Valencia is a modern, dynamic city, with a splendid historic centre, which you should visit with lots of time to spare. Fine examples of the city's rich architectural heritage are the Cathedral, the Miguelete tower, and ancient Silk Exchange, the serranos and Quart Towers, the Railway station, the Central Market, the Palace of the Marquis of Dos Aguas and more.

The climate will surely encourage you to get out and about, stroll along the golden sandy beaches in the cosmopolitan Malvarossa district or the maritime esplanade of Las Arenas, just a few minutes from the city centre. These areas provide a beautiful view of the Mediterranean, and offer a range of entertainment facilities in the summer. For enjoying nature close to the city, visit the El Saler Beach to the south of Valencia, a unique eco-system flanked by sand dunes, and pine forests. Or the Albufera, a freshwater lagoon, connected to the sea with a highly valuable ecology. Just North from Valencia City is Alboraya which offers golden sandy beaches, at the weekends there are various stalls selling items and Alboraya also offers a breath-taking Marina, which is situated in the town, look out for the arch ways, you can walk through and see the beautiful marina.

Along the coast is Cullera, and is the only mountain spur near the sea in the entire gulf of Valencia. It was crowned with a castle that offers fine views over the flat fields and gardens surrounding it. Troubled by barbary pirate attacks for many decades, it still conserves its Marenyet tower to the south and a lighthouse to the north, near the Dragut & Volcan cave with its prehistoric remains. A visit to the southern side is recommended to see the estany or inland lagoon. Where various restaurants offer rice dishes, and tapas of all kinds in pleasant surroundings.

Further down the coast line is Gandia, the Splendour of the borjas. Originally an iberian settlement, Gandia became famous in the 15th century as a courtly outpost on the coast thanks to Juan de Borja,second Duke of Gandia. It is to this century, that the town owes much to its rich heritage, which we can discover on a brief tour: the Santa Maria College, the Duke's palace, the San Marcos hospital, the St. Clare Convent and the Ayuntimento or Town Hall. Outside the town is the castle of Bayren, and the farmstead (alqueria) of the Duke of Gandia. This is a cradle of the noodle Paella called Fideua, which can be savoured at any of the restaurants along its famous 5km long fine sandy beaches.

Valencian cuisine, a mixture of imagination and popular wisdom, will help you to regain your strength after visiting some of the sights. Discover typical rice dishes, try some fresh vegetables from the huerta, fresh seafood and fish from the Mediterranean. For Dessert why not taste the local fruit and ice cream, or have a refreshing drink of horchata (tiger nut milk) made in Alboraya.

Golf, Yachting, horse riding or tennis.... whatever you want, there's a place for you. If you are looking for a quieter time, the ancient Turia riverbed, now converted into a 10km park flanking the city, has many spots for some rest and relaxation, or a quiet stroll. Other parks and gardens (Viveros), Monforte, or the Botanical Gardens are also worth visiting.

For music the major attraction is the music auditorium called the Palau de la Musica, the home of the Valencian Orchestra and a stage for many prestigious names, conductors, and interpreters on the international music panorama. The Palau starts its season every October, and the so-called Festivales de la tardor, or evening festivals, and a concert and opera cycle that runs until the following Summer. In the summer months, the patios of the University, La Benficiencia Cultural centre, and the Viveros Gardens become stages for classical concerts, or perhaps some jazz, blues or rock 'an' roll.

Music is not the only cultural attraction that Valencia has to offer. There are a number of theatres where dance festivals and plays are staged, ranging from the classics to the latest avant-garde creations.

As for the cinema, Mediterranean cultures of all kinds are usually represented at the Mostre de Cine del Mediterranean Film festival, which is held each year in the month of October, filling the city with the glamour of Actors, and Directors. The Filmoteca Valenciana stages film cycles to complete the cinematographic lineup throughout the year and round out the already extensive movie offering the local cinemas. Heron city is just outside Valencia city and offers a very large cinema, bowling alley, plenty of American restaurants, and is recommended to visit in the evening.

The Universal Oceanographic park is the largest cultural leisure park in Europe, which combines interesting scientific diffusion contents with fun items for all kinds of people. An original building in the shape of a human eye, where you can enjoy three different audio visual shows on a large size screen. Planetarium, and laserium. An impressive water space which allows the visitor to submerge into the oceans to get to know fauna and flora or our planet's most representative climate zones. Restaurants, shops, Car parks, rest areas & Spaces for children......, all the services required to have a pleasant visit are available to you.

