{"id":1121,"date":"2018-04-14T08:10:16","date_gmt":"2018-04-14T15:10:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/blog\/?p=1121"},"modified":"2018-04-14T08:10:16","modified_gmt":"2018-04-14T15:10:16","slug":"things-to-do-in-valencia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/?p=1121","title":{"rendered":"Things to do in Valencia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Valencia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Valencia has many of the things that attracts\u00a0tourists to Spain, all in one place: The city has a vibrant old centre, with a knot of little streets and splendid\u00a0medieval buildings like the UNESCO-listed Lonja de la\u00a0Seda.\u00a0Valencia is also right on the Mediterranean, so you can laze on broad sandy beaches and tuck into delectable cuisine that draws on the sea. This is the\u00a0home of paella, surely the most famous Spanish dish of\u00a0all. There are also ultra-modern visitor attractions at the City of the Arts and Sciences, and it all\u00a0goes to make Valencua one of Spain\u2019s most complete destinations.<\/p>\n

City of the Arts and Sciences<\/strong> –\u00a0It can be difficult to wrap your head around the City of the Arts and Sciences. The attraction is a staggering ensemble of ultra-modern structures that are\u00a0given an ethereal quality by the reflecting pools that\u00a0surround them.\u00a0The whole thing was started in the mid-90s and the finishing touches were made in 2005. Within these gargantuan buildings are cultural venues and first-class family attractions like L\u2019Hemisf\u00e8ric, a planetarium\u00a0and IMAX Cinema, or the breathtaking L\u2019Umbracle, a botanical collection of plant species\u00a0native to Valencia. Book ahead to avoid queues.<\/p>\n

Oceanogr\u00e0fic<\/strong> –\u00a0The star of the City of the Arts and Sciences is\u00a0this cutting-edge oceanarium that opened in\u00a02003. With 45,000 individual animals from\u00a0500 different species, you won\u2019t find another\u00a0attraction on this scale in\u00a0Europe.\u00a0The aquarium is organised by ten zones, each synthesising a distinct\u00a0environment, and using real seawater pumped from Valencia\u2019s waterfront. So at the Arctic tank you\u2019ll get to see beluga whales swimming\u00a0in a spacious\u00a0and thoughtfully designed tank.\u00a0Elsewhere you can spot sand tiger sharks, penguins, walruses, dolphins and sea lions. It all adds up to a day out adults and little guys won\u2019t soon forget.<\/p>\n

La Lonja de la Seda<\/strong> –\u00a0This majestic late-15th-century building is a UNESCO site and held as the masterpiece of Valencian gothic architecture. La Lonja de la Seda is the finest\u00a0a monument to Valencia\u2019s golden age, when the city\u00a0was one of Europe\u2019s main centres for trade and culture.\u00a0The name means \u201cSilk Exchange\u201d, where traders from far flung pats of the Mediterranean would meet and make deals. Inside you can marvel at the\u00a0dainty twisting columns of the main hall (sala de\u00a0contrataci\u00f3n) and look up at the incredible detail of the vaulted ceilings. Its tough-looking crenellated\u00a0outline sits right in front of the city\u2019s central market.<\/p>\n

Valencia Cathedral<\/strong> –\u00a0The city\u2019s solemn gothic cathedral dates to the\u00a013th and 14th centuries, with renaissance,\u00a0baroque and neoclassical modifications made\u00a0over the next few hundred years. \u00a0Go inside to\u00a0see 15th-century\u00a0renaissance paintings by\u00a0artists such as the Valencian, Jacomart as well\u00a0as several from Rome commissioned by Pope Alexander VI.\u00a0But the most fascinating part, and perhaps controversial, is the Chapel of the Holy Chalice. At the altar is one of a few chalices claimed to have been\u00a0used by Jesus to institute the Holy Eucharist at the last\u00a0supper. This agate vessel has been dated by archaeologists to between the 4th century BC and 1st\u00a0century AD, but no scientific analysis as yet been made.<\/p>\n

