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This town with a population of about eleven thousand inhabitants is situated in the northern outskirts of València. In addition, it has two other districts separated from the town centre: Roca and Nolla. It is surrounded by plain fields and old alqueries, which is a kind of farmhouse from that area called L'Horta Nord.

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The origin of the word "Meliana" is not very clear. First, there's a theory which supports that it comes from the roman era: Vila Ameliana.  On the other hand, there's a theory which says that the arabs founded the town and they called it Milianàh, which was the name of the place where they came from. However, some people think that it comes from the name of its first lord after the christian conquest in 1238 during the Reconquista, in the Middle Ages.

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It is Montoliu's farmhouse, where everyone is welcomed to enjoy his tasty food at this cosy restaurant. Its speciality is - obviously - paella. Moreover, here you'll find a little museum of traditional Valencian custom and you'll be able to enjoy a splendid experience between fields and farm animals. Here's a link to an advertising video I loved: https://youtu.be/ZfN07oXeEjk.

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It is a mansion built in the 19th century by Miquel Nolla Bruixet. It is the most important historical building of Meliana.

Initially, it was an alqueria built in the seventeenth century. In 1844 it was bought by the Valencian bourgeois family Sagrera, who turned it into their villa. But in 1860, a Catalan called Miguel Bruixet de Nolla married Juana Sagrera Guix.

Then, he built a mosaic factory in their lands and turned the house into their mansion. However, he also used it as ha showroom as he covered all the floors with his excellent mosaic designs and showed them to his high society customers like Alfonso XII or Amadeo de Saboya since it was the first high-quality mosaic produced in Spain. Nolla used an innovating method created in England based on small geometrical stoneware tessera, which was used by the architects of the Catalan variant of Art Nouveau called Modernisme.

Eventually, their sons sold the properties to a swiss company and it was used as the owner's house. A new factory of Nolla was built in the actual Nolla's square, which is present Meliana's market place. Nowadays there's a factory of Schneider next to the palace, which was used a a warehouse.

Nevertheless, this landmark has been property of Meliana's local government since 1986. It was abandoned for around thirty years. Despite this, it was renovated during the past decade and now it's open to visitors. Although the big damage which suffered this mansion, the mosaics were in an impressively good condition. This proves the high quality of Nolla's mosaics.

Here's a link to a website with some pictures and videos of the palace and its mosaic designs: https://openhousevalencia.org/portfolio/palauet-nolla/

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Meliana is well connected with València.
First, it is connected by Barcelona's road, which was built by the romans - Via Augusta -  and has been really significant through the times. Despite this, it is such a nightmare for the people who have to use it because there are many traffic jams - specially at rush hour.

For this reason, many people commute using the underground or the suburban train - as it is not under ground in Meliana. This is due to the its history: in the 19th century València started developing its suburban train network, popularly called el trenet. In particular, Meliana's line connected the old station of Pont de Fusta (in València) with a town called Rafelbunyol. By the end of the 20th century, this old system had turned into the current MetroValencia and now Meliana belongs to the line 3, which connects Rafelbunyol with Valencia's downtown and the airport.

Furthermore, there's a train station at Roca's district which enables the population to reach other important towns and cities like Sagunt and Castelló.

In addition, Meliana has a bus stop in its outskirts, which belongs to the line 16, that connects València with Vinalesa.

There's also a cycling path which connects Meliana with Puçol, Alboraia and València called la via xurra. It was originally a train track which connected Valencian Community with Aragon. It is not used to commute but for relaxation, since it's a plain path surrounded by green fields of tiger nut, artichoke and orange trees.

Having these public transport options is really positive because it allows many young people to move around the area and reach many places like shopping centres, cinemas, theatres, hospitals and many other facilities which are in a big city like València. It makes easier the life of the people who want to live nearby a city and its facilities but enjoy more living in a calmer place.
Also, all these people who use public transport don't have to use a car, which can be quite expensive and it's polluting.

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Meliana has a gym and a little public sports center. It's really ordinary: it has one big football pitch, two tennis courts, a swimming pool, two basketball courts and a frontón. One disadvantage of Meliana's sports center is that everything is outdoors, so it's not protected from the heat or the occasional rain.

Nevertheless, the carrer de pilota is indoors. It is a special place where you can play a regional sport called pilota valenciana. Meliana's carrer pilota was built in 1998 and it's one of the best in the zone because it's huge and well illuminated. Moreover, there are some fake balconies, doors and windows in the carrer de pilota in order to simulate a real street, where people traditionally used to play this sport.

