Valencia - Valencia, España

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Valencia is the capital of the Region and province of Valencia. Few cities are, like Valencia, able to combine so harmoniously remains from remote periods, as far away as 138 B.C., with the most modern, avant-garde buildings to be erected in the new millennium. Valencia equals commerce, culture, cinema, theatre, museums, music, business. It is a place for international and avant-garde design and one of the most attractive cities in Europe when it comes to fairs and conventions.

 

Valencia city beaches

Thanks to its location, Valencia has been the Spanish gateway to the Mediterranean, with the special charm that seaport cities have. The fine sand and crystal waters, the vastness of the open sea, and the proximity of the coastal mountain range lend the Valencian coast a unique appeal.

There are outstanding beaches and dunes at Canet d’En Berenguer, where the coastline becomes leisurely and residential, as it does to the north of the Valencian capital, where small tourist town (La Pobla de Farnals, Alboraya, and El Puig) have emerged where only a few years ago fruit and vegetables were grown.

In addition, still within the city of Valencia, the beaches of La Malvarrosa and Levante offer a wide variety of places to dine and enjoy a quiet evening by the sea. To the south, nature becomes predominant at Saler Beach and in the L’Albufera Nature Reserve, where the sun can be enjoyed in unique surroundings.

 

 

Valencia monuments

The Cathedral of Valencia stands in the same place where the first temple of the Roman city was erected, and later, an Arab mosque. Built between 1262 and 1426, the many expansions and alterations it has gone through have left their mark in the interesting juxtaposition of styles laid over the prevailing primitive Gothic. 

 

The Miguelete, the tower most closely identified with Valencia by people from outside, is the Gothic bell tower of the Cathedral. It rises to a height of 50.85 metres, the same dimensions of its perimeter. The effort it takes to climb all 207 steps to the top of the tower are more than rewarded by the splendid view of the city that it presents.

In the Plaza de la Virgen itself, the Basilica of La Virgen de los Desamparados stands out, along with, nearby, the Royal Convent of Santo Domingo, built by the Dominican order in the 13th century, with the approval of King Jaime I. In the historic quarter of Valencia it is possible to find other churches of interest, such as the churches of Santa Catalina, San Nicolás and San Martín.

Civil architecture is very important in the history of the city. From the ancient medieval walls, two old gates remain: the Serranos and Quart Towers. The Palau de la Generalitat (Palace of the Autonomous Government) is a Gothic-style structure, built in the 15th century and later extended in the 17th and 20th centuries. The building stands out because of its large Renaissance tower that leads to the Plaza de la Virgen.

 

 

Lonja de Valencia

Yet beyond all doubt, the most remarkable building is the Lonja de la Seda (the Silk Exchange), an elegant Gothic structure built towards the end of the 15th century that has been declared World Heritage Site. This ancient trading place holds authentic treasures in its interior, such as the monumental Salón de las Columnas, the Torreón Central and the Sala de Juntas del Consulado del Mar. The City Hall, located in the city centre, occupies the old premises of the 18th century Real Casa de la Enseñanza. Modernism has also left a legacy in this city, with beautiful examples like the Central Market, made of iron, stained glass, and ceramic tiles; the Colón Market; and the magnificent Estación del Norte (North Railway Station).

 

In addition to this huge architectural legacy, a myriad of museums grace the city. One of the most symbolic is the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of the Arts and Sciences), a futuristic complex housing the L'Hemisfèric Cinema-Planetarium; the Palace of the Arts, devoted to promoting and publicising art; the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum; and the Universal Oceanographic Park.

Valencia occupies one of the top places on the Spanish art scene, thanks to the Institute Valencian Institute of Modern Art (IVAM). 

 

 

The province of Valencia

 

North Coast

The north coast of Valencia, the coast closest to the capital, has transformed into a sandy, urbanized area with tall apartments and infrastructures, yet located at the same time amongst farmsteads and markets.

 

The end of the Malvarrosase Beach you find the Fields of Alboraya committed to planting chufa to extract horchata, a popular beverage in Spain. The unique Port Saplaya Marina has residential estates that offer the residents the opportunity to dock their boats almost at the front door of their house. The Pobla de Farnals was a pioneering project in the urbanization of the coast. This vacation suburb, which is very close to the capital, has both fruit tree fields and relaxing views of the ocean.

