Valencia on Spain’s east coast has the gentle waves of the Mediterranean Sea lapping on its shores.
It’s the country’s third-largest city after Madrid and Barcelona, and according to the University of Virginia, “Valencia enjoys nearly 300 cloudless days a year. The Subtropical Mediterranean climate gives the region very mild winters and long warm to hot summers.”
Expats from more than five countries have called Valencia “the best city to live in the entire world.” The city sports more than 160 kilometers (99 miles) of bike lanes, and the farmland that surrounds it, along with the sea and the La Albufera paddy fields, give it rich culinary choices.
FULL OF HISTORY
You can really feel Valencia’s 2,000 years of age, where references to medieval history abound across the city, with sites like the Plaza de la Reina, from which visitors can access the Valencia Cathedral. At least six streets converge on the plaza, and it sports wonderful views of the Santa Catalina and Miguelete Towers.
The cathedral ground has a rich history that includes being converted into a mosque when the Moors ruled the Iberian Peninsula. There is even a Holy Grail, or chalice, that is rumored to be the one used by Jesus during the Last Supper. At least two popes have used it while celebrating Mass during their visits to Valencia.
The cathedral’s main altar sports Renaissance frescoes that were covered by a Baroque vault and only discovered over a decade ago when the vault was removed. The paintings were commissioned in 1476 and drawn by Italian artists Paolo de San Leocadio and Francesco Pagano.
There’s even a museum in the cathedral that exhibits up to 90 paintings from the Gothic, Renaissance and Mannerist periods. Famous Spanish painters like Goya and Maella — among others — are shown off.
The over-100-year-old Horchateria Santa Catalina located in the plaza serves delicious horchatas with fartons as well as tapas that you can munch on. Additionally, certain days feature craft markets for souvenir shopping.
At least six streets converge on the plaza, and it sports wonderful views of the Santa Catalina and Miguelete Tower. You can even climb the Miguelete’s 207 steps to get a view of the entire city.
It’s amazing how Valencia boasts more than one actual living ceremony that is on UNESCO’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” list.
The Plaza de la Virgen is also worth visiting, with its quieter vibe and a bunch of cafes and bars at which one can quell a thirst. Not only that, if you’re there on a Thursday at noon, the “Water Court of the Plain of Valencia” is not only the oldest working judicial institution in Europe, it has been designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
The Serranos Towers date back over 600 years and were even used as a jail for members of the high nobility. As they’re basically the main entrance to the city, they’re pretty hard to miss. If you’re in the city on the last Sunday of February, the towers serve as the “Crida,” i.e. the opening ceremony of the Fallas, a celebration that commemorates Saint Joseph. UNESCO even added the Fallas festival to its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in November 2016.
The Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, an arts and sciences center that sports the Oceanogràfic, the largest European aquarium, and caters to those with more modern interests.
With a volume of over 42 million cubic meters of salt water, the aquarium shows off all the Earth’s oceans and seas. And if you’re hungry, you can eat at one of three restaurants on the grounds: Surround yourself with fish in the “Restaurante Submarino,” check out the view of the aquarium from the terrace of the “Restaurant Océanos” or the self-serve Lonja cafeteria.
All that seafood makes sense, due to Valencia’s beaches — 20 kilometers/12 miles of which are inside the city limits. Most of them are reachable by bike, making them incredibly convenient.
If films are your jam, L’Hemisferic, built in 1998, sports an IMAX movie theater as well as a planetarium and laserium. It’s regarded as the centerpiece of the City of Arts and Sciences.
Additionally, the Museu de les Ciences Principe Felipe is an interactive science museum shaped like a whale’s skeleton. Exhibitions range from “The Legacy of Science,” “Zero Gravity” and even the “Science of Marvel Superheroes.” The building’s 25,000 square meters (279,862 square feet) of exhibition space make it the largest in Spain.
If you’re more into sculpture art, L’Umbracle has an outdoor sculpture gallery featuring works by modern artists like Yoko Ono and Miguel de Navarre, among others.
And if Opera is your thing, there’s the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, a performing arts center that hosts multiple events.
The Jardín del Túria, or Turia Garden, which runs through the city, appeals to those who like green spaces.
One of the largest natural parks of Spain, the 9-kilometer (5.6-mile) Turia Garden is an ideal place for runners, cyclists, families and nature lovers. This immense garden is built on the old bed of the Turia River which was diverted to avoid the continuous flooding that the city suffered.
Eighteen bridges crisscross the garden, with some of them dating back to the 15th Century. More modern bridges include three designed by Santiago Calatrava: the Puente de la Exposicion, 9 d’Octubre, Las Flores and l’Assut d’Or. Las Artes bridge was designed by Norman Foster and Arturo Peira designed the Angel Custodio bridge.
Additionally, palm and orange trees dot the park, along with fountains and other things. Kids can even clamber over a 70-meter/230-foot-long recumbent statue.
Lovers can stroll the park, whispering sweet nothings into each others’ ears.
During the summer, you can rent canoes to paddle the ponds that surround the City of Arts and Sciences.
With Valencia lacking any hills, it’s the perfect place for joggers. Those who want to save their knees can opt to rent bicycles, segways and tandem bikes.
All in all, with its history spanning the medieval to the modern, from its nearby beaches to its historic parks, ancient cathedrals and state-of-the-art museums, it’s no wonder that Valencia is such a vivacious destination, making it worth a short visit as well as a place to settle down.
