Valencia in early March is a strange time. The fallas monuments aren't up yet, but the neighbourhood casals are buzzing every night with pre-party dinners and mascletà rehearsals. Half the city is building something in secret, the other half is pretending to work while mentally preparing for two weeks of controlled chaos.
If you're visiting this week, you're in the sweet spot — you get to see the city gearing up for Fallas without the absolute insanity of the main week. If you live here, well, you already know what's coming. Either way, here's what's actually worth your time between now and Sunday.
Tuesday-Thursday: The Neighbourhood Pre-Parties Begin
Fallas Casal Dinners (Various Neighbourhoods)
Most fallas committees (casals) are hosting their pre-Fallas dinners this week. These are technically private events, but if you know someone in a casal — or if you're bold enough to show up and ask nicely — you might get a seat. The best ones happen in Russafa, Benimaclet, and El Carmen. Expect paella cooked in massive pans, cheap wine, and locals arguing about whose falla is going to win this year. It won't, but that's not the point.
The casals on Calle Sueca in Russafa and around Plaza Benimaclet are the most welcoming to outsiders. Show up around 9pm, bring a bottle of something, and see what happens. Worst case, you'll get politely redirected to a nearby bar. Best case, you'll eat too much rice and make five new friends.
Plantà Infantil Prep (Wednesday-Thursday, Various Locations)
The children's fallas go up on March 14th — a few days before the big ones — and this week you'll see crews prepping the sites. If you wander around Russafa, El Carmen, or near the Ayuntamiento, you'll spot fenced-off squares with construction crews measuring, drilling, and occasionally arguing. Not exactly entertainment, but it's a good reminder that Fallas isn't just a show that magically appears. People spend all year building these things.
Weekend Plans: Actual Events You Can Attend
Valencia Fashion Week (March 6-8, Estación del Norte)
Yes, Valencia has a fashion week. No, it's not Milan. But the city's design scene is stronger than most people realise, and this year's lineup includes a few genuinely interesting shows — especially the sustainability-focused designers showing on Saturday afternoon. General admission is free for some shows, but you'll need to register online in advance. The after-parties in Russafa are where the actual fashion people go, if you care about that sort of thing.
Mercado Agroecológico (Saturday 8am-2pm, Jardines del Real)
The weekly organic market in Viveros is one of the best in the city. Fresh produce from L'Horta, local cheese, bread that's still warm from the oven, and coffee that doesn't taste like it came from a machine. Go early — the good stuff sells out by 11am. Bring your own bags or they'll judge you.
Concierto de Bandas (Sunday 12pm, Plaza del Ayuntamiento)
Every Sunday in March, the local brass bands perform in front of the Ayuntamiento. It's traditional, it's free, and it's loud. The bands are genuinely talented — Valencian banda music is a whole art form that most visitors don't appreciate until they hear it live. Show up at noon, grab a spot in the sun, and let the tubas wash over you. The falleras (women in traditional dress) start showing up around this time too, so it's a good preview of what's coming.
Tuesday-Sunday: Museums and Culture (For When You Need a Break)
IVAM: "Industrial Memory" Exhibition (Ongoing)
The contemporary art museum has a new show about Valencia's industrial past — factories, workers, the docks in El Grao. It sounds dry, but it's actually fascinating if you want to understand what this city was before tourism took over. Plus, IVAM is free on Sundays, and it's air-conditioned, which will matter more in about three weeks when the Fallas crowds arrive.
Filmoteca: Japanese New Wave Retrospective (All Week)
The municipal cinema on Plaza del Ayuntamiento is running a series of 1960s Japanese films this week. If you're tired of Valencia content and want to watch Nagisa Ōshima's early work on a big screen, this is your chance. Tickets are 3€. Subtitles in Spanish. The bar downstairs is good for a pre-film vermouth.
La Nau Cultural Centre: "Soundscapes of the Mediterranean" (Opens Thursday)
A multimedia installation about coastal sounds — waves, port machinery, fishing boats, seagulls. The artist is Valencian, and the show was recorded along the coast from Cullera to Sagunto. It's experimental, it's quiet, and it's a nice antidote to the noise that's about to descend on this city. Free entry, open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-8pm.
Where to Eat and Drink This Week
Bar Pilar (Every Day, 12pm-11pm)
If you haven't been to Bar Pilar yet, this is the week. It's in Mercado de Mossén Sorell, it's the best mussels in Valencia, and the place is absolutely packed from March onwards. Go for lunch — the clóchinas are about to come into season (April-ish) but the mejillones right now are excellent. Order a kilo, a cold beer, and bread for the sauce. That's the whole experience. It costs about 12€ and you'll think about it for weeks.
Bodega Casa Montaña (Every Day, 1pm-3:30pm & 8pm-11pm)
The oldest bar in Valencia, and still one of the best. The vermouth is poured from a tap, the conservas are perfect, and the atmosphere is exactly what you came to Spain for. If you're going this week, book ahead — it's only getting busier as Fallas approaches. Ask for a table near the wine barrels if you can. The waiter will ignore your request, but it's worth trying.
Ubik Café (Daily, 9am-10pm, Russafa)
A bookshop-café with good coffee, decent bocadillos, and free WiFi. It's where local freelancers hide when they need to pretend to work. The vibe is calm, the staff speak English, and they have a selection of books about Valencia if you want to actually learn something while you're here. Not exciting, but useful.
What to Skip This Week
The tourist trap restaurants around Plaza de la Reina and Calle Caballeros are rolling out their "Fallas special menus" this week. Don't fall for it. Paella on Calle Caballeros is never good, and charging 25€ for it because there's a Fallas menu doesn't make it better.
The fake "fallas preview" walking tours that start showing up in early March are mostly nonsense. You don't need a guide to explain Fallas — you need to walk around, talk to people, and figure it out yourself. Save the money for a round of cervezas.
The Week Ahead: What's Coming
Next week is when things escalate. The Plantà Infantil happens on March 14th, which means the children's fallas go up across the city. The 15th is the start of official Fallas, and from that moment until the 19th, it's fireworks, parades, concerts, and approximately zero sleep. If you're in Valencia for the main event, pace yourself — it's a marathon, not a sprint.
This week is your chance to see the city in a slightly calmer state. The locals are getting ready, the casals are buzzing, and the anticipation is building. Enjoy it while it lasts. In eleven days, all hell breaks loose.