Tips to Visit Valencia, a Lovely City of Spain

Valencia is the third city of Spain, by number ofable to eat good paellas (although noncheap) and
inhabitants. It is located to the east of the Iberianlater you can walk by the promenade at seaside.
Peninsula, next to the Mediterranean Sea.Also I recommend you a visit to the Palmar, a town
If you plan to visit this lovely city, read this tips:of fishermen. Almost an island surrounded by waters
Which is the best time of the year to visit Valencia?of the Lagoon. There you will find also good
Valencia has a warm climate so you can visit us allsurroundings to enjoy a paella and, later take a boat
the year.by the Lagoon.
If your objective is to enjoy our beaches, IWhat is the arts and sciences city ("ciudad de las
recommend you to visit us from June to September.artes y las ciencias")?
If you want to know the fallas, you'll have to comeIt is a complex of buildings dedicated to the culture
between the 15 and the 19 of March.and built by several architects of reputation, among
For the rest of activities: visits to monuments, thethem Santiago Calatrava and Felix Candle. It began to
city of the arts and sciences, routes, etc, any day isbe constructed in 1998 and is made up of 5 buildings.
good.Due to his futurist architecture, the visitor feels in a
How many days should I stay in Valencia?space of different leisure, that allows him to alternate
I recommend you to stay 3 days:different atmospheres in "a reduced" space. We can
The first day dedicated to know the city and itssubmerge in the marine depths in L'Oceanografic and
monuments. In the morning, visit la plaza de la Reina,right away following we can enjoy a
the Cathedral, the Miguelete, the palace of thethree-dimensional film in the L'Hemisferic or can take
Generalitat, the central market, the city council, thea walk by a mediterranean forest in L'Umbracle and
towers of Serranos and Quart. Go to eat to thecontinue with a exhibition on the Milky Way.
beach of the Malvarrosa, and in the evening, walk byWhich beaches do you recommend?
the marine stroll and reach the port to contemplateThe first beach that you should visit is the beach of
the preparations of the America's Cup, that will bethe Malvarrosa. It is the city beach and you'll arrive
disputed in Valencia in the 2007.easily. You'll find a very long promenade at seaside
The second day, leave the city and go to the beachthat begins in the port and extends during several
of the Saler and the dehesa, narrow piece of landkilometers.
that separates the sea of the Albufera (Lagoon),Also visit the beach of the Saler, next to the natural
populated with dunes and pines. Go to the town ofpark of the Albufera (the Lagoon), protected by the
the Palmar to eat and, in the evening, take a stroll inenvironmental laws. Illegal constructions were
boat by the natural park of the Albufera anddemolished and the dunes were reconstructed to
contemplate the sunset on the lake.give them back their original state.
The third day, dedicated to know the city of theWhat are the "fallas"?
arts and sciences. Visit L'umbracle, the oceanographicThe fallas are the celebrations of Valencia. They take
museum, eat in his restaurant surrounded byplace from the 15 to the 19 of March and transform
aquariums, and in the evening, visit the museum ofthe city totally.
sciences, and L'Hemisferic.During that week, hundreds of monuments (that we
Where can I eat the real valencian paella?call fallas) are placed in the streets and seats of
The Valencian paella is a dish universally well-known,practically all the city. These monuments are
but also prepared of so many different forms thatconstructed with cardboard, elaborated and painted
paella is called to almost any dish that contains rice.of such form that they become true works of art,
The authentic Valencian paella can defraud if youwhose life is ephemeral. Day 19 at night, all the
expect to find seafood, or ribs, or blood sausages, ormonuments burn simultaneously (except the winning
other exotic ingredients that are used in some placesfalla and the one that the city council sponsors, that
of Spain (olives, potatoes, etc.). You'll only findburns a little later).
vegetables and meat (of chicken and rabbit), inThe origin of the fallas was a celebration of the
addition to the rice, of course.beginning of the spring, in which piles of old objects
Consider that this dish arose in the Valencian ruralwere burned in a ceremony of renovation. With time,
atmosphere, and the agriculturist used the ingredientsthese "piles of objects" became the present works
he had by hand: the vegetables of the familiarof art.
orchard, and the animals of corral (duck, chicken andThe fallas celebrations are totally opened to the
rabbit). In spite of its simplicity, you'll find it exquisite.visitor. Most of the activities are developed in the
If you like the seafood, ask for a "paella de marisco"street. We emphasize "mascletaes" (symphony of
(seafood paella), or a "arroz a banda". Also you canexplosions which gets passionate to the Valencians),
request the "mixed paella", of seafood and meat,the fireworks, the parades, the offering of flowers
although I do not recommend it.to the Virgin of the Abandoned ones, and the
In almost any restaurant of Valencia, you'll find great"burning". In addition to verbenas and celebrations
variety of rice plates. I advise you to visit theduring all the night.
restaurants of the Malvarrosa beach, where you'll be