the only one saved and exposed at Fallero Museum after the feast.
The rest of the paper-mache statues will get burned during the last day of Las Fallas, called La Cremá. It is such a crazy spectacle of huge bonfires in the middle of the city (carefully supervised by the local fire brigades though).
La Mascletá During Las Fallas Festival
La Mascletá is a spectacularly loud display of firecrackers and a favorite tradition among locals. Many mascletás take place in different neighborhoods of Valencia, with Plaza del Ayuntamiento being the most iconic. I’ve only attended once and haven’t returned – it was incredibly crowded! The event usually happens around midday, and if you’re in Valencia at that time, you’ll notice everyone heading in the same direction. The highlight of the mascletá is the moment when the ground literally trembles from the firecrackers, which many visitors love.
It’s definitely worth experiencing once for the atmosphere, but personally, I’m more of a visual person. I find that watching the Fallas alongside fireworks resonates with me more than standing in a massive crowd listening to the noise. The good news for people like me is that every night from March 15 to 19, there’s also a fireworks show at Paseo de Alameda.
Las Falleras in Valencia
The artsy heritage of the feast is la fallera traditional outfit. The average cost of the fallera dress might reach 6000 euros (although with more exclusive silk fabrics, it is possible to find festive outfits for 25000 euros). During Las Fallas you will see thousands of local women and girls wearing this traditional outfit in Valencia. So, a cute souvenir to bring home from Valencia is a handmade fallera bag.
La Ofrenda
Another important event of Las Fallas in Valencia is Ofrenda de Flores (March 17-18) – a flower offering at Plaza de Virgen Square. The statue of the Virgin is placed on a pedestal and covered with flowers to recreate a giant cape.
Visiting Las Fallas in Valencia with the Kids
During my 15+ years as an expat in Spain, I’ve been lucky to visit Las Fallas festival in Valencia many times. Since it’s often seen as a celebration for all ages, I’ve also experienced it with my kids. That said, it’s not the perfect fit for every child – mine personally love the loud atmosphere, people singing in the streets, street food, and all the lively traditions you find during small-town festivities in Spain.
Las Fallas is vibrant, intense, and exciting, but if you’re visiting with children, planning ahead makes all the difference. A stroller can be useful since you’ll walk a lot – the city center is largely closed to traffic during the celebrations, and little ones tire quickly. However, large crowds can make moving around with a stroller slow and sometimes frustrating, especially near the most famous, award-winning sculptures where foot traffic is at its peak. That’s actually why we waited until our kids were a bit older – around 5 and 6 – before bringing them for the first time.
If you’re visiting Valencia with children, aim to explore earlier in the day. From around 11 a.m., the streets become significantly more crowded with both local and international visitors. Also, keep in mind that each neighborhood typically features two monuments: a main falla and a smaller falla infantil designed for children.
One important thing to know is that the larger Fallas are often highly satirical and political, sometimes featuring mature themes or nudity. I usually don’t include these in my videos or carousels, but you can view them on my Instagram stories. While there are dedicated displays for kids, the main sculptures are out in the open – so it’s something to be aware of when deciding what’s appropriate for your family.
In Spain, attitudes toward this are generally quite relaxed. I personally feel a bit differently when it comes to some of the more mature themes displayed in the larger fallas. For that reason, I thought it was worth mentioning for other parents who might share similar concerns.
How long to stay in Valencia for Las Fallas
If you want to see most of the Las Fallas festival, you’ll need at least two days. Since I have the chance to visit every year, I usually dedicate one day to seeing the most spectacular ones. Every Falla in the top category, called Selección Especial, is worth seeing. While I don’t always agree with the winner – since the judging can be quite subjective – truly exceptional sculptures usually stand out and end up in the top five anyway.
So, if you plan to visit Las Fallas in Valencia for a day, do not mess up the whole itinerary to see the winner. It is often the neighborhood of Campanar, but Gran Via and Russafa are both close to the train station (and are always making it to the top 8 of Seleccion Especial).
You can check this year´s winners on the official website. Additionally, there are lots of extra contests taking place – so most of the fallas get any sort of distinction.
Where to stay for las Fallas
If you are traveling to Valencia exclusively for Las Fallas, pick the hotels in the city center and do not rent a car (traffic will be a nightmare and the old city center will be blocked anyway). Another alternative is to stay outside of the city center while reaching it by public transport or taxi.
For a more budget-friendly option, you can stay in a town outside Valencia and take the train into the city. Honestly, this can be quite a hassle – as you can see in one of the photos below from my recent visit in 2026, when I arrived by train. In other years, I’ve preferred driving and parking outside the city to avoid the chaos at the train station.
