Cuerpos Especiales — Tavernes Blanques (Valencia)

Podcast: Cuerpos Especiales
Host: EuropaFM (Eva Soriano, Nacho García, Lalachús)
Episode Date: February 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this edition of the morning show "Cuerpos Especiales", the hosts celebrate "Pueblos Especiales," a segment dedicated to unique Spanish towns. Today's spotlight is on Tavernes Blanques, a small but densely populated town in the north of Valencia. With the help of local resident Amparo, listeners are treated to an entertaining and informative deep dive into the town's history, curiosities, culture, and distinguished features.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Tavernes Blanques: Location, Name, and Origin Stories

• [00:35] The segment begins with a warm welcome to Amparo, today’s “embajadora rural” from Tavernes Blanques.

• [00:39] Amparo explains the town’s name: “Tabernes Blanques es en valenciano y en castellano significa Tabernas Blancas.”

• [01:05] Origin tied to its Roman past — located along the old Vía Augusta. It was a rest stop with many inns (tabernas) which supposedly served a white liquor, or “casaya.”

  “Había en esa época posadas y tabernas... y en estas tabernas servían bebida blanca o aguardiente llamada casaya en valenciano.”
  — Amparo [01:05]

A Record-breaking Small Town

• [01:37] With only 0.74 km² area and fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, Tavernes Blanques is remarkably dense.

• [01:45] Amparo fondly remembers the town being listed in her social studies textbook as the most densely populated town in Europe due to its size:

  “Salimos en el libro de sociales como el pueblo más denso en población de Europa.”
  — Amparo [01:45]

• The hosts joke about the town being like a vertical skyscraper (“rascacielos totalmente para arriba” [02:17]).

Business & Industry Roots

• [02:22] The town has a history of entrepreneurship:
  • Notable for its meat-packing industry (Cárnicas Rochas, La Blanca, Oscar Mayer).
  • Beverage factories like La Casera.
  • Most notably, the origin of Mercadona: “El origen de Mercadona, que es heredera de Carnicas Roch, está en este pueblo y la sede ha sido este pueblo... durante 45 años.” [02:45]

The Famous Porcelain Factory & Celebrity Visits

• [03:08] Tavernes Blanques is home to a renowned porcelain factory (unnamed for radio compliance).

• [03:13] The factory boasts a museum and has received international visitors, including Michael Jackson:

  “Michael Jackson… aterrizó en el helipuerto que tiene la misma fábrica para ver su gran figura.”
  — Amparo [03:33]

• Hosts marvel at the factory’s helipad and the celebrity guest list.

• [04:07] The factory is also known for crafting custom pieces for royal weddings (Infantas Elena and Cristina). Replicas of these are displayed in the local museum.

Local Highlights & Traditions

• [04:37] Answering the hosts’ recurring question: The best days in town? For Amparo, almost every day due to the sunny weather, but Fallas and Carnival are standouts.

• [05:15] In her final appeal, Amparo highlights:

  • Tavernes Blanques as a hub for traditional horchaterías (notably “Joan”).
  • The regional specialty: fresh horchata made from local chufa (tigernut)—"muy típico de la zona".
  • The basilica-style parish church and the hermitage, with a venerated image of the “Virgen de los Desamparados del Carraixet”.

  “Que la zona de cultivo de chufa tiene que hacer gracia porque la chufa es un tuberculo con el que se hace la horchata y es muy típico de la zona también.”
  — Amparo [05:20]

Memorable & Fun Moments

• Host banter:
  • Eva and Nacho’s playful corrections on the town’s size (“menos de un metro cuadrado”—“menos de un kilómetro cuadrado” [01:42]) set a lively and humorous tone.
  • Amparo’s exhaustive list of details prompts Eva to joke:

    “Te has acabado la Wikipedia entera… ¿Lo has contado todo de Taberneblanques?”
    — Eva [05:53]

• Amparo concludes with a mention of local Olympic and Paralympic athletes, suggesting even more to tell “la próxima”.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• [01:05] Amparo: "En esas tabernas servían bebida blanca o aguardiente llamada casaya en valenciano."
• [01:45] Amparo: "Salimos en el libro de sociales como el pueblo más denso en población de Europa."
• [03:33] Amparo: "Michael Jackson… aterrizó en el helipuerto que tiene la misma fábrica para ver su gran figura."
• [05:20] Amparo: "La chufa es un tuberculo con el que se hace la horchata y es muy típico de la zona también."
• [05:53] Eva: "Te has acabado la Wikipedia entera… ¿Lo has contado todo de Taberneblanques?"

Important Segments & Timestamps

• 00:39: Introduction and meaning of Tavernes Blanques’ name and Roman history
• 01:37: Town’s area, population density, and historical recognition
• 02:22–03:08: Legacy in business and manufacturing, especially meatpacking & retail giants
• 03:08–04:27: The porcelain factory—museum, helipad, Michael Jackson's visit, Spanish royalty
• 04:37: Festivities (Fallas/carnival) and special days in town
• 05:15: Horchaterías, local gastronomy, and religious landmarks
• 05:53–06:12: Wrap-up, personal reflections, and fun host-guest banter

Conclusion

This episode of "Cuerpos Especiales" is a vibrant celebration of Tavernes Blanques, blending local pride, quirky facts, and sparkling banter with the warmhearted guidance of Amparo.
Listeners are left charmed by a small town with a grand sense of identity, inviting all to explore its cafes, museums, and storied history—perhaps with a glass of horchata in hand.