The Fallas invade the city and transform it into an authentic spectacle that crescendos to its climax. Whoever visits Valencia in the lead up to March 19th will find the whole city adsorbed in the festive atmosphere. People come out to see the parades and processions, hear the marching bands, wave to the Falleras and Falleros in there traditional costumes, and tour the city on foot to see Fallas on every street corner.

The Origin of the Fallas goes back to the 15th century, when city carpenters would clean out their workshops in the spring to celebrate the patron saint's day - St Joseph - by lighting bonfires in the streets, burning up all of their refuse, odds and ends, and their wooden candle holders used during the winter evenings while they worked. Soon, many began decorating these piles of wood, and gradually giving them shape and form.

 

Today, over 350 fallas, or monumental papier-mache constructions are built in the streets on the night of March 19th during the traditional crema (Burning), these impressive creations begin to appear about March 15th - setting up and vie with one another in ingenuity, beauty, and flammability - from pyramid shapes that burn up perfectly, to stranger shapes satiring a politician or social or cultural events, that require great care in being set to the torch.

Festivals

La Tomatina Bunol

There are many stories behind 'La Tomatina ' but no one seems to know what exactly happened. Some say it all began in 1944 as simple tomato fight between a group of friends in the town's main square - The Plaza del Pueblo; others claim the tradition was started at an anti-Franco rally. One the most likely accounts is that brawling bystanders at a carnival parade seized the contents of nearby vegetable stall, and began throwing tomatoes at their opponents. Apparently the local Spanish authorities did their best to ban what quickly became an annual battle, but in 1959 they eventually entered in to the spirit of the event and it became the worlds largest food fight.

On the last Wednesday of August each year an estimated 20,000 people gather on the small Spanish town of Bunol (approx. 20 Minute drive from Flora Villa, thirty kilometres from Valencia) to get 'ketchup-ed' with 125,000 kilos of ripe, ammo. La Tomatina is the ultimate free festival, just turn up and get dirty. The festivities are in honour of the towns' Patron Saint Luis Bertran , and the Virgin Mary, With La Tomatina being the highlight of a weeklong festival. During the week leading up to the world famous tomato war, parades, fireworks, music, dancing and paella cook-off contest draw visitors to Bunol for the annual fiesta.

It all begins and ends between 11am and 1pm. Wear old clothes and be warned people wearing baseball caps or carrying cameras are considered prime targets for everyone, a see-though waterproof bag is essential for cameras. Many people turn up in Fancy Dress (optional), most wear goggles of some sort.

Early Wednesday morning when the day of the great battle dawns shopkeepers along the Plaza line their storefronts and doors with plastic sheeting. Within hours the Town Square is filled with the seasoned locals and excited visitors from all over the globe. Around noon, a number of huge trucks carrying the red edible bombs make their way into the main Town Square to the chant of "tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes" from the crowd. The trucks begin unloading their cargo, then bingo 'ammunition!' and before you know it and totally to plan, you've got the worlds largest food fight and everyone becomes fair game. The streets are awash with juice, pavements are spattered with pulp and no one escapes.

The rules of tomato throwing are that tomatoes must be squashed in the hand before throwing. And it may be worth noting that the locals tend to rip each other's clothing, so you may lose your T-shirt, but is officially forbidden for a visitor to do it. The aftermath looks a little like the world's largest Bolognese sauce. As soon as the siren signalling the end of La Tomatina is sounded, the locals then start their massive clean up operation, and temporary showers let you start yours. Water is pumped from a nearby Roman aqueduct and within hours the Plaza Del Pueblo returns to its former glory except for the stench of Tomato lingering in the streets.

 

Semana Santa Marinera - Holy Week

 

The best known holy week celebrations are held in the port district. They are called Semana Santa Marinera, the sailor's holy week. They include religious celebrations, Masses, stations of the cross, and processions. These are held from Ash Wednesday until the week after Easter.

 

The impressive procession of silence, held at 24:00 on the Monday and Thursday, and the holy Burial held at 18:30 on the Good Friday, and the events that attract the most spectators, and participants. The holy images or icons that belong to the 27 guilds and brotherhoods who take part in the processions (The Madonna, the Nazerenes pilatus, and Christ of silence (or the Holy Sepulchre) are carried on portable platforms through the streets of this quarter facing the sea, accompanied by 5000 penitents and the music bands, trumpeters and drummers.

 

 

Feria de Julio - July fair all month.

Summer is the time for spectacles, pageantry, and open air concerts, staged during the July fair located at the Paseo de la Alemadaand the Viveros Gardens. It is also the time for spectacular bullfights. The Culmination of the fair is a "Flower Battle" held along the Alemada Boulevard.

 

 

Valencia by night