A page is just not enough to cram in
everything we can tell you about Valencia city
itself! Originally a Roman colony and first
mentioned in the 2nd century BC Valencia is
steeped in history so there is plenty to see both
new and old.
We start with Europe’s largest leisure complex,
the City of Arts and Sciences which houses the
futuristic Palau de les Arts opera house, the L
’Hemisfèric which is a laser dome, cinema and
planetarium, then there is the science museum,
the L ’Umbracle botanical gardens and finally
L’Oceanografic which is Europe’s biggest marine
park.
In the Pl. del Mercado is one of the largest
covered markets in Europe which occupies over
8,000m2 and holds 959 stalls, here is where you
can pick up all the various foods, spices and
kitchen utensils.
The Plaza de Torosin Valencia is a spectacular
sight, built between 1850 and 1860 it can hold up
to 10,000 spectators, you can also visit the
museum at the side of the bullring where you can
see many of the old outfits and also get taken in
to the bullring itself to take photographs.
One of the most interesting buildings in the city
is the Silk Exchange it has been a UNESCO World
Heritage Site since December 1996.
One not to be missed is the Cathedral in the
centre of Valencia a beautiful building which has
a museum and a belltower (Miguelete). The
contains a chalice which is said to be the one
used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper - the
Holy Grail itself.
So on to the beaches, spoilt for choice really,
there is the 5km El Saler beach, fine golden sand
and sheltered from western winds by a dune and a
wide expanse of pinewoods. In summer, the Garbi
wind blows in the evening which lures the
windsurfers to the beach.
Another great beach, especially for the children
is the Cabañal-Arenas beach where there are
amusement areas as well as sports facilities.
From the month of April until October the beach
is alive in the evening as well where you will
see many a Spanish family partaking in a picnic
meal and washing it down with a good Rioja.
So this is a very, very basic guide - there is so
much more to see and do but you can keep up with
all the latest information, fiesta dates etc
every month in Look For It Buscalo
Magazine.
Founded in 138BC by the Romans the city of Valencia offers the tourist a wealth of history and many interesting places to visit including the Rice Museum, the Silk Exchange and the Cathedral to name just a few.
In this issue we are going to highlight a few of the places for you.
One not to be missed is the Cathedral in the centre of the city at Pl. de la Reina. A beautiful building which has a museum and a bell tower (Miguelete), which is the landmark of the city. The journey to the top will reward you with superb views over the city. The Capitulary holds a chalice which is said to be the one used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper - the Holy Grail itself.
Just a short walk from here you will find the Archbishop's Palace at Palau 2. Unfortunately only the pointed arches of the original building remain and these date back from the XIII century. The Palace was rebuilt in the XX century after suffering a fire and continuous pillaging.
Make your way round to the Central Market at Pl. del Mercado between 8am and 3pm. Here is a beautiful building constructed of wrought iron and glass and topped by a weathervane shaped like a parrot, popularly known as 'cotorra del mercat'. The market is one of Europe's largest covered markets and here you can find all manner of fresh fruit, meat, vegetables, cheese and of course fish!
Also within the Pl. del Mercado you will find the Silk Market (Lonja) and this building is one of the best examples of civic Gothic architecture by Pepe Compte.
The building consists of three parts - the Contracts Room, the Main Tower and the Consolat del Mar. Back in history the central tower, which has a ground floor, served as a prison for the merchants that could not pay their bills. The facade of the Consolat del Mar has forty medallions, each one bearing the bust of a famous person including several Roman emperors. Declared a Humanity's Heritage the building can be visited at various days and times during the week including Sundays.
In the Cabanyal quarter of Valencia we find the Rice Museum. A building that has been restored with the help of the Valencia City Hall and the machinery restored by the Valencia Universidad Politécnica. Here you will discover how the real Valencian rice was made. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-2pm and then 4.30pm to 8.30pm. Sunday 10am to 3pm.
Next to the Train Station (Estació del Nord) is the Bull Ring. With four rows of arches and styled on the monuments of the amphitheatre in Nimes and the Coliseum in Rome it is an amazing sight.
Built to hold 16,800 people the bull ring has had many of Spain's leading bullfighters appear in the ring and a visit to the nearby Bull-fighters Museum shows the history along with costumes and a couple of unfortunate bulls' heads. You can visit the museum Monday to Friday between 10am and 2pm and 4pm to 6pm and on Saturday between 11am and 1pm.
There are an abundance of cafés, restaurants and bars in the City and it is well worth stopping for Menu of the Day and trying a traditional paella. Finish your meal with a glass of Agua de Valencia which consists of freshly squeezed orange juice with sparkling wine (Champagne or Cava) and either Vodka, Cointreau or Gin.
Once you have had enough of walking around, travel further out of the city to the old Turia riverbed. The Gulliver Park, a play area for the children, has an immense Gulliver figure lying on its back which is like an enormous adventure playground with climbing areas, slide and a scale model of the city. Surrounding it there is a giant chessboard, skateboard park and a mini golf course.
For those that are looking for something a little more relaxing go to the Jardines Del Real - Viveros, these are also located across from the Turia riverbed. This is a popular area for Sunday morning walks and during July the central esplanade is converted into an improvised concert hall. Here you can also visit the Valencia Zoo with giraffes, tropical birds, orangutans and many other exotic animals.
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