Things to do in Valencia

[Lynnie81]

Things to do in Valencia

Valencia is situated in the centre of the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. It over looks the spacious gulf of Valencia and is skirted at the back by mountains ands rolling plains. It is one of the biggest cities in Spain and one of the liveliest. As well as the breathtaking gardens and architecture the city also offers fabulous beaches right in the very heart of it. Below is a list of the essential places to include in your trip to this amazing city.

The City of Arts & Sciences – This simply cannot be left out of any visit to Valencia. It is a city within a city and was designed to celebrate the arrival of the 21st century. Firstly there is the Hemesferic building - an extraordinary creation resembling a huge eyeball floating above a pool of water. The eye even blinks with the aid of a steel and glass shutter operated by hydraulic lifts. The architecture is so impressive and that is before you have even seen what is inside. Here you can take in a show at the Hemesferic planetarium or IMAX theatre. The centrepiece of the whole complex is the equally awesome science museum.. For many visitors the building itself is the star exhibit despite the many fascinating hands-on science displays contained within it. It is unlike most museums where you are instructed ‘do not touch’; in this museum touching is essential for most of the exhibits. Next door to this you will come across the ‘Oceanografic’, Europe’s biggest marine park. With over 500 species to see. It's a fascinating underwater world where you can take a virtual stroll from one side of the Atlantic to the other through a shark tunnel or get a real feel for marine life in the touch pool. You could easily spend an entire day in the oceanarium which boasts everything from white whales and walruses to dolphin displays and an underwater auditorium with a Red Sea aquarium as its backdrop.

Valencia Cathedral - The unique exterior of Valencia Cathedral is mostly Gothic. A portal on the north transept, Puerta de los Apóstoles, is richly decorated with sculpture and surmounted by a 14th century rose window. The main entrance is lavishly Baroque but leads to a mainly Gothic interior. Probably the most celebrated treasure in Valencia Cathedral is a gold and agate chalice known as the Santo Caliz, said to be the Holy Grail itself. It is certainly an intriguing artifact — it's very old and was hidden in a monastery in northern Aragon throughout the Dark Ages, where it inspired many Grail legends. It has been enshrined in the cathedral since the 15th century, and can be seen in a dark, simple stone chapel in the corner.

Bullfighting - There is little tradition of bullfighting in Valencia, but with the bullring in such a prominent, central position seeing a bullfight seems like an obvious thing for tourists to go and do whilst in Valencia. Names The Plaza de Toros, it is one of the largest bullrings in Spain. It lies next to the train rail station at Calle de Xátiva 28. Bullfights take place every day during the Fallas festival in March though tickets are difficult to get hold of.

Tomatina - For something completely different why not look into La Tomatina. La Tomatina is a food fight festival held on the last Wednesday of August each year in the town of Buñol in the Valencia region of Spain. Tens of thousands of participants come from all over the world to fight in a brutal battle where more than one hundred metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets. The week-long festival features music, parades, dancing, and fireworks. On the night before the tomato fight, participants of the festival compete in a paella cooking contest. Most people will find it easier to book accommodation in Valencia and take a bus to the small town on the day of the event.

The Plaza de la Virgen - is at the center of Valencia's historic district. Among the significant monuments in the area adjacent to the Plaza de la Virgen is the Cathedral complex, the Roman Museum and the Church of Saint Joseph of the Hospital. In the Plaza can found the Turia fountain. Due to it’s central destination the plaza is typically filled with people taking a stroll, shopping or having a bite to eat. Perfect surroundings to kick back and relax before you continue on with your day.

Jardines de Turia – The largest gardens in Valencia. They are infact 9km of greenery and span the whole city. A garden of this scope and complexity is unheard of, it is truly spectacular. The entire river bed with its fertile soil has been converted into a green city, with sports grounds, kid's playgrounds, green mazes, fountains, elaborate gardens, alleys and spectacular buildings like Palau de la Musica and City of Art and Sciences. This splendour of life and colour is crossed over by a variety of gorgeous bridges.

Of course there is far more to do than i have described, for further ideas you could check out the Things to do in Spain section of the website. However, if you are interested in making a visit to Valencia the link below will show you what accomodation is available.

http://www.destination360.com/europe...alencia-hotels