A trip to Valencia

With some 800.000 people it is smaller only to Madrid and Barcelona. The locals like to say it is like a big village, for everything is reachable and controllable on a rather small area. Due to the close proximity of the Balearic Islands and summer resorts like the Alicante is a very popular tourist destination. The surprisingly clean streets covered with tiles from the days of Muslim rule on, help cooling the heat down. Exploring the hidden corners can be romantic and exciting. It gives the visitor the feeling of safety and comfort.

Smells and tastes of 300 stands

The city is the middle of the shopping and crafts, especially ceramics. Everyone visiting the most beautiful European covered market can see that. Mercado Central opens up every day at 8am, when the city still sleeps. It offers over 30o stalls with various smells and tastes, which are there until the siesta at 3pm.

Next to the market there is one of the three most beautiful buildings. La Lonja is a late gothic cathedral which used to be a shopping centre and now hosts cultural events. It’s greatest feature is the double door Torres de Serranos (main exit towards Barcelona) and the Plaza de la Reina cathedral, boasting with three entrances in three various styles (roman, baroque and gothic) and the holy grail. The largest square Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where there’s always something going on, is between the town hall and the main postal office. It’s a special feeling to mingle among the locals and try a few things with them. The Spanish temperament, that brings forth a relaxed feeling, smile, clear view and happiness of life, overwhelm the visitors. And if you say a word or two in Spanish (the people speak their own Valonian) the impression is even bigger.

A park instead of a dried out river

The centre of Valencia has a 10km park with palms, sport fields and children’s playgrounds with 19 bridges above them. This used to be the river Turia, which got dried out because of floods, and today these are green areas full of people relaxing, socialising, and sport active. The river bed leads to the city of are and science (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias), wonders of architecture by Santiago Calatrave. There’s a planetarium, cinema, laser shows, an experimental house and the biggest aquarium in Europe with over 45.000 examples of 500 species. There you can see sharks, stingers, and money other fish and sea mammals like dolphins, walrus… while walking the tunnels.

Mojca Finc