Spain
Visit VaLencia
Barmy for Barcelona? Mad for Madrid? Save space in your affections for Spain’s third thriving metropolis, says Laura Binder.
This page clockwise from bottom left: Valencia FC; Triumphal Arch; The city’s historic architecture; Shoppers at Mercado Central market; Classic paella. Opposite page: City of Arts and Science Museum.
W
hile her famous sisters continued to hog the limelight, Valencia emerged as the lesser-known host of the america’s Cup – twice. The 2007 and 2010 yacht race put this far-from-mediocre city on the tourist map as a must-see destination, plump with Spanish charm: warm climes linger, olive-skinned locals ooze fun, easy-going style and paella has never tasted better (this is its birthplace, after all). But Valencia is also a city with agricultural roots: the not-to-be-missed sight is not the beaches (though with palms teetering over Med coastlines they’re not to be sniffed at) but its flaming, orange blossom groves which fill the air with a sugary scent. Mid-March is the best time to see the city in bloom, though, when the vibrant Fallas carnival descends in a whirl of fireworks, parades and street parties (don’t expect to get any sleep). Recover with an idle day supping Horcharta (a tiger nut tipple) and savour the calm...
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Kanoo World Traveller May 2011
MUST-DOS La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (1) (aka City of Arts and Science Museum) is nothing short of an architectural wonder. Outside, its eyeball-like façade looks fit for a Sci Fi film and inside it’s another (futuristic) world. Head straight for Oceanogràfic (Europe’s biggest aquarium) or try its centrallylocated science museum (it looks like a huge, prehistoric fish) which kids will love thanks to its strict ‘do touch’ policy. Markets are rich in delicious offerings here so make for Mercado Central (2) a sprawling display of stalls that each offer mouthwateringly good fare.
Sunday? Bag a bargain at Plaza Luís Casanova (3), a roaming flea market of treasures. If you’re all loved-up, take a gentile boat trip along the La Albufera’s (4) lake for a taste of Spanish romance; even sultrier by sunset. You simply can’t leave without trying the staple paella and Malvarrosa beach (5) is home to some truly authentic eateries. Set in an expanding, dockside neighbourhood, it serves as a picture-perfect setting for people-watching too. The annual festival of La Tomatina (6) sees Valencians and travellers flock to the town of Bunol where truckloads of the