Castillos de Fuegos Artificiales

Every night during the month of March, the municipality of Valencia and the local pyrotechnics organise stunning and elaborate firework displays called Castillos de Fuegos Artificiales (literally meaning Firework Castles)

While the loud Mascletás are ideal for the daytime, the Castillos are made to amaze the public with colourful twirls and sparkling shapes in the night sky. Nonetheless, remember this is still Valencia after all, so these fireworks will be much louder than the ones you have heard on other occasions.

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In Valencia, the Castillos de Fuegos explode in colourful sparks and create playful shapes. The dark spring sky is engraved with fleeting constellations. Dozens of shimmering brushstrokes gently fade away, leaving behind only the acrid smell of gunpowder.

A typical Castillo is quite long compared to a regular firework display - generally around 15 minutes - although the duration varies depending on the night. The longest event is the Nit del Foc, the last Castillo of every Fallas edition. Another special event is the Albà de les Falle s, which opens the Semana Fallera and precedes the Plantà. Other Castillos take place all throughout March.

The location too, depends on the night, and the various Fallas committees fire their own Castillos. In any case, the biggest and most notable displays are set up in the old Turia riverbed, along the 9th section of the Turia Park.

History

From China all the way to Spain, this is how fireworks got to Valencia, becoming a huge part of the local way of celebrating Fallas.

Around 200 BC - Primitive firecrackers

Proto-firecrackers were invented in China from bamboo stems.

Around 800 AD - Gunpowder

A Chinese alchemist mixed sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate, inventing gunpowder. The powder was packed into bamboo tubes and lit on fire, thus becoming the first actual firework. These fireworks were used for celebrations and festivities. That of the pyrotechnician soon developed into an independent and respected profession during the Song dynasty (960–1279).

900-1200 - Fireworks brought to Spain

Fireworks were brought to Spain by the Moor expansion into the peninsula. They thus laid the foundations for a long-lasting tradition of gunpowder, especially in the eastern coast of Spain, where Valencia is.

1830 - Modern fireworks

Italian pyrotechnicians gave fireworks their modern colouration by adding metal salts to their chemical composition. However, other forms of colouring the smoke and flames already existed in China as early as the 14th century.

1930s - First Castillos de Fuegos

Castillos de Fuegos Artificiales started being organised on Saturdays and Sundays in March on the occasion of a primitive version of Fallas.

1942 - Integration into the programme

The Castillos de Fuegos Artificiales were officially incorporated into the Fallas events programme.

1980s - Current date

The programme started resembling the current one. The Nit del Foc started being celebrated on the night between the 18th and the 19th, and other Castillos de Fuegos were established.

2016 - Albà de les Falles

This 1966-67 tradition was recovered and established as part of the official pyrotechnic programme.

Practical Information

The Castillos de Fuegos are normally held at night between the 15th and the 19th of March.

You can see the location for those that are not held at Plaza del Ayuntamiento on the map here.

Restricted Areas

Access to the sites is restricted for safety reasons. For this reason, it is forbidden to enter the enclosure in Plaza del Ayuntamiento on the 15th at night.  All the other Castillos de Fuegos take place in the 9th tramo of the Turia Park. Access to that section is therefore forbidden.

To be specific, the closed off bridges for the occasion are: Puente de la Exposición, Puente de las Flores, Puente del Mar.

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In terms of streets, the whole Passeig de Ciutadella and the stretch of the Alameda between Puente de la Exposición and Puente del Mar are off-limits. Additionally, Puente del Real and Puente de Aragón are also closed off for vehicles.

In any case, we recommend you get there on foot or by public transport.

Best spots to watch the firework displays

To see the Alba de les Falles it’s best to be in Plaza del Ayuntamiento. If you want an excellent view of the show, hotels and apartments rent rooms with a view of the square.

For the Castillos in the Turia Park, it’s best to be on the nearby bridges or at the sides of the park. This means Puente del Real and the Puente de Aragón offer an excellent view - there will be no cars allowed on them so you can safely occupy the bridges.

You can also go to either end of Puente de Aragón (with Plaza de América and Plaza Zaragoza). Other viable options are the area surrounding the kiosk La Pérgola on the Alameda or even Calle de l’Arquitecte Mora and its surroundings.

Transportation

The special safety measures that are put in place at the time of the Castillos de Fuegos can also affect public transport. A lot of EMT bus lines are also diverted, so the best is to ask the driver what the closest stop is.

Turia Park

The Alameda metro stop is generally closed before the display for safety reasons, so you shouldn’t take it into consideration when trying to get there.

Plaza del Ayuntamiento

Frequently Asked Questions

Here you can find quick answers to all of your questions. Linked, you’ll find the articles or the sections of the articles that can give you more detailed information.

What’s a Castillo de Fuegos Artificiales?

They are nightly firework displays organised in Valencia during Fallas.

When are the Castillos de Fuegos in Valencia?

They take place between the beginning and the 19th of March.

If you’d like to know the detailed schedule, you can have a look at the dedicated section of this article.

Where are the Castillos de Fuegos in Valencia?

They usually take place in the old Turia riverbed, in the 9th section of the park or the city’s Plaza del Ayuntamiento. However, the place depends on the individual event.

If you’d like to know the detailed schedule, you can have a look at the dedicated section of this article.

How can I get to the Castillos de Fuegos in Valencia?

Although most Castillos are set off from the 9th section of the Turia Park, not all of them are. So, first, you should check the schedule for the event you intend to attend. Once you know that, you can have a look at our transport section to find out how to get to your destination, as well as the best spots to watch the event.