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From Tapas we compiled the best plans with which to enjoy the most of the weekend in Valencia, which coincides with the kick-off of its Fallas. So get ready for lots of partying, outdoor activities and, of course, and very good gastronomy. Take the agenda and take note of our weekly proposal.
Friday 15
This Friday is officially the beginning of the Fallas 2024 with its traditional Plantà, the moment when all the Fallas monuments are put up and when the city is filled with color and art in every corner. To start the weekend, we recommend Bar-X, Ricard Camarena’s non-stop restaurant located in the Mercado de Colón, in the heart of the city center, where you can eat and drink very well. They don’t take reservations, so it’s best to go early, and their menu is full of delicious portions to share, such as the Russian salad, the ‘Ricard Camarena’ anchovies with butter cream, their figatells (a kind of mini-burgers) or the cucumber of Iberian secret with ‘mullaor’, among many other options.
Where? In Mercado de Colón, Calle de Jorge Juan 19, 46004 (Valencia)
To continue the first night of the weekend, there is no better plan than trying the liquid proposal of Varsovia Valencia, located inside the Melià hotel. This art deco cocktail bar (whose design has earned it the recognition of being among the most beautiful bars in Restaurant and Bar Design Awards) has become the place to be in the capital of the Turia, thanks to its more than 500 references in its bottle rack, a great creative work by Borja Cortina’s team and also with Low Alcohol options.
Where? In Avenida Cortes Valencianas 52, 46015 (Valencia)
Saturday 16
Saturday is expected to be busy, so it is best to start the day early to make the most of it. To learn from another perspective what rice is for a city like Valencia and all the processes behind it, a good recommendation is to visit the Rice Museum. Here you can see the secrets of the industrial processing of rice and learn firsthand all the varieties D.O. Rice of Valencia. The entrance costs 2 € and is located in the neighborhood of Cabañal.
Where? C/ Rosari 3, 46011 (Valencia)
And from tradition to tradition and we pull because we are in Fallas. You can not miss the Mascletà at 2 pm in the Town Hall Square of the city. Get ready to experience a fireworks display in its purest form with all the atmosphere of a city more alive than ever.
At the end of the day, the obligatory stop for lunch has to be La Salita, by Begoña Rodrigo. The Valencian chef is living her best professional moment thanks to a proposal based on creativity, sustainability, proximity and, above all, teamwork.
Located in a 19th century mansion in the heart of the Ruzafa district, crossing its doors will also be to enjoy a show that goes beyond gastronomy. The adjectives fall short to define Begoña: constancy, risk, quality, team or fun, would be part of this list. Also her claim for excellence or her play with vegetables, her innovations creating her own vinegars and pickles, and all the surprises and trompe l’oeil she has in store in her menu. In addition, she also gives special prominence to rice, being this season’s ambassador of D.O. Arroz de Valencia. The final touch to the evening at La Salita will be provided by Denys Cherkasov, in charge of the cocktail bar, who also recently won the award for the best Carajillo in Spain.
Where? C/ Pere III El Gran 11B, 46005 (Valencia)
When you leave, it will be a good time to take a tour of all the fallas in the center of Valencia, admiring the artisan talent of the fallas artists. If you want a more alternative version, you can stop at the more experimental fallas. This is a set of 10 fallas commissions that advocate a work made with sustainable and innovative materials, and their message seeks to vindicate and reflect on issues such as climate change, immigration or sexism. Here you can consult the complete route.
Sunday 17
Sunday is also a cultural morning. Two good recommendations would be to visit the IVAM (the Valencian Institute of Modern Art), which this year is celebrating its 35th anniversary with interesting exhibitions, such as ‘Sempere in Paris’, which pays tribute to the artist Eusebio Sempere and brings together 70 of his pieces. If you have the chance, another option is the Bombas Gens space, which has just reopened as a Digital Arts Center and until March 18 its space will host the ‘Fallas IA’, with an immersive and very visual experience. From March 26, it will also inaugurate the exhibition ‘Dalí cibernètic’.
Where? IVAM en C/ de Guillem de Castro 118, 46003 (Valencia)
and Bomba Gens en Av. de Burjassot 54-56, 46009 (Valencia)
The gastronomic stop will be at the Only YOU Valencia hotel, located 100 meters from the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Its restaurant El Mirador on the ninth floor becomes a hotspot where you can enjoy the sound of the mascletà while tasting a menu full of traditional Valencian dishes. For these dates they have prepared different special menus, such as the San José Menu for March 19, with starters such as fresh tuna carpaccio with flame-grilled eggplant, a main dish (rice with peeled prawns, monkfish and artichokes) and, for dessert, the delicious Chocolate & Berries. They have also created a very original cocktail called Orange Lady, with gin, triple sec, tangerine, lemon, cotton candy and the finishing touch is the petazetas.
Where? Plaça de Rodrigo Botet 5, 46002, Valencia
To end the weekend the right way, you have to try the traditional Fallas chocolate fritters. Any street stall will serve you this delicious Valencian sweet. But a good option is to stop at El Contraste, in the Ruzafa neighborhood. It is a classic buñolería that makes buñuelos all year round.
Where? Carrer de Sant Valero 12, 46005 (Valencia)