RUBY: Valencians are famous for their fiestas. Always marked by brilliant fireworks displays. I love them.
GIRL: ¡Qué bonito!
RUBY: ¡Qué bonito es!
There’s music and dancing, like this huge festival in la Plaza de la Virgen. Right in the city centre with over 150 dancers.
Thousands more Valencians turn up to watch celebrations that have gone on for generations.
And the girls get to wear these really beautiful costumes: 'los trajes'.
Dozens of special shops across the city sell material and complete costumes. Some cost several hundred euros each.
They use brilliant colours to make the dresses: rojo, azul, verde, oro y amarillo.
Me and my friend Salvi are wearing handmade costumes, based on designs that are hundreds of years old.
SALVI: Me gusta mi traje porque es muy colorido y muy bonito.
RUBY: Pienso que el traje es muy bonito, pero pesa mucho.
Valencia is famous for its celebrations - fiestas - with fireworks, dancing and specially designed costumes.
The children go to see one of these fiestas and wear the traditional costumes.
This clip is from the BBC series, Being Spanish.
Teacher Notes
- This clip could be used to introduce the idea of fiestas in Spain.
- Pupils could be shown pictures (or clips) from various different fiestas ('las fallas', 'la tomatina', 'los San Fermines') which they need to match up with English descriptions of what happens during the fiesta.
- Pupils could then learn key words associated with the fiestas before creating a poster for the event.
Curriculum Notes
This video is relevant for teaching Spanish at KS2 in England and Wales, KS2 in Northern Ireland and second level in Scotland.
In the city of Valencia. video
Valencia is a busy and vibrant city on the eastern coast of Spain. Ruby has been living around Valencia for two years and with her Spanish friends, they compare living in the countryside and living in the city.
In a Spanish village. video
Spanish children take a tour of their town near Valencia to show what there is to see and do. They also visit a market and see what there is to buy.
In a Spanish school. video
A group of Spanish children take a tour around their school in the suburbs of Valencia. They talk about the food they eat for breakfast, the school facilities, their favourite school subjects and what they do at break-time.
At home in Spain. video
Angela and her friend return home after school and do their homework. They mention the rooms in the house while playing hide and seek.
On the beach in Spain. video
Spanish children go on a trip to the beach in Valencia and explain what they like about living by the seaside.
Celebrating a birthday in Spain. video
Llorens is celebrating his birthday with friends and family. His mother is preparing a paella and mentions all food items for the dish and how she makes it. Members of Llorens's big family are introduced.
At a bakery in Spain. video
Two children visit their favourite bakery and buy a selection of food items. They are curious about how some of the products are made and get a lesson from the baker on how to bake their own cakes.
At a museum in Spain. video
Spanish children visit the Science and Art Museum in Valencia and investigate the fascinating and educational exhibits about the world around us.
Picking fruit on a farm in Spain. video
A group of Spanish children experience picking fruit and get to see the process of getting it ready for shops in Spain and all over Europe.
Karting in Spain. video
Spanish children visit the Cheste race circuit near Valencia, where lots of different motor sport competitions take place. They also meet a few karting competitors at an important event.