 

Sagunto is one of the most important enclaves for the Romanization in Spain. The city dominates from a hill where still resounds the name of Aníbal and its siege of the Iberian village of Arse. Rome was touched by the beauty of Sagunto and deemed it one of their favorite cities. The Calderon foothills, the Espadan Mountains, and the ocean surround this beautiful village.

 

The artistic patrimony originating in the Romanization has its more eloquent testimony in the restored theatre, which rests on the northern slope of the castle. The hill defended the castle for almost 1 kilometer, surrounded by a Roman and Medieval designed wall.

 

From Valencia to Cullera

The Albufera Natural Park is located south of the capital. Within in this park the Lake of La Albufera is separated by the Mediterranean waters in a rosary of dunes and pinewood forests. This natural park has 21,000 hectares distributed among 13 municipal terms. The lake is 6 kilometer in diameter. Take time to enjoy viewing the first floodgate and the town of El Palmar, famous for their exquisite paella. You may also choose to explore the lake by a guided boat trip with an old fisherman.

Further to the south towns like Perelló, Perellonet with excellent infrastructures and tourists accommodations, connect with the municipality of Cullera. The geographic location of Cullera invite to walking on the beach, sailing, fishing, and hiking. The city possesses the only fishing port of the province. The medieval castle and the Sanctuary of Mare de Deu of Castell are found to be the highest elevations of the population.

 

 

The Beaches of Safor

The region of Safor offers you a picturesque territory with dual character. Tall peaks from the Mustalla, Safor, Grossa and Aguilles mountains create a natural fence of summits and forests. However, at the same time orchards and beaches fill the coastline.

 

Gandía, a ducal city and commercial capital, was built between the Serpis river and the San Nicolás precipice by a primitive Iberian settlement. The city conserves the XV and XVI centuries with the symbolic buildings such as the Ducal Palace, collegiate church, Convent of Santa Ana, Archaeological Museum and the City Hall.

 

The next village of importance, in the region of La Safor, is Oliva. It is located a few kilometers farther south on the provincial border of Alacante. Relaxing and clean beaches with an extensive supply of campsites continues to attract numerous visitors.

 

The valleys of the Safor region, as well as the northern part of Valldigna, propose an attractive itinerary for venturing into the mountain. Start your travels in the outskirts of Gandía, on the road to Barx. The Cave of Parpalló, in the inner side of Mount Mondúverm, is an indispensable archaeological site to reconstruct the life of the Upper Palaeolithic period.

 

Take the scenic winding road that descends to the Valldigna valley. However, do not forget La Visteta, a beautiful place to stop and contemplate the majesty of the mountains. Once you reach the valley, enjoy the Monastery of Our Lady of Valldigna founded in the late XIII century.

 

 

 

Festivals and Gastronomy

The calendar of festivals is very rich and complete in Valencia. Among them, in chronological order: The Bonfires of Abbot San Antonio (17 of January in Canals); the famous Fallas (19 of March in Valencia), when enormous papier-mâché figures are built and later burned with a spectacular firework show; Holy Week, especially in Xátiva, Requena and Moncada; The Corpus; The Night of San Juan (24 of June); The famous Tomatina (end of August in Buñol), Moors and Christians (end of August); and the Festival of the Grape Harvest in Reuqena and Utiel (end of August).

 

The sun with its juicy oranges, the market with the best produce, and the ocean with its fresh variety of tasty fish and shellfish make this an insurmountable kitchen. All enjoyed with the excellent wine of Utiel-Requena and Valencia. What else is needed for a dinner to delight the palate? Rice is the great protagonist of many of the most noteworthy dishes; one dish in particular has a main page in the historical gastronomy of Spain… Valencian Paella.

 

Other genial Valencian creation is the peculiar drink, Horchata, a delicious ivory-colored sweet drink, with the consistency of milk and a base of earthalmonds. It is grown like rice and is only produced in Alboraya, a neighboring village to Valencia. 

 

 

 

 

Sports, Golf and Active Tourism

The 112 km of coast in Valencia offers innumerable opportunities for leisure and sports. Close to 2,700 hours of sun, 24º C temperature in the summer, 10º C in the winter satisfies fans of all types of nautical activities such as sailing, scuba diving, and windsurfing.

