The first time we visited Valencia was in October 2013. We stayed at the Meliá Hotel, overlooking what was then a busy plaza with traffic passing through it.
We had no idea that our visit coincided with one of Valencia’s most important holidays, or that there was going to be a parade passing right beneath our balcony.
But on October 9, the traffic disappeared, and the streets filled with marching bands, people in elaborate historical costumes, spectacular floats, and thousands of spectators. We stood on our balcony watching the procession for something like four hours, fascinated by the spectacle unfolding below us.
It was wonderful.
In fact, that first visit was when we started thinking that Valencia might be somewhere we’d like to live. We loved the city, its architecture, its atmosphere, and the way history seemed to be woven into everyday life. The parade was one more reason to fall in love with the place.
Thirteen years later, we finally got to see it again.
Only this time, we weren’t tourists.
What’s So Special About October 9?
October 9 is Día de la Comunitat Valenciana, the official holiday of the Valencian Community, commemorating the entry of King Jaume I of Aragon into Valencia in 1238, following his conquest of the city from its Muslim rulers.
The date marks a pivotal moment in Valencian history, when the city became part of the expanding Crown of Aragon and began the transformation that would shape much of its subsequent political, cultural, and linguistic identity.
The holiday is celebrated throughout the Valencian Community, but Valencia itself puts on quite a show.
One of the principal traditions is the Processó Cívica, in which the Valencian flag, the Reial Senyera, is ceremonially carried through the city. There are official ceremonies, music, and other festivities, along with the spectacular historical parade that first captured our attention in 2013.
It’s also the feast day of Sant Donís, traditionally associated with lovers in Valencia, who exchange gifts of marzipan sweets wrapped in a handkerchief. Think of it as a distinctly Valencian Valentine’s Day, with considerably more sugar.
But for us, the big attraction was always the parade.
Thirteen Years Is a Long Time Between Parades
We moved to Valencia in 2025, and naturally, one of the things we looked forward to was seeing the October 9 parade again. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas, and the parade was canceled because of rain.
So, this year, we were determined not to miss it.
Even then, things were a little uncertain. Spain is currently experiencing widespread protests over the cost and availability of housing, and demonstrators in Valencia have established an encampment in the Plaza. For a while, it wasn’t entirely clear whether the festivities would proceed as planned.
Fortunately, they did, and we were finally going to get our parade.
There was another difference this time, beyond the fact that we now live here. Back in 2013, we watched everything from above, standing on our hotel balcony. This year, we were going to watch from street level, right alongside the parade route.
Which brings me to something we’ve learned about Valencian celebrations.
The Mystery of the White Plastic Chairs
If you’ve spent much time in Valencia during its many festivals and parades, you’ve probably noticed the rows of white plastic chairs that mysteriously appear along the parade routes.
We’ve seen them plenty of times, but what we hadn’t quite figured out was how the system worked.
Were they reserved? Did you have to buy tickets somewhere? Were they for special guests? Could you just sit down?
This time, we finally discovered the answer: you sit down.
That’s it. It’s wonderfully straightforward once you know how it works.
Eventually, a young person in uniform comes along, collects your €5 payment, and gives you a wristband identifying you as an officially authorized occupant of a white plastic chair.
And they take the system seriously. If you don’t have a wristband and aren’t willing to pay, you’ll be asked to leave.
So, thirteen years after watching the parade from a hotel balcony, we found ourselves sitting comfortably at street level in the front row, with the procession passing just a few feet away.
And What a Parade It Was!
The costumes were every bit as spectacular as we remembered.
There were marching bands, elaborately dressed historical figures, colorful groups of participants, and a seemingly endless procession celebrating Valencia’s history.
One of the things I particularly enjoy about these events is the extraordinary amount of effort that goes into the costumes. These aren’t just a few people throwing on vaguely medieval outfits for the afternoon. The clothing, accessories, banners, and presentation can be remarkably elaborate. Participating in this parade can be a costly proposition!
And sitting right on the street gave us a completely different perspective from the one we’d had in 2013.
From the balcony, we’d been able to appreciate the scale of the procession, watching entire groups moving along the street below us. This time, we could see the individual costumes, the details, the musicians, and the faces of the people taking part.
It was a much more immediate experience.
The parade lasted about three and a half hours, although we decided that two hours was enough for us. Apparently, even after waiting thirteen years, there’s a limit to how much historical pageantry we can absorb in one sitting.
There were some differences from what we remembered, too.
The 2013 parade had lasted closer to four hours, and we remembered more groups representing ordinary townspeople, along with some spectacular floats that we didn’t see this time. Whether the procession has changed over the years or those elements appeared after we left, I couldn’t say.
But it was still a fabulous spectacle, and we came away with plenty of photographs and videos.
More importantly, we’d finally experienced something we’d been looking forward to seeing again for over a decade.
Coming Full Circle
There’s something rather satisfying about returning to an experience that played a part in changing the direction of your life.
In 2013, we were visitors, standing on a hotel balcony and discovering a city that immediately felt like somewhere we might want to call home.
We couldn’t have known then exactly how things would unfold. We would spend years living elsewhere, eventually make the decision to move to Europe, and finally settle in Valencia in 2025.
And now, thirteen years after that first parade, here we were again.
The Plaza itself has changed. The streets that once carried traffic past our hotel have been pedestrianized, creating a very different public space. The parade wasn’t quite the same one we remembered, either.
And of course, we’re different people from the ones who stood on that balcony in 2013.
Back then, Valencia was a possibility, somewhere we dreamed we might live someday. Now, it’s home.
So yes, we’ve finally come full circle in Valencia.
Well, almost. You never really return to exactly the same place. The city has changed, the parade has changed, and we’ve changed along with them.
We’re back near where the circle began, but the circle itself has changed.