Visiting Valencia Spain

Valencia is the third largest city in Spain, and its prominence is growing with the ongoing construction of the futuristic "City of Arts and Sciences" and the new Palacio de Congresos convention center (designed by Norman Foster). The autonomous region of Valencia, with the city of Valencia as its anchor city, is famous for not only its delicious oranges, but the dish called paella is said to have originated here. Usually made with rice and seafood, there are also tasty variations of paella featuring various meats and even noodles as well.

Valencia is located on the eastern coast of Spain, along the Mediterranean Sea and part of the sun-blessed Costa del Azahar region famous for its beaches and orange plantations ("azahar" translates into "orange blossom"). The riverbed of the Turia River curls around the atmospheric old town. The waterflow has been diverted away from the city center due to serious floods, so the dry riverbed has been wonderfully recycled into the Jardines del Turia with a variety of leisure uses: gardens, soccer pitches, playgrounds. The old bridges (and a notable newer one, the Alameda Bridge by local architect Santiago Calatrava) cross over the riverbed as they did before when the river was still active.

Quick tips/suggestions

The old town is a jumble of winding and narrow streets, churches, markets, plazas. An infusion of art galleries and restaurants add some life to the old town. The nightlife is said to be some of the most raucous and lively in the whole of Spain, a country with a deservedly handsome reputation of late-night carousing. One of the great festivals in Spain is "Las Fallas", which culminates in competitive local groups setting bonfires and fireworks with effigies of notorious politicians and figures as the fiery centerpieces in March.

Best Way to Get Around (i.e. walking, driving, taxis, public transportation etc.)

Walking in Valencia is a very pleasant preoccupation, but the distances between places can be substantial. There is no subway system in Valencia, but the system of red public buses is rather efficient. You can purchase a one-day bus pass if you intend to zoom about the city. The modern buses have TV monitors with ongoing ads on cultural events, news, sports and various informational tidbits; these monitors are rather sophisticated things to have on public transportation. There is also a suburban train network, with one of the major central stops being the Alameda Station (near the bridge of the same name) designed by Calatrava.