The third largest city in Spain and one of the country’s most vibrant and extraordinarily rewarding cities to visit, Valencia is a dreamscape tourist destination with lively nightlife, great shopping and dining opportunities, stunning attractions to rival Europe’s finest, and even more, much more. Whether you are looking for exciting cultural, tourist and sporting activities or a relaxing city break in the backdrop of the sunny Mediterranean, Valencia is the place to be. From the traditional old city charm in the Carmen area to the world-famous Las Fallas Festival to the stunning beauty of the Albufera to the Mercado Central, packed with locals and fresh food and delicacies, Valencia will leave you with nothing but memories and the desire to come back!
Valencia Sightseeing & Tourist Attractions
Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencia
The work of the renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava that attracts 4 million annual visitors, Valencia’s iconic City of Arts and Science with its futuristic design is a monumental, avant-garde cultural and architectural complex that is a relatively new addition to the city inaugurated in only 1998. One of the main reasons to go to Valencia, it houses a Planetarium and a huge IMAX Cinema, showcasing science and geography related documentaries; interactive Science Museum (El Museu de les Ciencies Principe Felipe), containing displays of the latest high technology; a fascinating water world (L’Oceanographic), favorite with kids; and the Palace of Arts (El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia), made up of auditoriums for the performance of plays, opera and music in conjunction with all the latest technology.
Valencia Cathedral
With its central location on the Plaza de la Reina, the Cathedral of Valencia is another visited tourist attraction in the city, dedicated to the worship of God the Father. The Cathedra itself is an impressive structure boasting a variety of architectural styles, including baroque, Romanesque and gothic. First founded on the site of a Roman temple in the 13thc century, then it was turned into a mosque and until the 17th century it underwent a series of minor changes. The Cathedral has numerous objects on display, one of them being the relic of the Holy Grail, a goblet from the 1st century AD and others.
Turia Gardens
When in 1957 Valencia was awfully flooded by the River Turia, the authorities decided to divert the course of the water to stop the same thing from happening again. The former river bed was turned into a wonderfully landscaped park, stretching for 9 kilometers around the north and east of the city. One of the main highlights of the park is the picture-perfect Gulliver playground kids truly appreciate.
Eat & Drink
Valencia is not only famous for its delicious oranges, but the dish called ‘Paella’ – usually made with rice, chicken or rabbit as well as vegetables such as peas and peppers. Traditionally cooked over a wood fire using a flat shallow dish, known as a paella pan, from which the classic dish takes its name, paella has become a favorite dish not only for the people living in Valencia but for foreigners too. Another well-known dish from Valencia is the ‘Fideua,’ made with noodles and seafood and is typical of the region of La Safor.
Make sure to also try local delicacy horchata, a drink made from sugar, ice and tiger nuts at one of the city’s many fine horchaterias, the most famous of which found opposite the Iglesia y Torre de Santa Catalina in the corner of Plaza de la Reina.
Festivals
If you are visiting Valencia in March, be sure not to miss the huge festival of Las Fallas (between 15 and 19) with its parades and burning of satirical effigies. It all started back in the Middle Ages and is dedicated to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. Visit the museum of Las Fallas, located on Plaza Monteolivete 4 that houses a huge collection of ‘ninots:’ little wood and cardboard figures that have been salvaged from the ravishing fires of the night of Saint Joseph over the years.
Another famous traditional festival in Valencia is July Fair or Feria de Julio, the time when Valecians celebrate the hot summer days and warm summer nights of Valencia with various cultural and entertainment events, including classical and rock concerts, bullfights and theatrical events and sports and fireworks displays on the beach. The peak of the July Fair, however, is the Flower Battle, when on the last Sunday of July majestic horse carriages decorated with natural flower artworks parade along Paseo de la Alameda, each carrying a few Valencians dressed in the theme of a float and after all, winners are announced. Typical to Valencia is the festival of La Tomatina in Buñol.
Flights to Valencia
In recent years, more and more direct flights are arriving to this wonderful city from different parts of the world, making it one of the most popular and afforded holiday destinations all over Spain. Most airlines offer cheap airline tickets and one of the best low-cost search engines to compare and book discount flights on more than 300 traditional airlines, including flights to Valencia is undoubtedly bravofly.com. A good number of airlines fly to Valencia from the UK, including Ryanair that offers direct services from Bristol, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Stansted.
Shopping in Valencia
Valencia is definitely one of the best shopping venues in Spain, blessed with endless shopping possibilities to cater every taste and preference. The streets of Valencia are filled with shop windows and there are many fine shopping centers both in the city center and in the suburbs, selling everything from clothing to jewelry to souvenirs and more. But if you want to combine shopping with history and tourism, head for the 1920s Mercado Central on the Plaza de Mercado in the heart of the city, which is a bright modernistic building embellished with stained glass and fanciful ceramic mosaics.
Nightlife
Valencia enjoys one of the liveliest nightlives in Spain and for good reason. Travelers say people in Valencia party from Monday to Sunday and nightlife here is specific, spread over several zones, each with their own character. The Barrio del Carmen has enough late-night bars, cafes and pubs to keep visitors amused and entertained. It is the bohemian quarter of Valencia, which at the weekends is teeming with party goers looking for a good night out. Places worth a mention include Café Bolseria, Café Negrito and Radio City. Other places where there is sparkling nightlife include: the bars and clubs of Calle Juan Llorens and its surroundings with a fine selection of music; the Beach featuring many popular open-air discos and bars; as well as the University Area with some of the best clubs, bars and restaurants and beautiful gardens and parks. The big discotheques in the city can be found in the outskirts and tend to open their doors late to the public and go on until early the next morning.