Las Fallas in Valencia: Itinerary for Families
The last time we visited Las Fallas with the kids, in 2024, we were lucky to find a parking spot near Alameda Metro Station around 9 a.m., conveniently close to one of the top fallas of that year – Exposició Micer Mascó. After breakfast, we strolled toward the heart of Valencia, passing through the vibrant neighborhoods of Gran Vía and Ruzafa.
Since the kids were starting to feel tired, we had an early lunch at Bastard Coffe & Kitchen. While this place did not make it to my list of favorite cafes in Valencia, the service was fast (which is a rare thing during any of the Spanish festivities).
Afterward, we explored the neighborhoods of L’Eixample and Ciutat Vella. Since we were visiting Las Fallas with kids and only had one day, we didn’t try to see everything. For example, we skipped Campanar – although this neighborhood often wins the competition, it’s a bit farther from the main areas. Overall, we truly enjoyed the experience and are already planning to return next year.
In 2026, the winning falla was Falla Convento Jerusalén, located near the train station. That said, many of the sculptures in the city center were just as spectacular and well worth seeing. Below, you can check out a short video and a few of my favorite photos from visiting the festival in 2026, along with this year’s winning sculpture.
Is Las Fallas festival in Valencia worth visiting?
The Las Fallas festival in Valencia is absolutely worth experiencing if you love vibrant Spanish celebrations – but it’s honestly one of the worst times for sightseeing. If you’ve never been to Valencia and think you can “kill two birds with one stone” by exploring the city while enjoying the festival, that’s not quite the case. Many attractions may be closed, the city center is blocked off for parades, and – as with any major celebration – it’s one of the messiest times of the year for Valencia.
Whether it’s worth revisiting depends on your travel style. I’ve been six times, mainly because I live nearby and it’s convenient. From a cultural perspective, my first visit was the most memorable. If I had to buy plane tickets and book hotels, I probably wouldn’t plan a repeat visit.
Visiting with kids can be fun for a one-time experience: one of my daughters loved the lively vibe and wants to go again next year, while the other felt it was too much walking and thinks once was enough.
Overall, the street atmosphere is incredibly lively and cheerful – the video below captures just a random street on a Tuesday morning during Las Fallas, so you can imagine how packed and energetic it becomes in the evenings. Many people absolutely love that vibe, so if your main plan in Valencia is to immerse yourself in the festival and enjoy the bustling nightlife, you’ll truly enjoy Las Fallas.
Also, Las Fallas is not ideal for Valencia day trips by train. Stations and trains are packed with locals from across the Valencian community and different parts of Spain, making travel outside the city difficult. If you want to explore nearby towns, it’s better to visit Valencia at another time of year.
Read more about exploring Spain with kids:
- Family Holidays in Spain – Top 5 Destinations to Enjoy with Kids (read it)
- 10-day Spain Itinerary for Families from Barcelona (read it)
- Our Favorite Travel Essentials for Kids +Toys On The Go (read it)
- Where to Enjoy Snow in Spain with Kids (read it)
- Cute Spain Books for Kids You´ll Love (read it)
- Barcelona Weekend with Kids: Top things to see and do (read it)
- Valencia With Kids: Top Places Your Children Will Love (read it)
- 5 Epic Reasons to Visit the Spanish Pyrenees with Kids (read it)
- My Favorite Cool Places to Visit in Spain with Kids (read it)
- Travel-themed Activities With Kids: Our Creative Playroom Tour (read it)
- Kids Bookish Inspiration: Favorite International Illustrators Around the World (read it)
- Visiting PortAventura with kids (read it)
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For more Spain travel tips check out my Pinterest board Spain Travel Collection and Flipboard Travel to Spain.
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What fun the festivals in Spain are, and they are always so vibrant and colourful. Thanks for sharing.
I’d love to see this one day! The fallas are so beautiful, seems a shame to burn them, but I know it’s the tradition. Such a fun read.
Las Fallas looks like a great festival to visit. Great idea on picking up a fallera bag as a souvenir, given that the traditional dress is so expensive.
Las Fallas looks to be so fun for kids and parents a like. Adding this to our family bucket list.
So fun! I lived in Barcelona for 5 years and always wanted to go down to Valencia for Las Fallas but somehow never did. This inspires me though! <3
This looks fascinating!! I never knew this existed!
We visited Valencia for the first time and really liked it. We saw many of the big tourist spots. But it would be good to return to a fun festival like Las Fallas. I can see why you attended this over and over. The colour and music would be a big draw.
I’d love to experience Las Fallas, the colours, the traditions, and the incredible artistry behind it all, celebrating the arrival of spring and the sense of renewal.
This looks fabulous and fun!!