Located 190 mi/300 km east of Madrid, Valencia is famous for food and revelry—it's the home of paella and Las Fallas, a weeklong fiesta in March that climaxes with the burning of hundreds of enormous papier-mache figures.
Visit Valencia's cathedral, its beautifully preserved Gothic area and the large indoor food market, which is filled with fresh produce, meats and fish. We were also impressed with the collections and exhibits at Instituto Valencia de Arte Moderno, a modern- and contemporary-arts museum. As Spain's third-largest city, Valencia's ambition is apparent in the City of Arts and Sciences—a striking assemblage of museums, a planetarium, aquarium and performing arts center, most of which was designed by local architect Santiago Calatrava.
The first phase of a multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art zoo has opened in Valencia. The 25-acre/10-hectare Bioparc Valencia is home to 4,000 animals from 250 species, including antelope, zebras, gorillas and leopards. A second phase will include nearly five more acres to showcase the ecosystems of Southeast Asia and Central and South America. The zoo reproduces the vegetation, terrain and sounds of the animals' ecosystem while concealing barriers and man-made structures. For additional information, visit the Web site at http://www.bioparcvalencia.es.
Valencia's bold, modern architecture is contrasted by its historic old quarter. Opposite the central market, the old silk exchange, La Lonja, is a Gothic masterpiece of sculpted spiral columns supporting a vaulted ceiling. Former mansions are fronted by ornate baroque facades, none more so than the incredible Palacio del Marques de Dos Aguas, with its alabaster sculpture depicting two rivers. It now houses the National Museum of Ceramics. Valencia also rivals Barcelona as a city of modernista (art nouveau) architecture. There are many stunning examples in the city center, including the train station and along Carrer de la Paz.
In summer, try paella in one of the restaurants along the beach. Near Valencia is the restored Roman theater at Sagunto. In the early 1990s, the theater started offering musical and dramatic performances for the first time in nearly 1,500 years. Make Valencia an overnight stop, except during Fallas, when you need at least two nights.
Host of the 32nd America's Cup yacht race in 2007, Valencia has been selected to host the 33rd America's Cup, as well, set for May-July 2009. Tourism officials credit a major overhaul of the city's infrastructure for attracting the event. The project, begun in 2003, integrated the city with the port, marina and the beach areas. In the waterfront area, the existing harbor and commercial port have been redesigned, and several state-of-the-art marinas have been added. The improvements also have resulted in a 400% growth in cruise ship visits in the past few years.
Calendar
There are two main festivals in and around Valencia, Spain: Las Fallas and La Tomatina. There aren't many festivals in all of Europe as big, loud and euphoric as Las Fallas. Held annually on 19 March, it celebrates Saint Joseph's Day. Throughout the day, streets are filled with music and dancing, and small, noisemaking fireworks are thrown around. Two events culminate the day. First, each neighborhood in the city lights off its own fireworks display (more about noise and lights than wowing the spectator with color), and at night, hundreds of large papier mache statues are burnt to the ground.
La Tomatina, held in a nearby village of Bunol (30 mi/48 km west of Valencia), takes place annually the last Wednesday of August. Technically, the festival doesn't start until someone can climb a two-story greased pole to get a ham at the top, but usually nobody waits. Water guns mark the beginning and end of an hour-long tomato fight throughout the streets. Bring some goggles and expect to have a great time.
For more information about activities and events in Valencia, contact the Valencia Tourism and Convention Bureau. Phone 963-606-353. http://www.turisvalencia.es.