As I've seen in the facebook account of pilota's club of Meliana, it's successful. I'm glad to know that there are many people who still play this traditional sport because it's part of our culture just like Les falles or the Valencian language. Here's the link to its Facebook profile: https://es-es.facebook.com/ClubDePilotaMeliana/

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Meliana has been traditionally a town sustained by agriculture and farming. However, in the 19th century, Meliana's industry started growing and now it has a middle-sized industrial area. Since the 90's decade, Meliana's local commerce has developed substantially and now is protected and promoted by the town council and the commerce association MacMeliana. All of this local shops and cafés are owned and used mainly by residents - Meliana isn't an important tourist destination.

Nowadays, many people from Meliana work in València or other towns while some others have their own business and few employees at the town. Some other people work at a factory in Meliana or in its surroundings and few people work at farms.

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Two relevant residents from Meliana are Maria Jesús Bolta and Josep Rausell Sanchis.

Maria Jesús Bolta was born in 1958 in Meliana and she is well known for her contribution to the children's literature in Valencian-Catalan. Her career has been recognised by several awards and now she has a blog where she writes articles about current affairs. Here's a link to her website: https://mariajesusbolta.com/

Josep Rausell Sanchis, whose father was a sculptor, is an artist born in Meliana in 1929. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in València and has travelled around Europe but his style has been influenced by Julio Benlloch, another sculptor from Meliana. He has made several sculptures and he has made one of Santa Cecília for Meliana's music school. Meliana's council has named its cultural centre, Centre Cultural Rausell as a recognition of his art.

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FIMEL is the annual fair of Meliana. It has been celebrated every September since 1999 in order to promote the local commerce since Meliana seemed to become just a residential-building town with no life. I really like the FIMEL because it's an exposition of all the shops of Meliana. It's like an outdoors shop window and that creates a pleasant atmosphere. Also, it is well organised between the town council and the commerce association called MacMeliana. Here's a link to the video created by the town council about the fair celebrated last year: https://www.facebook.com/aytomeliana/videos/1176354363298835/

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Diumenge de FIMEL a Horta TV | Reportatge emès per Horta TV sobre la jornada de diumenge a FIMEL, últim dia de fira. | By Ajuntament de Meliana | Facebook

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564 views, 24 likes, 0 loves, 2 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Ajuntament de Meliana: Reportatge emès per Horta TV sobre la jornada de diumenge a FIMEL, últim dia de fira.

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Santos Juanes' church seen from the town hall's square

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Meliana's parish is in Santos Juanes' church. This catholic temple was built in the sixteenth century, during the Renaissance. However, we can see many baroque elements on some walls and on the barrel vault which were added during the 18th century. Another interesting fact about the church is that all of its floor is recovered by mosaics and tiles.
This church has got other annexed buildings and a garden with a playground for the children who are in catechism.
Although Valencian is the main language in Meliana, all catholic-related events include parts in Spanish.

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One of my favourite things about Meliana is its peaceful beach. It can be reached by the road with a bike lane which connects Meliana with Roca and it's extended to the beach. I like it because it is a golden-sand beach in the warm waters of the Mediterranean and it's never crowded. It has little waves and the water is extremely clean. What I love the most is that there isn't any building beside Meliana's beach like La Pobla de Farnals' or Port Saplaya's and that makes it such a quiet place. It is well equipped with some footbaths and a playground. Last, the sunrise becomes a spectacular moment at this beach.

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Kids at "Campus Multiesport" organised by "Carxofes Meliana", the basketball club

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During a great part of the year, Meliana has an excellent weather since it feels like an eternal spring. However, summers here - and in València - are almost unbearable due to the ambient humidity and the heat.

For this reason, many people go to other villages - where they usually have family - which are in the mountains and the summer there is colder - or to their detached houses located in residential zones. So adults are in a relaxing place and children have more freedom. Therefore, Meliana in summer is almost empty.

Nevertheless, there's a sort of summer camp organised by the basketball club for the children who stay called Campus Multiesport, another summer school is opened by the town council at El Crist school and, for younger children, there's a summer school at Escoleta Xiquets.

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"Dolços de Sant Donís", a special sweet made in the area for the 9th October holiday

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It's certain that Meliana has a rich tradition and culture. Here Falles are celebrated every March and are exactly the same as others in València's surroundings as well as La Mocadorà on 9th October and has its own holidays in September, when there are bullfights as at many other towns in Spain. Despite this, there's not a tradition specially from Meliana or a special dish.

Moreover, its history is quite uninteresting: it was conquered as the rest of València on 9th October 1238 by James I the Conqueror, during the 17th century moriscos were expelled by Philip III of Spain, Nolla's factory was opened in 1860 and, since the begin of the 20th century, its population has vastly grown.

What I mean is that this lack of characteristic tradition and history makes people from Meliana fell more from the area - which has its own tradition and history - than from the town.

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Unfortunately, tap water quality is quite bad in Meliana and in the area. It can be used to clean, you can have a shower and you can cook with that water. However, its taste is awful due to the enormous presence of lime in it. That's not a big problem as you can drink that water and you won't get food poisoning - it's just its taste.