Holidays in Valencia tips and tricks on what to see and what to do.
- Valencia information
- What to visit in Valencia?
- Local Valencia, discos with typical cuisine
- Valencia offers and last minute
- Valencia pictures
Valencia information
Some time ago I found that Ryanair had created a new link between Bari e Valencia.
I went to simulate a booking and, given the cost of the trip (80 euros for two return trips), I decided to organize a weekend in May.
We left on the afternoon of the 11th and returned on the 15th in the evening.
Excellent flight: arrived in Valencia and Bari always in advance of the scheduled landing time.Once in Valencia, I purchased at the Tourist Info Valencia, located in the arrivals area of the airport, two Valencia Tourist Cards , valid 72 hours, to be able to travel freely on all means of transport and also get discounts on admission to museums, churches, monuments, by spending the sum of 40 euros.
Then we headed, still inside the airport, to the metro station that connects the airport with the city.
Natale to ValenciaThe lines are either 3 or 5 (red / green) and in about 20 minutes we arrived at our stop: Colon.
We went to the SH Ingles hotel which I had booked through Booking.com at a cost of € 65 per night for a double room without breakfast.
We didn't take breakfast because it cost 12 euros each and we don't have the habit of eating in the morning but just having a coffee and in this regard I must emphasize that coffee in Valencia costs a lot: € 1,60. The three-star hotel was located about twenty minutes from the metro stop and to reach it we crossed a very elegant area full of shops, cafes, banks and very impressive buildings.
We found it immediately because I had documented.
We were assigned a very large room equipped with all comforts and accessories but we liked two things the most.
We had two French windows, one of which overlooked the main street (all major designer shops), a street shaded by very tall lime trees whose branches almost touched our windows and we were almost inebriated by the sweet scent that their flowers emanated.
I won't tell you the amazement we felt when we opened the other window as the illuminated alabaster portal appeared before our eyes (it was 21:30) of the Palace of the Marques de Dos Aguas (photo on the right) which houses the Museum of Ceramics that we got to visit.
What to visit in Valencia?
The next day, with maps and travel notes, we set off and, after having a coffee near the hotel, we headed towards The Old City which we reached in five minutes.
The square in which the old part of Valencia opens is called Queen's Square: in the center there are gardens with flower beds planted with red geraniums while on both sides there are cafes, restaurants, taverns, cervecerie (breweries).
America Coast to Coast
At the bottom stands the monumental Cathedral that we visited with the audio guide.
This superb church is made up of 19 chapels including that of Holy Grail.
It is said that the chalice, displayed in the center of the wall in front of the altar, is the one used by Our Lord on the day of His Last Supper.
I do not know if it corresponds to the truth because recently, on the occasion of the Exhibition of the Shroud, I was in Turin and here it is said that the Holy Grail it would perhaps be inside the Great Mother of God.
It should be remembered that in 1982 John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist in Valencia using this Santo Caliz.
There are still two very beautiful chapels: that of the Madonna del Pilar Francesco Borgia where there are two paintings by Goya.
The cathedral is very large and has several access portals all built in different styles: Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque.
In ancient times a Roman temple stood here and later a mosque.
Every Thursday, at noon, in front of the portal of the Apostles the meeting of TRibunale delle Acque conducted by judges who are really nothing more than older farmers discussing irrigation problems.
We would have liked to attend it but at that time we were in another place. Instead we could not do without, considering that we are tireless walkers, to climb the 207 steps of the spiral staircase that leads to the top of the Miguelete, the bell tower of the cathedral.
And so, once up, we could admire Valencia at 360 ° and the domes of the churches covered with blue ceramics.
Then we went back in Piazza della Reina, we turned right to reach the Church of the Virgin of the Forsaken which, in those days, was the patronal feast.
In the square in front of the aforementioned church there is a beautiful fountain representing the river turia which once crossed Valencia but whose course, following the flood of 1957, was diverted and magnificent gardens, amusement parks and cycle paths were created in the old bed.
We went back in Queen's Square and we went down to the end, we turned right and there we saw, only externally because it was closed, the Santa Catalina Church with its beautiful baroque bell tower.
Local Valencia, discos with typical cuisine
In Catherine Street I took photos of the two most famous clubs in Valencia: they are facing each other and in them you can drink the famous Orchata, a drink prepared with water, sugar and the tuber of a plant called chufa.
Then we went through an arch and walked in Round Square: a round square with a fountain in the center and many shops around it where yarns, linen and handcrafted ceramics are sold.
We started to feel peckish and so we headed to the famous one Brewery 100 Montaditosin Plaza de la Reina.
There are several in Valencia: we also ate in another one located inside the ElSaler Shopping Center. I had read positive information on the internet so we went quite prepared.
We ate very well and spent only € 8,50 once, € 18,50 another, € 22 another, in two of course.
You will say to me: "But what have you eaten?" So, we took montaditos which are sandwiches stuffed with cold cuts, vegetables, meat, cheeses.
There are € 1 or € 1.20 or € 1,50 or € 2. and you can choose from 100 varieties.
Or you can have a nice bowl of salad which costs only € 3.90. Together with the montaditos they give excellent green olives and potato chips.
We drank some draft beer (you have to order cañas and not cerveza) and we spent € 1 for the small one and 2 for the large one.
Also every Wednesday everything is sold for € 1 and salads for € 2.
Ah, I forgot to tell you how to order: on the tables there are sheets on which all the products for sale are printed, you have to indicate the quantity in correspondence with the montaditos or salad or drink chosen, write your name on the sheet, deliver it at the cashier, pay.
