Summer in Valencia

Now in July, throughout the whole of Spain, but especially en Valencia, there’s a special person who’s present in our lives. It’s the sun, our loved friend Lorenzo. I don’t know why he’s got this name but when I was a child me grandmother Luisa used to tell me a story which I have told my students a few times.

Lorenzo, the sun, was in love. He was so much in love that he shone very strong to show the humans how much he was in love with the moon, the beautiful and white Catalina. But at the same time he shone all his anger because he could hardly ever see his beloved.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been living in Valencia for nearly four years now, but that’s the first summer I’m spending in the city from the beginning to the end. What’s my conclusion? It’s wonderful living here in this time of year.
In the morning I don’t have to wait much in the queue of the bakery, either at the bar where I take my fast coffee at about 9.15. Get out of work means go for a walk in the sun; yeah, our “friend Lorenzo” becomes very strong in July and August, and somebody pure from the North like me get fried like a chicken in the oven.

Read the rest of this entry »

Like every year, in the second two weeks of July the Feria de Julio will take place in Valencia counting with a wide range of different events like cultural acts, concerts and the famous Valencian fireworks.

The Feria de Julio was created in the 19th century by the merchants of the city as a means of preventing the Valencian bourgeoisie and middle class from leaving the city during the summer months. As a common practice they went to places like the Cantabrian beaches because of their fresher climate. The Valencian bourgeoisie met in pabellones and stands to celebrate the fair.

Read the rest of this entry »

The month of July comes to an end and with it the Feria de Julio – within which we visited the jazz festival (see article on the next page). In the decade of 1870 the emerging valencian bourgeoisie creates the Feria de Julio with the pretext to follow the precedent “corregudes de Sant Jaume”. With the heat coming the bourgeoisie and middle class abandoned the capital of the river Turia to go to cooler places. The merchants, who wanted to keep the valencians in the city, agreed with the city council on the creation of the annual Feria de Julio in 1970. With the years, the programme of the festival became more and more important and as well parades as expositions, etc. were included.

Read the rest of this entry »