December arrives full of surprises and illusion, new New Year’s resolutions, changes, family gatherings, cold and love. Leisure time, vacations and travel.
If you come to Valencia, you have made a very good choice, since the city is full of events to have a great time. Here we leave you 6 ideas that you cannot miss, since they only happen once a year.
It is the time when the Albufera Natural Park shines the most, you have to see it✨
Albufera Sunset
Perellonà arrives. A phenomenon that makes the Albufera lake become one of the largest in Spain during this month of December and is also its most resplendent and beautiful time of the year. Are you going to miss it??
It is a flood of water that completely covers the area, thus leaving part of the rice fields, roads and ditches flooded.
This phenomenon occurs because the gates of the Albufera, known as the “perellones”, are closed. And once closed, the Júcar and Túria rivers continue to store water, thus giving the lagoon a capacity of 17,500 hectares.
This creates a stamp, a unique landscape. That can only be seen during the months of November and December. Acquiring its maximum splendor in mid-December.
It is part of the rice cultivation cycle and provides important benefits:
- Improves the quality of the land. The flood provides nutrients and fertilizes the soil.
- Various species of animals appear, such as ducks and flamingos that spend the winter in the lagoon and when the temperatures drop further they emigrate to Africa. With the arrival of January the Perellonà ends and the Aixugà arrives: the floodgates reopen and the excess water is released from the Albufera. And after the Aixugà all that remains is the ”fangueo” which is when the farmers have to clear their land of the remaining mud.
And from there to the start of the rice season, a very important main activity in the area.
There are excursions that take you and show you the best of the place, find out here
Don’t miss out on the best Christmas markets?
Valencia Christmas Market
It is time to visit the markets looking for decoration and artisan gifts. To eat a hot chocolate with churros, to get on the live uncle and tour the center of the city full of light, Christmas carols and life. It is Christmas time. So we leave you the best markets in Valencia so you can enjoy the endless activities they offer for the whole family.
- Fira de Nadal de Xixona, is the most important Christmas fair in the Valencian Community: nougats, all kinds of crafts, Christmas decorations… fill the 100 local exhibitors located along Avenida de la Constitución. It also has an amusement fair, food trucks, the Christmas train, activities such as theater, storytelling, tastings… from December 3 to 8, 2022.
- Christmas Fair in Plaza de la Reina: 30 craft booths to buy original gifts this Christmas. From 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (mornings) and from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (afternoons) until January 8.
- Christmas Market of the City of Arts and Sciences: Christmas craft market with activities for the little ones in the house, a solidarity corner and food trucks. From December 16 to January 8 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Christmas market next to the Central Market of Valencia, from December 10, 2022 to January 6, 2023.
- Mercado de Reyes del Cabañal, the mythical market of the kings that opens until 5:00 a.m., where you can find the best Christmas gifts. On January 3 and 4, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. January 5, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. on January 6, 2023.
- Mostra de Nadal in the Mercado de Colón, a new edition of the Mostra de Artesanía, XX edition, will be held: it will feature 14 designers and artisans specialized in textile, leather or jewelry silkscreen printing or screen printing. From December 15, 2022 to January 5, 2023 .
- Tapinería Market will have a Christmas market. From Wednesday, December 21, 2022 to Thursday, January 5, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- The traditional Christmas craft fair, which is set up at the Lluís Vives High School, opposite the Estación del Norte, returns on December 23rd until January 6th, without interruption.
Exclusive: The Nativity Scene Route⭐
Belen Plaza de la Reina
Did you know that some spectacular nativity scenes are set up in Valencia?
Life-size nativity scenes or brought from Naples.
Nativity scenes worth seeing once in a lifetime.
If you are someone who is passionate about history, and every year you assemble your Nativity scene with great enthusiasm, you have to do the route of the nativity scenes.
Where they will take you through the heart of the city visiting the most historic and impressive nativity scenes. A fun and very enjoyable route for the whole family.
Click here for more information.
Enjoy the best Valencian gastronomy in winter?
Pilotes de Nadal
The cold starts, so it’s time to visit mountain villages and warm up enjoying winter dishes.
In the Valencian Community we have many winter dishes such as putxero valencià, olleta, arroz caldoso, sopa cubierta, all y pebre or stew. Dishes that must be tried to understand the mixture of natural ingredients and the successful flavor of Valencian cuisine.
For this reason, we propose two plans to enjoy this winter:
- Visit Xàtiva and its imposing castle and, on the way, try the traditional arròs al forn. We recommend going to: Tipics, Pebre Negre Restaurant or Cullerot.
- Visit Morella, the vertical medieval city that will leave you speechless and try ”les pilotes de Nadal”. We recommend you go to: Casa Roque that never fails.
Take refuge in the Cuevas de San José??♂️
Caves of San José.
For the longest navigable underground river in all of Europe, the temperature is always 20º. Inside the thermal sensation is ideal.
So, why not take advantage of a cold day and take an excursion to discover the mysteries that are hidden in the caves?
The Cuevas de San José is an enigmatic place with a natural beauty from another world.
Make a different plan: discover what is hidden inside the caves, navigating inside the earth.
Click here for more information
Discover Medieval Valencia⚔️
Torres de Serranos
Do you really not know what the expression means: ”stay on the moon in Valencia”??
There are several theories: this is how the ships that could not dock due to bad tide (at night, to the moon of Valencia) stayed or this is how the Moors expelled from the city stayed on the beach waiting to be able to set sail to another place.
But the one that has been used the most is that of the Torres de Serranos: these towers have always been the main entrance to the city and defense zone. But, they closed their doors at 10 at night and it was said that everyone who arrived just on time or later had to stay on the moon in Valencia, on the Serranos bridge, waiting for dawn to come and they could enter. to the city.
Medieval Valencia is known as the city’s most splendor period, although it is also one of the most mysterious and dark periods. The famous ”Valencian Golden Age” that has marked the lives of its people forever.
We invite you this winter not to miss these stories… if you come to Valencia you have to know them. Click here to know more.
And now, enjoy!
From Valencia&Go we wish you Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year.