Travel Monday – Valencia, Spain

Line Break

Our Travel Monday series continues today with a special look at sunny Spain and spotlight on Valencia.  The third-largest city in Spain, Valencia is the capital of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, one of Spain’s 17 separate communities that make up the extremely decentralised Spanish government.  Recommended by Travelfusion’s own Carmen who is a Valencia native, I’m thrilled to share more information about things to do and see on your next visit to Valencia.

Photo credit: Kʌ13

Though Barcelona and Madrid get lots of attention as the top two places to visit in Spain, Valencia is a wonderful option for those who wish to see some different sites and enjoy a city that attracts considerably fewer tourists (for now!) than the other two big hot-shots.  However, as with any Spanish city, the delicious food, tapas and drink are attractions themselves.  Enjoy some typical Valencian cuisine including hearty and flavourful Paella (which is said to have originated in this area), light Spanish omelettes or fresh sangria to help you beat the heat.

Photo credit: heatheronhertravels

A city full of heritage, Valencian architecture shows the different cultural influences that exist in this city due to the many occupiers that have taken up residence in this area over the years.  From Roman to Moorish, there’s a little bit of everything here and plenty of beautiful buildings and structures that give a glimpse onto Valencia’s past.

Photo credit: Carquinyol

Enjoy taking your time to explore the villages and neighbourhoods around the city centre, and take the opportunity to get off the beaten path a bit and enjoy life as locals would.  The area surrounding Valenica is absolutely beautiful and makes me want to move there!

Photo credit: alcebal2002

The Saint Mary Cathedral of Valencia dates back to the 1200’s and was actually built on the site of a mosque that had been there previously during Moorish occupation.  Enjoy the mix of architectural styles of the cathedral or visit what is said to be one of the Holy Chalices that is in one of the cathedral’s chapels.

Photo credit: ramonbaile

Once I finally visit Valencia, I’ll be heading straight to the outstanding Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) which is an aesthetically beautiful cultural centre that includes museums, planetariums and my favourite, an enormous open-air aquarium.  I could spend hours here enjoying the marine life and the gorgeous structures around me.

Photo credit: ho visto nina volare

Ready to see Valencia for yourself? Treat yourself to a long weekend in early September to enjoy all that this beautiful city has to offer and enjoy temperatures a bit cooler than they would be in the middle of summertime. Fly from London to Valencia for £67 return on 9 September 2010. Flights from Birmingham to Valencia start at £197 and from Dublin to Valencia from £138 on the same weekend.

Tags: Europe, Photos, Spain, Travel Monday, valencia

If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.

blog comments powered by Disqus

• Our topics and RSS feeds

  • Blogger Bios (6)
  • Destinations (168)
  • Development (10)
  • Direct Connect XML API (20)
  • Fun (183)
  • Jobs (3)
  • News (49)
  • partners (1)
  • Photos (165)
  • Press (4)
  • Technology (19)
  • Travel deals (19)
  • Travel Monday (37)