Where to Go in Spain in March 2013

Valencia is home to the Fallas festival, which takes place from March 15 to March 19 every year. Fiestas in Spain often take over an entire city, but never city as large as Valencia, Spain's third biggest (you'll never see all of Barcelona or Madrid taken up by a single event).

Las Fallas has twice-daily fireworks - a traditional display at night and a special 'audio display' in broad daylight. There are impressive sculptures built all over the city (which get burned down on the last night), religious processions, street food and lots of drinking and partying.

Las Fallas features in my list of the Best Parties in Spain.

Read more:

• Las Fallas in Spain
• Valencia Guide

Xàtiva, Benidorm and Denia also have mini-Fallas festivities.

Other Events in and Around Valencia in March

• March 2 to 10, 2013: Fiesta de la Magdalena in Castellon de la Plana
• March 24, 2013 Palm Sunday All over Spain, but the most famous celebrations are in Elche, near Valencia.
• March 22 to 31, 2013 (the later dates have more going on) Semana Santa Marinera. Easter celebrations in the maritime districts of Grao and Cabanyal in Valencia.

Accommodation in Valencia

I stayed at the Ayre Astoria Palace when I visited Valencia for the Fallas festival. Check out my Las Fallas Accommodation Advice and Suggestions (the ideas are all good for trips to Valencia outside of Las Fallas).

Seville is the most famous city in Spain for Semana Santa, Spain's name for the Easter celebrations. Christians get a lot more to celebrate than the weekend we get in the US and the UK, as there is a whole week of processions and special services. See my article on Semana Santa to give you an idea of what you may see.

See also:

• Semana Santa Cities
• 50 Things to Do in Seville

Where to Stay in Seville in March

Seville during Semana Santa is incredibly popular and prices rise hugely, especially in hotels. A good bet is to go with a private apartment from Airbnb. This one is especially good: Beautiful apartment by the cathedral (sleeps four people). In the likely event that this apartment is booked when you read this, click on the link anyway to search for similar places to stay.

See also: Compare Prices on Hotels with Kayak Kayak is not just a price comparison site, it also compares prices on other price comparison sites!

Barcelona is full of events in March 2013. It is also a good place to escape from Semana Santa as the city doesn't do the event as much as other cities.

Events in and around Barcelona in March include:

• Barcelona Beer Festival
• De Cajon Flamenco Festival
• Amimac Mostra Internacional de Cinema d'Animació in animated film festival in Lleida, Catalonia, until March 3, 2013
• Sant Medir Festival Costumed processions in the Gracia area of Barcelona on March 3, 2013.
• La Passio Famous performance of the Passion of Christ in Esparraguera, Catalonia on March 3, 2013
• Fec Festival Short-film festival in Reus and Cabrils, near Barcelona, on March 8-9 and 15-16, 2013

See also:

• 100 Things to Do in Barcelona
• Barcelona Day Trips

Where to Stay in Barcelona in March

Accommodation options in Barcelona are plentiful. You have the noisy Ramblas and Barrio Gotico (Gothic Quarter) areas, or the village-like Gracia district, with the spacious Eixample district between the two. Most visitors to Barcelona go for the convenience of the Eixample, which has the most hotels in Barcelona. Check out, for example, this excellently located Bed and Breakfast in Eixample.

Gracia is home to the San Medir festival, so staying here during the festival would give you a great insight into the event. Check out this Apartment in Gracia for San Medir festival.

See also: Compare Prices on Hotels with Kayak

The Jerez Flamenco Festival ends on March 9, 2013, so check out some of the shows in the city that gave birth to sherry.

• Jerez Travel Guide
• Sherry Bodegas in Jerez

Where to Stay in Jerez in March

Check out this Great value apartment with cathedral views, close to bodegas or Compare Prices on Hotels in Jerez

Semana Santa is the big event here: Malaga's Easter celebrations are second only to Seville for Semana Santa in Andalusia.

There is also a bull run in nearby Gaucin on March 31.

See also:

• Malaga City Guide
• Day Trips from Malaga

Where to Stay in Malaga in March

Airbnb has lots of apartments rented out by private individuals. Check out this one, for example, Good value apartment in central Malaga (sleeps four), or click on the link and search for similar properties.

See also: Compare Prices on Hotels with Kayak Kayak is not only a price comparison site - it also compares prices on other price comparison sites.