10 TOURS OF THE CITY OF VALENCIA IN SPAIN

In a dreamy seaside setting, this modest Mediterranean port city lives up to the local adage “a piece of heaven on earth.” Beneath the warm southern sun, Valencia’s palm-lined squares come alive and the colourful tile domes of its churches sparkle. As the former capital of the Kingdom of Valencia, the city is rich in cultural attractions. Magnificent historical monuments such as the 15th-century Silk Exchange, the 18th-century Palace of the Marquis and the Museum of Fine Arts bear witness to a rich mercantile and aristocratic past.

Valencia has a charming historic centre, the Ciutat Vella (Old Town), but the city is well into the 21st century. The elegant Academy of Modern Art and the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences immerse visitors in a new world of artistic and scientific discovery. Discover the best places to visit with our guide to the top attractions and things to do in Valencia, Spain.

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1. The City of Arts and Sciences

Explore a fascinating world of art and science at this futuristic complex on the outskirts of Valencia The Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences) is one of Europe’s most impressive cultural and scientific exhibition centres.

Stretching over two kilometres along the banks of the River Turia, the complex contains several fine examples of avant-garde architecture designed by architects Santiago Calatrava and Felix Candela.

The Ciudad complex comprises six main spaces: the IMAX Hemisfèric cinema, which shows 3D digital films and serves as a planetarium; the landscaped Umbracle space, with shaded walkways; the Museu de les Ciències, an interactive museum showcasing science, the environment and technology; and the Oceanogràfic, Europe’s largest aquarium; the Palau de les Arts opera house; and the Ágora concert space.

The City of Arts and Sciences also hosts conferences, exhibitions and workshops related to scientific and artistic topics.

2. Las Fallas Festival

Valencia is one of the best places to visit in March For two weeks in March, the Fiesta de San José is a lively religious festival filled with creative spirits and fun events that transforms the city into a joyous celebration. The festival includes traditional music and food (paella), parades, fireworks, and unique art exhibitions. The festival is known for its innovative installations called fallas, large floats with paper figures. The works were placed in the streets before being burned at midnight on the last day of the festival.

This custom originated in the Middle Ages, when carpenters and other craftsmen would burn leftover wood and other materials on St. Joseph’s Day. The Museo Fallero (Fallas Museum) in Piazza Monteolivite gives you the chance to see ninots (people) created over the years. It’s interesting to see how the ninos have evolved with technology, from the first wax figures wearing real clothes to modern cartoon figures made of paper pulp and more recently polystyrene.

3.
Oceanography of Valencia

Designed by architect Félix Candela, this remarkable building is part of the City of Arts and Sciences and houses the largest aquarium in Europe. It is actually a complex of several buildings, each dedicated to one of the most important marine ecosystems and environments on the planet: Wetlands, temperate and tropical, oceanic, Mediterranean, Antarctic, Arctic and island, and the Red Sea 45,000 sea creatures representing more than 500 different marine species can be seen in nine towers, giving you the impression of being underwater The most remarkable are the tunnels, where you are surrounded on two sides and swimming sharks pass above your head.

Some of the most popular curiosities include belugas, sea lions, walruses, penguins, seals, turtles and dolphins. While observing marine life, you can discover mangroves, wetlands, kelp forests and other wetlands with their native plant species.

4.
The Silk Shed

Built in the 15th century, this imposing Gothic building houses the city’s silk exchange, where Valencia’s famous silk was traded with merchants (and sold throughout Europe). The monument is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

One of the finest examples of Gothic civil architecture in Europe, La Lonja de la Seda resembles a medieval castle with its sloping façade and formidable towers. The façade is adorned with ornate doors, windows and gargoyles (grotesquely carved creatures that function as waterspouts). The main hall features rich star vaults supported by twisted columns

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5.
Go Shopping at Mercado Central

Just a short walk from La Lonja de la Seda is the Mercado Central (Central Market), a sprawling market built in 1928.

The Art Nouveau building is lavishly decorated with azulejos, decorative ceramics typical of the region. The market hall has hundreds of stalls where vendors sell fresh fruits, vegetables and groceries from the Valencian region and other parts of Spain.

The beautiful historic Iglesia de los Santos Juanes church is located on the Plaza del Mercado, next to the Central Market. This national historic-artistic monument was built between the 14th and 16th centuries on the site of a hermit church replacing an earlier mosque.

6.
Iglesia de San Nicolás de Bari y San Pedro Mártir de València

This church is dedicated to Saint Bari and Saint Nicholas the Martyr and was founded in the 13th century on the site of the Roman sanctuary. The Romanesque church was renovated in Gothic style in the 15th century and its interior was completed in Baroque style in the 1690s.

Although the exterior is very austere and dark, the church has an ornate interior, one of the most ornate of all the churches in Valencia. The sanctuary has superb wall and ceiling frescoes designed by Antonio Palomino, while the actual painting was done by Dionis Vidal. The frescoes depict scenes from the lives of Saint Nicholas and Saint Peter the Martyrs.

7.
Admire the Catedral de València

There
València Cathedral (Catedral del Santo Cáliz) stands out for its
its mix of architectural styles, making it one of the
most unusual cathedrals in Spain. Originally, the site
housed an ancient Roman temple, then a Moorish mosque.

In
This historic place, the cathedral, was built in the 13th century
century It was renovated in the 15th and 17th centuries.

8.
Plaza of the Virgin

The elegant Neptune Fountain, located in the centre of the Plaza Virgen, is the work of Valencian sculptor Sylvester Edita. Well lit at night, it is a favourite spot for locals.

There are several iconic buildings around the square. Across the square is the Palacio de la Generalitat, and next to the Catedral de València is the Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados, the most important (and first) Baroque church in Valencia. The church is famous for its magnificent frescoes on the domed ceiling, painted by Antonio Palomino in 1701 and considered a masterpiece of Spanish Baroque art.

9.
Iglesia de Santo Tomás y San Felipe Neri

This beautiful church exemplifies Valencia’s unique Mediterranean style with its dazzling blue-tiled dome. The Church of St. Thomas and St. Philip was built in 1725 and was declared a National Historic Site in 1982.

10.
Animals at Bioparc València

Valencia Zoo covers 25 hectares in the northern part of a park created by diverting the Turia River. The landscape was created to keep the animals as close to their habitat as possible, and the zoo is known for its large collection of African animals.

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