Valencia (Spain)

...tidy and interesting approach to Valencia Airport and the start of a short break to Spain's third largest city, one steeped in history and nowadays mainly a commerce centre for a vast range of commercial and industrial enterprises as well as those working the La Huerta ( the green belt of most fertile land which sees up to four harvest in a year of a huge range of vegetables, fruit and of course oranges).

After such a pictorial airways ...
...was time to get into Valencia and explore its many historic and modern attractions.

I flew Ryannair which took around an hour and a half and then I took a taxi into the city but it is easy to take a train or bus and at a reasonable cost too. This was a budget holiday so I stayed in a hostel on the perimeter of the Old Centre and I am really pleased I did.

The brochures say you don't need to use the public transport as ... more

From out of fluffy white clouds, we descend to a wonderful view of an azure blue Mediterranean sea, with 8 cargo and container ships dotted near the shore... we make the turn for a straight path into the airport. Over a massive port we fly, where tiny little containers look like dolly lollies, tidily stacked ready for export; a very large ship is berthed at the portside with four gigantic cranes busy loading; now there's a school, set amid a neighbourhood of orange/earthy coloured homes, a huge graveyard and thousands and thousands of industrial buildings....with what looks like market gardens and orange groves spattered all around.

It's a tidy and interesting approach to Valencia Airport and the start of a short break to Spain's third largest city, one steeped in history and nowadays mainly a commerce centre for a vast range of commercial and industrial enterprises as well as those working the La Huerta ( the green belt of most fertile land which sees up to four harvest in a year of a huge range of vegetables, fruit and of course oranges).

After such a pictorial airways entrance to Valencia the airport is a bit of a disappointment: it is messy all around the runway and the terminal a bit tired but it was a quick pass through the immigration and a long wait for luggage but then it was time to get into Valencia and explore its many historic and modern attractions.

I flew Ryannair which took around an hour and a half and then I took a taxi into the city but it is easy to take a train or bus and at a reasonable cost too. This was a budget holiday so I stayed in a hostel on the perimeter of the Old Centre and I am really pleased I did.

The brochures say you don't need to use the public transport as it's easy to walk around the old city but if you want to there is a metro and buses. I actually walked, and walked and walked until I just about dropped. This is easy to do as you can get your bearings using adequate maps (mostly in Spanish though but decipherable to get to the main attractions.)

I went in late November and the weather was just right: not too hot, not too cold and most pleasant strolling along and finding skinny streets, little shopping blocks hidden away until I got to the main streets. What a joy the exploring was, even though I was on my own.

Valencia's old centre is quite compact so you can walk easily, best to concentrate on the three main squares: Plaza de la Reina, Plaza del Ayuntamiento and Plaza de la Virgen (my favourite!). The area is roughly determined by the rails of the tramway - and inside here you will find historic monuments dating from the time of the reconquest of Valencia from the Moors when in 1238 Jaime 1 started what has been determined as the city's ''most blooming epoch''.

Some highlights visited and photographed include:

The Cathedral: mainly early gothic with some parts added in later times. The octaganol bell tower is quite unusual: no great paintings here, just a really attractive cream finish with carvings to suit the simplicity. Really quite stunning actually.

On my first day I looked in the door and thought it rather plain so decided not to visit. BUT, the hostel receptionist told me I really must go in, pay the three euros, (which includes the head-set to listen to the exceptionally fine information it affords) and be prepared to be impressed. Well, she was right, I moved along the route advised in the little map, and learned so much. It was extremely beautiful in the side altars, interesting to see what is purported to be The Holy Grail (the cup Jesus took his last communion in at The Last Supper), as well as a huge, gold monstrance in the museum. (I will write a separate review about the Cathedral at a later date because space will not allow me to do it the ''word'' justice it deserves.) Well worthy of mention as an attraction when in Valencia.

The Basilica: Basilica de la Virgen do los Desamparados:
Now this is a MUST see when in Valencia. I venture to say it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my travels. This is a free attraction and the hostel receptionist said if I saw nothing else I should go here.

There are two doors to choose from: luckily for me I chose the left one and had a stroll around the back of the basilica, past a priest hearing confession: both he and his parishioner were talking Spanish so I can not share any ''sins'' with you!

Then I walked into the ''church'' part of the Basilica - and was gobsmacked. It takes your breath away - the altar is a most beautiful presentation of Mary and Jesus as a babe. They share a halo of gold and precious gems. Above them is a larger halo, the rays of which are just so beautiful. From the floor up are white flowers amid two massive, hanging gold lamps and two striking chandeliers......In words I cannot achieve the beauty of this memorable altar..... I tried taking a photo to share with you but there were so many lights, candles and other shining aspects that it would not photograph clearly for me. I had to settle for a postcard but like my words here, it does not do it justice.

There are two beautiful pieces of art on the side walls, depicting Jesus, in this small but truly impressive holy place.... actually I am all goosebumps thinking about it as I type.... do go if in Valencia. (It would not be too silly for me to say it is worth going to Valencia, just to see this Basilica!)

You go to the Plaza de la Virgen (behind the Cathedral) to see the Basilica which is stunning whether you see the outside in daylight or dark. I liked this plaza the best - it has a lovely statue-water-flowing feature set to one side and cafes all around. Had a really black, tiny coffee there - what a memory.

