March 2023. Newsletter. Las Fallas, San Antonio de los Alemanes, Churros.

VALENCIA THE LAND OF THE THOUSAND BANDS
That special venue: San Antonio de los Alemanes Church (Madrid)
Delicious bites: Churros

Local holiday Las Fallas, a paradise for wind bands that want to parade like a local.

Valencia, the land of the thousand bands.

There are more than 500 wind bands in the Valencian Region. Music is very present in the Valencian society. Many of these bands are made up of young people and adults who dedicate their free time to rehearse together. The bands are a very important part of the local festivities since they are the ones who put the musical note in these special days. One of the most emblematic and well-known holidays in Valencia is the Fallas. This festivity consists of building monuments of cardboard and wood with figures that portray, in a sarcastic way, the life of the Valencians. In this local festival the music bands play in the streets accompanying the falleros. It is possible that musicians from other countries can join these local bands to participate in these parades and enjoy the music and the festive atmosphere. Organizing a performance tour in Spain that includes participating in Las Fallas in March is a great opportunity to live like a local and take home a great experience.

That special venue: San Antonio de los Alemanes Church

When you take a tourist route through the center of Madrid to visit its main churches, you should not miss a stop at San Antonio de los Alemanes. Built in the 17th century, it was part of the Hospital de San Antonio de los Portugueses, founded by Felipe III in 1606. It is one of the most important Baroque works in the capital, as well as one of the most outstanding examples of this style in the whole country. Its humble exterior, built in brick and plaster, confuses with the treasure that awaits inside.

Delicious bites: Churros

They are among the best known Spanish sweets in the world. We are talking about Los Churros, fried sweets with a cylindrical shape.
The origin of churros comes from the nomadic shepherds unable to reach the cities to buy bread, they invented a similar dough that could be easily cooked in a frying pan.
Spanish immigrants exported the dessert to Central and South America, where each nation modified the original recipe, adapting it to the tastes of the indigenous populations.