Tourist councils for visitors to Spain are diverse - the country is a museum reserve and a historical reserve at the same time . Of course, every self-respecting travel operator or a profile site will recommend visiting the Escorial, the Prado gallery or painted by the great Goya cathedrals . In the "obligatory" program of tourist Spain - the architectural symphonies of Gaudi, Soso and Guggenheim, Velazquez and El Greco, and many other visible manifestations of the cultural wealth of ancient Iberian land. . Among them there are mass events, sometimes with a big dose of adrenaline - it is enough to recall the same "run of bulls" in Pamplona or the Madrid suburbs .

But in Spain there is one holiday, which visually remains in the memory of any tourist forever. The fiery festival of Valencia is an ocean of raging flames in the city, the apotheosis of the southern temperament and the development of historical traditions. Every year, from 14 to 19 March, the tile of streets and squares of Valencia becomes a witness of amazing events for the European city.

The Spanish name of the festival "Falles" comes from the word "torch" - in Latin fax . XVII century, the most powerful city craft guild of carpenters began to hold their professional holiday - if you like, the medieval version of corporate entertainment . In connection with the onset of spring and increasing daylight in the squares of Valencia, the stand for lamps and other unnecessary after winter things . In the 18th century the ritual became more complicated, and instead of the unappetizing pile of the old tree, every Valencian quarter began to construct unique figures -.The more original and large-scale were these samples of folk architecture - the more respectable and prestigious the neighborhood looked in the eyes of other quarters . The mandatory tradition was the mass burning of all sculptures on the night of March 19, a few days before the vernal equinox .

Not only that - these five festival days are accompanied by large-scale carnivals using historical costumes and medieval music . Sculptures themselves reach the sizes of multi-storey (!) houses and hand painted . Plots and the embodiment of the monumental papier-mache constructions are not limited to anything - from imitations of football players of the national team to mermaids and witches, the interior of the bathroom serves as an entourage for mythical monsters and modern politicians - the national Valencian fantasy does not hold back . All five-day action is similar to Christmas Eve, anticipating "night of furious lights"

The phrase "The whole city was on the streets" is not a metaphor. On the night of March 19, in the streets and squares of Valencia are millions of people, many times larger than the urban population. Because the night fire is one of the most fascinating and magnificent spectacles in the history of mankind. You can plan a trip to Spain as you like. But if a visit to this country took place in the middle of March - visit Valencia, do not regret it!