However, Valencia also offers various prestigious golf courses. These include Saler, Oliva Nova and L’escorpión in Bétera; The Manises; and El Bosque in Chieva.

Those who enjoy a taste of nature with a bit a twist there are opportunities for bicycling, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing, horseback riding and paragliding to highlight a few.

 

 

Vine Route

Next we travel from Valencia by the N-III highway to Buñol valley in search of the best vineyards. We will arrive at Cheste, a city of Arabian origin, that organized its economy around wine-growing production and the use of olive and cereal. Our itinerary continues to take us to Chiva which offers a quite sanctuary with traces of an ancient castle rested on a high hill, while below is the is the modern city. The parish church of the XVIII century houses noteworthy frescos.

 

Buñol is a town nestled in mountain terrain with a castle and mountain streams running throughout it. This village proposed difficulty in urban development. The city hall cannot offer a large plaza to celebrate the popular battle of tomatoes, known as the Fiesta of the Tomatina, which takes place in the end of August.

 

You will continue on highway N-III passing by the village of Siete Aguas, entering the Requena region to the city of Utiel which is covered with vineyards. It is a major vine production zone for the autonomous community of Valencia and its varieties of red and pink wines are popular throughout all of Spain. You will arrive atRequena, a name that means strong rock. It was preceded by a settlement situated on a small hill and defended by walls and towers. More than 40 building and ornamental assemblies have been conserved. Also of importance is the Church of San Nicolás, the oldest in Requena, the Church of Santa María with a gothic façade of the XV century, the Church of Salvador, an old Carmelite convent and the Municipal Museum.

 

 

Monumental Route

This route begins in Xátiva, the capital of commerce of La Costera. The tallest point of the city is the castle, resulting in a fusion of the Roman and Iberian fortresses, which formed a precinct protected by thirty towers and four fortified doors. A walk through the market at the intersection of the streets of San Pedro and Moncada allows you to relive the courteous life that was encouraged in the palaces. Gothic fountains and ancestral homes with aristocratic shields form part of the urban landscape. The collegiate basilica dedicated the Assumption began construction in 1596 and deserves all types of donations for part of the Vatican curia with the Borja family. Also the gothic church of San Pere is worthwhile visiting.

 

Between the Grossa and the Creu mountians in the north and the Mariola and Benicadell mountains in the south, the valley with the Albaida and Clariano rivers configure another region of contrasting landscape. Albaida (“the white city”), Ontiyent, Bocairent and Lólleria determined the central axis of communication of the Álbaida valley.

 

By the Bocairent highway is the beginning of the Clariano River, which allows a refreshing swim in spring water in the summer. This river forms an attractive natural landscape known as Pou Clar, From this point, the walls of the excavated cave from prehistoric times are a suitable preparation for the arrival at Bocairent, a city carved in rock and surrounded by ravines and cliffs. The medieval neighbourhood is an admirable visit.

 

 

Turia Route

This route is divided between the regions of Camp de Turia and Los Serranos. It begins inLlíria,the great commercial center. You will then parallel the course of the Turia River, with villages that integrated the natural space of the Alto Turia. In the regions of Los Serranos, the villages spread themselves for an extensive territory, watched by the tall summits and forests with mountain streams that eventually flow into the river. Chelva offers Iberian and Roman archaeological remainders of the Bronze Age.

 

Tuéjar is the center for tourist information. The highway will ascend until you arrive in Titaguas a town watched my Lámpara Mountain. For a side trip, visit the historical town of Alpuente, a small monumental treasure enclosed by two hills.

 

The province of Valencia maintains a small enclave of 470 square kilometers, that is called Rincón de Ademuz. Nestled in a ruff, rocky mountain landscape, it is a perfect place for those who want to escape to a remote place. The fertile plain with the river sweetens the rustic panorama with its cultivation of apple trees and gardens.

 

 

 

Valencia city, capital of Turia

Valencia is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the center of commerce for L´Horta. The itinerary to discover this city begins in the historical center. From the middle of the XIX century the city was defended by a wall, and like a testimony to the past, there still stands the elegant Tower of the Serranos and Tower of Quart.