Hello fellow travelers! Most people from Europe travel to Valencia when vacationing in Spain. However, when it comes to Americans vacationing in Spain, they prefer the overly touristy spots like Madrid and Barcelona. Here is everything to know about Valencia, the capital of paella.
About the city
Valencia is the 3rd largest city in Spain, and one of the oldest in the country. The two official languages of the province and city are Valencian and Spanish, although more people tend to use Spanish. Valencian is a form of Catalan, which is language usually found in the Catalonia region of Spain. This detail is noted because the streets of Valencia all start with carrer. This is different from the traditional Calle seen in many Spanish towns and cities.
City of Arts and Sciences
The City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias) is a cultural and architectural complex. It is also one of the most important modern tourist destinations in Valencia. It is considered one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. The site of the complex is located at the southeast riverbed of what once was the Turia river. In 1957, Valencia suffered a catastrophic flood which killed 81 people and caused city officials to reroute the river. This led to the old riverbed being turned into a beautiful sunken park.
There are 9 buildings that are part of the City of Arts and Sciences:
- L’Hemisfèric– an eye-shaped building which houses an IMAX theater, planetarium, and laserium
- Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe– a building which houses an interactive science museum. The building’s design is that of a whale spine.
- L’Umbracle– a sculpture garden with plants that are native to Valencia
- L’Oceanogràfic– an open air oceanic park
- Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía– an opera house and performing arts center dedicated to music and the performing arts.
- Montolivet Bridge– a road bridge which crosses the western half of the City of Arts and Sciences
- Assut de l’Or Bridge– a single pylon cable-stayed bridge which crosses the Túria Gardens near the eastern end of the City of Arts and Sciences
- L’Àgora– a covered multi-functional plaza which hosts concerts, sporting events, and other important entertainment events.
- Valencia Towers- a planned project to complete the City of Arts and Sciences. It is going to comprise of 3 towers which represent the cities of Valencia, Alicante, and Castellon. Construction on the Valencia Towers is put on hold until further notice.
Serranos Gate
The Serranos Gate (Serrans Gate, Serrans Gate, or Serranos Towers) is one of twelve gates. It formed part of the ancient city wall (the Christian Wall). As of 1965, only the Serranos Gate, Quart Towers, and some other ruins remain of the wall.
Plaza de la Viegen
The Plaza de la Virgen (Square of the Viegin) is a plaza that houses the Turia Fountain. The Valencia Cathedral is located on one side of the square. The fountain represents the Turia River, and has a statue of the Roman god Neptune.
Bank of Valencia
The Bank of Valencia (Banco de Valencia) was the sixth bank to open in Spain. It had its headquarters in Valencia. The Spanish government eventually took over the bank after it failed to meet adequate Tier 1 capital ratios. Caixabank later acquired the bank, and the two banks were integrated in 2013. The bank decided to move its legal headquarters from Barcelona to Valencia after the 2017-2018 Spanish constitutional crisis. The political feud between the Spanish government and the Catalonian government led to this crisis. The Catalonian government wanted full independence from Spain and form their own republic, the Catalan Republic. As of today, the Catalan Independence movement is still going strong.
Valencia Cathedral
The Valencia Cathedral (Metropolitan Cathedral–Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady of Valencia, St Mary’s Cathedral) is a Catholic cathedral. It is unique because it is the purported home of a Holy Chalice that is allegedly the true Holy Grail. Like many cathedrals in Spain, it was once a mosque during the Moorish period, but later converted into a cathedral.
The Doors of the Irons (Puerta de los Hierros) is a special part of the cathedral. It is named after the cast-iron gate that encircles the entrance.
In 1982, Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral, and a plaque was commemorated to remember the visit. The plaque, when translated, reads:
IN MEMORY OF THE VISIT TO VALENCIA OF POPE JOHN PAUL II ON NOVEMBER 8 OF THE YEAR MCMLXXXII (1982)
A beautiful mural found on the Plaza del Miracle del Mocadoret
A tiled mosiac dedicated to Vincent Ferrer, a Valencian Dominican friar.
Mercat Central
Mercat Central (Mercado Central) is one of two public markets in Valencia. It mixes Valencian Art Noveau styling and Valencian Gothic style. This creates a unique, beautiful building.
Sant Joan del Mercat
The Church of Santos Juanes (Sant Joan del Mercat) is a Catholic Church. It is located across the street from the Mercat Central, in the Mercat neighborhood.
A plaque found on the La Lonja de la Seda.
The back of the Mercat Central
Albufera de Valencia
The Albufera de València is a freshwater lagoon and estuary located on the Gulf of Valencia. Albufera is a ten-minute drive away from the city. It offers stunning views of the city. The area also has an abundance of flora and fauna. The Albufera region of Valencia is famous for paella.
Valencian orange. These oranges are sweeter than their Seville counterparts. They are commonly used to make mimosas and other cocktails.
Paella from a restaurant located on the lagoon. Paella is named after the pan that it is cooked in. There are two different types of paella:
- Paella valenciana, or Valencian paella. People believe Valencian paella is the original paella recipe. Paella Valenciana utilizes meats such as duck, chicken, and rabbit.
- Paella de marisco uses seafood instead of meat and leaves out beans and green vegetables.
The yellow coloring in paella’s rice comes from saffron. The paella I had at the restaurant was made of chicken, in contrast to the traditional rabbit.
Our lunch for the day: paella, pears, and milhojas with shots of sweet vermouth. There was also sangria, a cocktail made from wine and other fruits.
We took a boat tour around the lagoon. Sights included a lovely view of the city. We also saw some of the native animals.
The interior of a traditional fisherman’s hut.
Conclusion
Valencia is definitely worth visiting, especially if you are planning to go to Barcelona anyway. The stunning difference between modern and historic architecture in Valencia is definitely interesting, as well as seeing Albufera.
Have you ever been to Valencia before?
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