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Jan
11
Valencia Travel & Sightseeing Guide
January 11, 2008 |
A trip to Valencia
Valencia boasts a wonderful climate with abundant sunshine along with some stunning beaches. For those interested in history, it also offers a beautiful historical quarter and exciting museums that exist alongside more recently constructed buildings. The nightlife here is also superb, and there are plenty of great shopping opportunities.
Flights to Valencia
Valencia is linked to the rest of the world by an international airport located in the town of Manises, about four miles outside the city centre. Alternatively visitors can fly to Barcelona and take a 1-hour domestic flight to Valencia. An equal distance away from Valencia is the capital city of Madrid, where there are as many flights options. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Valencia try Thomas Cook.
Once in Valencia, the taxi ride from the airport to the city centre takes no longer than 25 minutes. There is also a shuttle bus that travels between the airport and the coach station in the city. The best way to get around the city centre is on a bicycle. Valencia is totally flat and most places of interest are close to each other. On a bicycle you get to explore the city and have the freedom to stop wherever you like to enjoy the view.
Sightseeing in Valencia
The City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias) should top visitors’ list of things to see. This creatively designed landmark is the brainchild of the world-acclaimed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Its futuristic architectural theme echoes its creator’s vision of the space age. It is a must-see and admission is free. A city within a city, take time to enjoy the lush landscaping and extensive water features of this complex.
Valencian architecture is distinctive in style and a celebration of fusion architecture. Cross a Romanesque structure with a Baroque façade and a Gothic bell tower (Micalet), and you get the Saint Mary of Valencia Cathedral. To admire a panoramic view of the city, climb the tower’s 207 steps and catch an impressive vista at sunset.
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The centre point of Valencia is difficult to miss; Plaza de Ayuntamento is a large square home to rows of buildings that are fine examples of Valencian architecture. The City Hall (Ayuntamento) towers over the square with its bell tower, where public addresses are made. The hall also is home to the History Museum (Museo Historico), where centuries-old paintings depicting life in Valencia are available for viewing. Admission is free.
Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
The Carmen district houses a good collection of Valencia’s restaurants, pubs, cafés, and clubs. It is a vibrant, bustling area shared by the strange and the beautiful. Carmen hosts jazz bars, punk hangouts, reggae bars, bohemian cafés, and other curious underground venues which might not be suited to the faint hearted. For the adventurous, Carmen is worth a night of your stay in the city.
Fun by day – shopping and activities
At the Mercado Central, perhaps the most delightful market of the city, you will find an extensive array of fresh local produce including meat, seafood, and cheese – all under one wavy roof distinguished by beautiful stained glass work. The newly restored Mercado Colón is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon shopping for flowers, or simply enjoying a coffee under a grand canopy made of glass, brick, iron, and ceramic tile mosaics.
Valencia is home to Playa de las Arenas on Cabanyal, the city’s beach stretch that is easily accessible from the city centre by metro and bus. At the southern end, there are restaurants where you can feast on Valencia paella, bars, and hotels. The northern end is more suitable for sunbathing.
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