You will be given drinks and then called as soon as what you have chosen is ready. Nice, isn't it? One night, however, we had dinner at the Queen's Tavern and here we took some tapas, a plate of typical cold cuts and cheeses and two beers, spending € 25 for two.
Other times, we went to eat at the Neco, a buffet of Mediterranean cuisine, very fine, elegant: in fact on the tables there is a white cloth tablecloth.
The choice of dishes is wide. There are several first courses, including paella, main courses of meat and fish, various side dishes and the nicest thing is that you can take what you like as many times as you want by paying € 9.95 from Monday to Friday and € 12.90 on Saturday and Sunday.
Drinks are not included but the prices are great.
Fruits and sweets are paid for separately but these too can be taken to your fill.
We ate some Russian salad, paella, gazpacho and very tasty squid ink risotto. But let's continue our tour.
We reached Plaza Ayuntamiento which left us speechless for the splendor of its buildings including that of the headquarters of the Central Post Office and the Palazzo del Comune or Ayuntamiento.
I had read that the Estacion del Norte was worth a visit and so from Plaza Ayuntamiento we reached it in a few minutes.
It took them 11 years to build but it was worth it. It looks like a castle, not a station .... and I don't tell you the cleanliness, the luster of the marble floor, the wooden decorations and the mosaics of the room where the ticket offices overlook.
Next to the station is the Plaza de Toros where the bullfighting arena is located.
In the late afternoon we went for a walk in the famous Spanish department store El Cortes Ingles a real paradise especially for us women.
When the sun went down we decided to go by bus 35 (terminus near Plaza Ayuntamiento) to the Ciudad des Artes y des Ciencias because I wanted to take pictures of the complex in the evening to see this Citadel of Arts and Sciences all lit up under a beautiful blue sky fascinated us.
The next day we returned to admire everything in the sunlight and visit something.
This time, following the advice of a tourist by chance, we decided to take the metro, to get off at Mall and from there, walk the former riverbed through the Turia gardens and pass under the numerous bridges: Exhibition Bridge, Royal Bridge, Puente de Monteolivete, Bridge of the Flowers, Bridge of the Regne, Assut de l'Or Bridge , the most modern.
Walking we saw the Palace of Music, the children's park Gulliver, fountains, trees laden with oranges, cycle paths.
Approaching the leisure and culture complex we were able to admire ultra-modern inhabited centers and multicolored rose gardens.
The first structure of the City of Arts and Sciences that appears Palau de les Arts.
Some say it looks like a helmet: it looked like a fish to me.
Then appears there'Hemispheric, where 3D movies are shown, which to me looked like an overturned boat while others say it looks like an eye. Science Museum.
We had decided to visit the Oceanografic and so we headed towards the bridge Assut de l'Or.
We imagined the Oceanographic bigger: perhaps it didn't impress us that much because we made a comparison with the Aquarium of Genoa which, in our opinion, is much bigger and better organized.
The first structures were built by Santiago Calatrava while the Oceanografico is by Felix Candela.
This immense citadel of culture struck me a lot because it is the face of modern Valencia, a fantastic Valencia, a Valencia that transmits so much peace, a Valencia that seems to catapult you into another world.
From there, given the time, we decided to make a visit to the shopping center El Saler which is right in front.
Nothing special compared to our shopping centers: Zara, Dutti, etc ...., everywhere. We made a stop at the 100Montaditos and, after having refreshed ourselves, we headed, always on foot, even if we later discovered that it was far away, towards the Aqua shopping center.
As we walked along a very long tree-lined avenue, we noticed that the bus 1 which led to the famous Malva-rosa beach and so, after taking a quick tour in the shopping center, we decided to go there. It is a beach with golden sand, very long and very wide, like Copacabana.
The sea water seemed clear and some were already bathing. There were also several fishermen.
During this walk, a scent of fried fish came to our nostrils that came from the numerous bars located along the promenade.
Next day, visit the Colon Market packed with elegant cafes at the top.
In the lower part some stalls of fish and typical Spanish cured meats including hamon serrano or rather the ham.
From here we walk towards the Central Market, a large steel and glass building where there are almost 1000 stalls selling fruit, vegetables, fish, shellfish, meats, salami, cheeses arranged with precision, order and elegance.
Not to mention the scents and colors .... In front of this market there is another tourist attraction of the city.
The Silk Exchange (the Silk Market) declared a World Heritage Site.
In the afternoon tour of the city with several buses and then a relaxing walk to the Gardens of the Real,the largest park in Valencia.
However, the Valencians are to be envied because the city is super oxygenated thanks to the presence of numerous gardens.
In this park we relaxed in the shade of tall trees and strolled among fountains and fragrant rose gardens.
Final part of the afternoon dedicated to shopping.
Then we visited the Carmen neighborhood: the famous district of the Valencian nightlife where we would have liked to see the Church of Carmen in the homonymous square but which, unfortunately, was being renovated.
Last day dedicated to the visit of the two gates that guarded the old city of Valencia. We first went to Torres de Quart where through stairs and ladders we reached the highest part and all the way to Torres de Serranos.
Valencia we liked it for its cleanliness, for its sumptuous and well-preserved buildings, for its numerous shops, for its old city (a real jewel), for its monuments, for its ultra modern part, for the courtesy of its villagers (if you have to cross the street they stop and don't leave until you are on the other side).
Valencia offers and last minute
organize a holiday in Valencia choosing among the best offered of the best tour operators see TRAVEL, HOLIDAY AND WEEKEND FLIGHT + HOTEL OFFERS.
Valencia pictures
