Massalfassar is a small municipality of about 2,700 people in the Horta Nord district, about 15 km north of Valencia, in the Valencian Community. Its flat land stretches between irrigated gardens and the Mediterranean and is crossed by the road and railway linking Valencia and Castellón.
History
Like many Horta villages, Massalfassar has Muslim origins: the name comes from Arabic and refers to a farm or estate. After the Christian conquest of Valencia in 1238, the land passed to new lords. For centuries the village stayed very small: in the early 17th century it had only a few dozen houses. Its population has grown mainly in recent decades, with industrial estates and new housing.
What to see
- The parish church of Sant Pere, the heart of village life.
- The old town, with traditional Horta houses.
- The gardens and irrigation channels, part of the traditional Valencian water system governed for centuries by Valencia's Water Tribunal, UNESCO intangible heritage.
The Horta and tiger nuts
The Horta Nord is where tiger nuts (chufa) are grown, used to make horchata, the sweet, cool drink that symbolises the Valencian summer, protected by the Chufa de Valencia designation of origin. Nearby Alboraia is considered the capital of horchata. Vegetables such as artichokes, onions and potatoes are also grown.
Festivals and food
The patron saint festivities are in summer, with processions, music, bous al carrer and fireworks. The Fallas are celebrated in March. Food: Valencian paella, all i pebre, arròs al forn and horchata with fartons.
Getting there
Massalfassar has a Cercanías stop on the Valencia-Castellón line. The beaches of Puçol and El Puig are a few kilometres away, and Valencia airport about 25 km.