El Miguelete<\/strong> –\u00a0The cathedral\u2019s octagonal bell-tower graces many postcards sent home from the city. It\u2019s a Valencian gothic construction begun in 1381 and completed\u00a0just under 50 years later. Originally it stood completely\u00a0alone from the cathedral, but extensions in the late-1400s brought the two structures together.\u00a0If you\u2019re feeling spritely, it\u2019s possible to climb the 207 steps up a slightly precarious stairway to the top for great vistas 50 metres above the city. The big\u00a0sight at the top is Miguel, the famous bell cast in 1432\u00a0and weighing over ten tons.<\/p>\n

Casco Hist\u00f3rico<\/strong> –\u00a0Like most historic centres in Spanish cities the heart of Valencia is made for wandering. All of the must-see sights in this part of the city are just couple\u00a0of minutes away from each other.\u00a0Between each landmark is a maze of little streets with cafes, restaurants and local amenities or artisan shops.\u00a0To beat the heat in summer stop off at a square like Plaza de la Virgen for a cool glass of horchata, a drink made with ground almonds, tigernuts and a\u00a0variety of grains and flavoured with cinnamon and vanilla.\u00a0On the southern side of the old-town seek out the Neo-Mud\u00e9jar Plaza de Toros (bullring) and the spectacular ticket hall of the Estaci\u00f3 del Nord.<\/p>\n

Caf\u00e9 Sant Jaume \/ Barrio del Carmen<\/strong> –\u00a0The northeast side of the old-town is the youngest and most bohemian part of the city. El Carmen took shape in medieval times, situated outside of the\u00a011th-century Moorish walls but within the Christian ones\u00a0that went up in the 14th-century.\u00a0What\u2019s great about this place is the way the palaces next to these cool, shaded alleys have been converted into hip boutiques, bars, restaurants and\u00a0nightclubs. Calle de Caballeros, which begins at Plaza de\u00a0la Virgen, is where many nights out in Valencia will end up.\u00a0You can also see fragments of Valencia\u2019s late-medieval defences, at Torres de Quart and Torres de Serranos.<\/p>\n

Jard\u00edn del Turia<\/strong> –\u00a0This astounding park brings you fresh air and relaxation right in the middle of the city. It came about in the 20th century after the River Turia burst its\u00a0banks in 1957 causing great damage to the city.\u00a0The river was diverted and in the 80s its riverbed in the city was turned into nine kilometres of verdant green space. A total of 18 bridges still cross the\u00a0riverbed, the oldest dating back to the middle ages, and\u00a0are now just another part of the unusual scenery in the park.\u00a0Several landscape architects were drafted in to build these gardens, creating a scene of pine forest, orange groves, palms and paths that lead past sports\u00a0facilities, play areas and fountains.<\/p>\n

Central Market<\/strong> –\u00a0Opposite the Silk Exchange is another prized landmark, the cavernous and palatial Central Market building. Even if you\u2019re just sightseeing here you\u2019ll\u00a0love the building\u2019s art nouveau metal and glass design.\u00a0Despite dating to the early-20th century it blends perfectly with the historic architecture in this part of the old city. And if you do feel like doing some\u00a0shopping at the market you\u2019ll be in foodie heaven. There are\u00a0400 small traders at the market, with 959 selling farm and sea-fresh produce at the best\u00a0prices in the city.\u00a0If there\u2019s a Spanish delicacy you love, like chorizo, jam\u00f3n ib\u00e9rico or manchego cheese, this will be your El Dorado.<\/p>\n

Malvarrosa Beach<\/strong> –\u00a0Within minutes of the old-town you could be sunning yourself on a Mediterranean beach. Malvarrosa is a wide strip of golden sand that stretches for a\u00a0kilometre along the city\u2019s seafront.\u00a0The beach has been awarded the Blue Flag for all the amenities it provides, from lifeguard towers, a medical station, drinking fountains and showers, to\u00a0its easily-navigable ramps and footpaths.\u00a0The great news is that won\u2019t have to trudge far for a cold drink or bite to eat as there are permanent restaurants right on the promenade next to the beach.<\/p>\n

