A crowd invades the town hall square after the mascletá was fired

A crowd invades the town hall square after the mascletá was fired this Tuesday with just a week to go before the Fallas monuments are set ablaze as the culmination of the Fallas 2024 festival | Biel Aliño

Jason MoorePalma15/03/2024 09:52
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Mallorca is quite rightly considered a paradise and one of the best places to live and holiday in Spain. But you can’t rest on your laurels and other places in Spain have also got their act together and could give Mallorca a run for its money.

Last weekend I was in Valencia, one of the few places in Spain where home sales to foreigners have continued to rise over the last year and you can see why. Valencia has benefited dramatically over the last two decades from substantial investment with the construction of many new attractions including the science park and convention centre. It is also cheaper than Mallorca and in my experience tourists are treated like kings.

The Valencians are quite rightly proud of their city and its traditions, including the Fallas, which is basically a giant firework display in honour of Saint Joseph. What I like about Valencia is that they have been able to combine the old and the new in style. It is also a city with ambition, it has even held its own Formula 1 championship race and the America‘s Cup.

Palma could learn from Valencia and what it has to offer. There is a metro which works and is well used, restaurants and bars have used their imagination so that they offer value for money and quality. Yes, Valencia is a great place.