Knowing this city in the Levant of Spain in a weekend is possible, from its old town to its most modern area. You just have to know the secrets of the Valencians, where to go and what to see. In this simple guide we will explain how to organize your lightning visit to Valencia enjoying the best places in this great city.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Surviving in Valencia
Step 1. Know your destination
Valencia is a city on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, a beach destination for many, but one that has a great cultural offer. Here you can from tasting the typical paella to visiting the City of Arts and Sciences, an architectural icon of the city. You can get to the center of Valencia by road from anywhere in Spain and by the following routes:
- From the Manises Airport, which is located next to the town of the same name. There are buses and a metro line that connects it with the center.
- To the North Station, located in the heart of Valencia, a few meters from the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. By train you can get to the Ave Station, newly built and on the outskirts of the city, also with very good links to the center.
- Bus station. It is located next to the dry riverbed of the Turia river at the height of the Nuevo Centro shopping center, somewhat away from the center, but with good connections.
Step 2. Orient yourself around the city
To visit this city in such a short period of time it is essential that you handle the transport options and the city map. You can download an interactive map, a tourist map, a map of the subway and another of the urban buses before your trip.
- To make your visit more efficient, you can download an app for your Smartphone (Android or Apple) here that will allow you to find your way around Valencia more easily. Here you can consult any questions on the ground.
- If you do not have a Smartphone or do not want to install the application, go to the tourist office if you want to hire a guided tour.
- In these same offices you can get a rental bike. As Valencia is such a flat city, this transport option may be interesting. However, the metro, tram, bus and taxi services are continuous throughout the day.
Step 3. Eat and sleep
The hotel offer in Valencia is very wide, as well as the gastronomic one. The city center is a good place to stay, as it will allow you to move more freely on the days you stay. Except for the tram, all transports converge on it.
Try a good paella on the beach or some fish, drink a tiger nut horchata, eat some tapas in the center or immerse yourself in the Valencian night in the Cánovas area, very close to the center
Method 2 of 3: Visit the old area
Step 1. Enjoy the sea
You can go the morning of the first day to Malvarrosa Beach. Have breakfast by the sea and enjoy the calm of its waters. You can bathe at almost any time of the year, the weather in this city is usually very nice.
- You can even visit the beach and the port later, and take the opportunity to eat a paella in the restaurants that are spread throughout the Malvarrosa, many of them with great fame.
- The Malvarrosa area is old, surrounded by ground-floor houses, and many discos to party.
- Get closer to the Royal Marina and the Veles e Vents building. The America's Cup and the Formula 1 Grand Prix were held in these areas.
Step 2. Discover the old town
You can start your visit right in the center, in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, admiring its great building. Continue to the right towards the Lonja de la Seda, the Central Market, the Palace of the Generalitat, the Plaza de la Virgen and Plaza de la Reina, the site of the Basílica de los Desamparados and El Miguelete, a must-see viewpoint.
- Much of the center is pedestrianized. Next to these squares there is a set of archaeological remains, very interesting, under all these streets.
- You can go from there to the Carmen area, a charming place full of old buildings. It is full of unique and alternative stores.
Step 3. Sink into an old river
The course of the river Turia, which used to cross the city, was dried up, diverted and the space it occupied was replaced by parks and gardens throughout its entire extension. It is an escape from the bustle of the city, an oasis of greenery filled with parks and fountains.
- Its extension goes from the Bioparc, through athletics tracks, rugby and baseball fields, through the Jardines del Real, the Palau de la Música, the Gulliver Park, to the City of Sciences.
- After seeing this, you can return to the center seeing the old wall, with the Quart and Serranos towers. They light up at night, it is recommended that you see them then.
Method 3 of 3: Visit the Modern Zone
Step 1. Admire the most recognized museums
In this city, which coexists between classicism and the avant-garde, it is full of modern art museums. Among them we can find the IVAM (Valencian Institute of Modern Art), MUVIM (Valencian Museum of Illustration and Modernity), the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum of Ceramics and Sumptuary Arts, the Fallero Museum, the Museum of Silk, the Museum of Ethnology, the Museum of History, as the most important. Here you can find addresses and telephone numbers of all of them depending on which one you decide to visit.
- We can also find many samples of urban art throughout the city, especially in the Carmen neighborhood. It is full of graffiti and murals of great artistic beauty.
- Another trendy neighborhood is Ruzafa, taken over by nightlife and modernity. Even so, this neighborhood does not abandon its old air, it is worth visiting. It has art galleries, design studios, and hundreds of cafes / bookstores.
Step 2. Be amazed by the buildings
The beginning of the 20th century was a time of great social and cultural growth for Valencia. A trace of this are the modernist style buildings scattered throughout the city and that made it the great capital that it is today. You can visit many of them, and learn about the architecture of Valencia.
- Within Modernism you can visit works such as the Estación del Norte, the Plaza de Toros, Mercado de Colón, the Town Hall, the Tabacalera, the Finca Roja or the Finca de Hierro.
- If you want to see more modern and avant-garde buildings, be sure to visit new buildings such as the Royal Navy, the Norman Foster Conference Center or the many bridges that cross the city, such as L´Assut de L´Or.
- The Garden of the Hesperides, a little known complex, will allow you to explore a mix that ranges from the most current architecture to the ancient Greek. A corner full of sculptures of great beauty.
Step 3. Get to know the City of Sciences
Without a doubt, the image of the most modern architecture in the city is the City of Arts and Sciences. This complex is so large that your visit would take us a full day, or even longer. The ideal would be to limit your visit to the outside, without going in to observe the shows of the different buildings; or if you decide to enter, let it be just one of them; although if you want to see them all keep in mind that there is a joint entry. The complex is made up of the following constructions:
- The Prince Felipe Science Museum: contains temporary and permanent exhibitions. Among the latter we can see in different thematic sections, multiple scientific experiments. It is fully interactive, making it a perfect visit for children
- The Hemisfèric - This is an impressive eye-shaped building that is intended for 3D projections.
- L'Oceanogràfic (Oceanographic): one of the largest aquariums in the world, with almost 50,000 animals of more than 500 different species.
- Umbracle Gardens. All this immense complex is surrounded by pools of water, fountains and gardens with the typical vegetation of the area. The sight of the palm trees adoring the arches of the promenade is an image that you will want to preserve, and of course, photograph.
Advice
- Make your visit coincide with the days of the Fallas, and you will be able to enjoy one of the largest festivals of international interest. This fire and color show is held between March 15 and 19.
- If you spend much of the day in the City of Sciences and decide to eat there, go to the Oceanogràfic restaurant, it is spectacular.
- For tourists there is the "Valencia Tourist Card", which you can buy online and at tourist offices. This allows unlimited use of public transport in the city. It also offers discounts in shops, restaurants and museums.
Warnings
- This city has many corners, it is not just a sun and beach destination. Go through its alleys during the day.
- In Valencia, Valencian is spoken jointly with Spanish. Do not be scared by this circumstance, the use of both languages is very normalized and if you speak to anyone in Spanish, they will respond in the same language.