El Saler Beach<\/strong> =\u00a0Mavarrosa is a fine urban beach, but it might be that you want a more natural setting for you day next to the Mediterranean. In which case El Saler is the\u00a0way to go: the beach starts some way south of\u00a0Valencia\u2019s port, which you\u2019ll be able to see in the distance.\u00a0At 2.6 kilometres in length this beach means peace and privacy as you relax on white sands on the coast of La Albufera Natural Reserve.\u00a0Behind you will be little more than sand dunes and pine trees and in front moderate waves and a wash that shelves gently into the sea.<\/p>\n

Bike Rental<\/strong> –\u00a0Riding a bike on Spanish roads might seem like a hair-raising experience, but it\u2019s perfectly safe in Valencia\u2019s web of narrow streets, pedestrianised\u00a0squares, parks and seafront promenades.\u00a0You\u2019ll have the freedom to zip around Valencia\u2019s top sights, head to the beach or take easy rides through the Jard\u00edn del Turia.\u00a0In 2012 the city implemented the Valenbisi bike sharing network, which is subscription-based and aimed mainly at Valencia\u2019s residents. Still, there are\u00a0numerous rental companies across the city, ilike\u00a0PassionBike in Carrer de Serrans.<\/p>\n

Paella<\/strong> –\u00a0If you want best paella in Valencia, get off the\u00a0beaten track and go to restaurants frequented\u00a0by Valencians. There are plenty around\u00a0Malvarrosa, and if possible it will always pay\u00a0to make reservations.\u00a0Paella is probably Spain\u2019s most famous dish, and it was first created right here.\u00a0Everything that goes into it is local, from the rice grown in vast fields north and south of the city, and even the saffron that\u00a0flavours the rice.\u00a0The dish\u2019s name comes from the large iron pans that it\u2019s cooked and served in. You can pick from the traditional meat variety,\u00a0with rabbit and snails, or go for the seafood version, with\u00a0prawns and squid. If you\u2019d like to make your own Paella then\u00a0try one of these paella cooking\u00a0classes<\/p>\n

Parque Gulliver<\/strong> –\u00a0If you\u2019re walking the Jard\u00edn del Turia with little ones then make a stop at this imaginative attraction close to the City of the Arts and Sciences. It\u2019s\u00a0inspired by the classic work, Gulliver\u2019s Travels, written by\u00a0Jonathan Swift in the 18th century.\u00a0At the park you\u2019ll feel like a Lilliputian, and kids while have a whale of a time scrambling over the giant figure of Gulliver prone on the ground.\u00a0There are slides, ramps, stairways and all kinds of little interactive features. Also part of the attraction is a skating area, giant chessboard and a mini-golf\u00a0course.<\/p>\n

Las Fallas<\/strong> –\u00a0This celebrations that take place in Valencia in the build up to St. Joseph\u2019s Day on the 19th of March could be the noisiest and most colourful of any\u00a0fiesta in Spain.\u00a0Las Fallas marks the beginning of spring, and in the past the city\u2019s carpenters would hold bonfires on the night before the 19th in honour of their patron\u00a0saint. Slowly it developed into the awesome spectacle\u00a0you can see today, with something special to see every day.\u00a0For example, every day at two in the town square you can see La Masclet\u00e1, an ear-splitting firework display. And throughout the week \u201cNinots\u201d,\u00a0huge cardboard sculptures with satirical themes, make their\u00a0way around the city streets and are eventually burned in the Crem\u00e0, massive fires on the\u00a0night of the 19th.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Valencia has many of the things that attracts\u00a0tourists to Spain, all in one place: The city has a vibrant old centre, with a knot of little streets and splendid\u00a0medieval buildings like the UNESCO-listed Lonja de la\u00a0Seda.\u00a0Valencia is also right on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1122,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eu","category-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1121"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1123,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1121\/revisions\/1123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}