Until March 21st, the 32nd Annual Antique Book Festival is being held on the Gran Vía Marqués. There are a surprisingly large number of vendors set up, and if you like books, this is an event you really shouldn’t pass up. It’s not just “antique” books either, despite the name — you can get really good deals on second hand novels and comics. Browsing is a blast, especially on a sunny day.

- Come for Fallas

On Saturday morning, we bundled up and took the train from Valencia’s Sant Isidre station to Requena; a beautiful 90-minute continuous ascent into the mountains. Snow was falling, lightly dusting the trees, ravines and cliffs we passed. This was the first time all year I’d seen snow.

The sausage festival was about as we expected it — sausagey. For €9, we got 5 little sausage plates, 2 glasses of wine, a water, bread, and something vaguely described as a “Product from the Housewives Association”. It was cheesy and fishy, and I don’t think I’d like to dwell on it any further.

The festival was a bit smaller than I anticipated; but then, how many sausage stands does one need? We bravely munched through 4 of our 5 desgustaciones of chorizo & morcilla, before hoisting the white flag.

- Stay over night in Requena: Requena Hotels

The best part of the day came after we left the festival — an extended visit to Meson del Viño. This is an awesome little pub/restaurant, decked out in bullfighting paraphernalia. We had a couple hours to kill before our train back home, and didn’t feel like walking around in the freezing cold, so we were happy to spend some time in this extremely loud and lively bar. Worth a visit when you’re in Requena.

Tomorrow, we are on our way to Sausage Land! Where sugar, spice, and all the other things which make up little girls… are crammed into pig intestines AND CONSUMED!!!

Longaniza, Morcilla, Chorizo, Salchichón. Sweet, delectable morsels, every one. I plan on acquainting myself with each of you, on an… intimate basis. You naughty little vixens, I’m going to gobble you up, yes I am!

Requena’s Muestra del Embutido has become an important date on Valencia’s culinary calendar. In this, its 17th year, the festival is celebrating recognition as an Event of Touristic Interest.

Requena is also known for its Vendimia (wine harvest) festival in the summer. Close to Utiel, the region is renowned throughout Spain for its excellent food and drink. The sausage fest runs from the 12th to 14th of February. Requena can be reached from Valencia on Renfe Cercanías, for a negligible fee.

Festival’s Official Site

-Crazy festivals in Valencia

Now in it’s 8th year, VEO — València Escena Oberta — is taking to the streets once again, from February 10th to 21st. It’s become a fairly popular event on the calendar, as various locations around the city are used as the stage for modern, and often bizarre, theater pieces.

No Man’s Land
House of Monsters

One interesting highlight looks to be No Man’s Land, by Dutch artist Dries Verhoeven, which is set in Valencia’s main train station. “Spectators” receive an audio guide which details the travails of an immigrant and leads them around. Another is Obludarium by the Czech Forman Brothers. That translates as “House of Monsters”, and it sounds like it’ll be a crazy blend of fantasy and cabaret, inside a tent in a corner of the Viveros Gardens.

Tickets to nearly all the shows are €11, which I’m pretty sure is a price hike compared to previous years, perhaps due to the crisis. And we enjoyed a couple neat free outdoor performances the last couple years, but I don’t see anything similar in this edition.

Anything you’re especially looking forward to?

VEO’s Official Website

- Visit Valencia’s Oceanografic

You’ll probably have noticed that the stores in Valencia are closed again today. The reason this time is the celebration of San Vincente Ferrer, the city’s patron saint. This is a festival for just the city of Valencia — outside the city nucleus, life continues as normal.

The main event of the day is a procession at noon from the Cathedral, down C/ La Paz. Appropriate to the veneration of a martyr, this is a solemn affair, not musical or lively.

Last year, we wrote a longer article about the history of San Vicente Mártir, with a lot of pictures from the parade. If you unsure about whether to attend today’s event, check it out!

- Photos form Xativa