Mercado Central:
This old market has been serving Valencia since 1928. It's worth a visit if you like to see a wide variety of what is grown locally - some fruit and veges I had never seen before. A colourful place to visit if you don't mind the smell of fish - be hussled amid stalls of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables as well as a couple of things you'd not expect to see in such a market: a key stall and household cleaners!

Church: Iglesia de los Santos Juanes:
I popped in here one lunch time - it looks so plain and old from the outside but inside it is a gem... a holy place with the most amazing wooden, carved altar at the front and several side altars of gold, gems, statues as well as important wall paintings of Palamino, all quite mind-blowing. If I am able I will put a picture of these on the site. While there the bells tolled and a priest came out so I quite quickly got the message that a mass was about to be said at midday - I quietly left but was so pleased I had been able to experience this church, one of 14 parishes in the old sector where you will also find 45 convents is you have a stroll around.

vALENCIA EXPERIENCE;
All this walking makes a girl hungry so when in Spain do as the Spanish do - eat paella. I managed to tell the Spanish-speaking waiter that I'd like to try a dish of paella and he accompanied me to a table for one - took out my serviette and quite fussed over me. Actually that was the most exciting part of the exercise. I liked it enough to eat it but won't be rushing to dine on paella again.

Paella Valenciana is the favourite. Named so because Valencia is the home of paella. The one Valencians like most is the Marinera: rice with saffron, seafood and vegetables. Sometimes chicken is added and that's called Paella Mixta. (This is the one I had, okay, but not fantastic!)

You don't use common kitchen utensils to cook paella - it's put into a Paellera (a flat pan) and cooked over a charcoal fire - so it figures you can buy variations of the pans as souvenirs, all over Valencia.

TURIA PARK
After eating fine food and in my case the most delicious fresh orange juice, it's time for a walk - a very long walk if you do the many kilometres of theTuria Park. It used to be a river but after a major inundation catastrophe, in 1957, city fathers turned it into a park. It's about as wide as a soccer (football!!) field and is an open air place used by thousands of visitors and locals for recreation, leisure and sport. As you walk down you go under some rather impressive bridges: I particularly remember the Puente de Serranos with its 15th century towers which were part of the old town-walls, it now stands proud amid more modern buildings around.

There are playing fields, children's play areas, cafes, fountains, lakes and other interesting attractions as you stroll along. If you start at the city end you walk out towards the sea and it is here you get quite a surprise. It's the La Ciudad de las Arts y de las Ciencias (The City of Arts and Sciences)... what an amazing site before you. The most modernistic buildings - to me the first one looked like a gigantic fish, others make up a water-bound futuristic city.

Here you will find four main buildings: L"Hemisferic - a planetarium and huge IMAX theatre; Museo de las Ciencias Principe Felipe has exhibitions of the latest in high tech; L"Oceanografic is the underwater world where you can walk through tunnels where sharks and other sea life look out at you and Palacio de las Artes with auditoriums for plays and opera.

You will need much longer than my hour here - it really is a huge Valencia attraction as the brochure said over four million people visit this area each year.

There are other gardens which I did not visit but look out for information on them if you do visit Valencia: Jardines de la Alameda as well as another 18th century park, Jardines de Monforte. The Zoological Gardens are in the ''Real Gardens'' and inside here you will find the ruins of an old king's palace.

SOME OTHER ATTRACTIONS
There are many other places to go to, which I did not have time to do but I'll mention them from the map just so you learn a little more if planning to visit Valencia yourself. In Plaza Zaragoza you will find an unfinished 47m Gothic tower, dating back to the 14th century the Miguelete was recommended to me as a place to view the city. I saw the tower but did not go into it.

The Instituto Valencia de Arte Moderno has an impressive collection of Spanish modern art and the former Silk Exchange (La Lonja de Seda) was built in 1498 and is today a Unesco World Heritage Site. I did actually have a quick look in here but there was no silk selling that day.

Other historic buildings abound but I cannot tell you much about them as the map was in Spanish so my four days were spent asking for help with my lack of Spanish.

LANGUAGE;
That is a point I would like to make: when in other Spanish towns my lack of local language has never been a problem. People have happily helped me but I found in Valencia there was not the same attitude to tourists. I actually feel that it is a city which aims to serve its locals, industrial and commercial interests but has not yet dawned on the value of tourism and the money it brings in. I hope I am not being too negative here but let me explain just one example of this.....

I managed to tell the train ticket man that I wanted to go to Sagunta and return. He sold me the ticket and then I had to find out which train to get on. I asked three uniformed people who looked like they worked for the train station but all said ''no speak English'' so I went to the information office lady. She said something like ''Get on Casquoo''. I said it back to her and happily set off thinking I would read this on the board....... there was nothing which looked like that so I went and asked a cleaning lady if she spoke English. She spoke a little so I told her I needed to know which train to get on. Thankfully she understood me and pointed me in the right direction. Once on the train I could see what the lady in the ticket office was trying to say .... Castello. Now I look at it and wonder why I did not guess Casquoo was Castello but when traveling on your own you sometimes lack a little confidence.

While mentioning the train I must relate the theme of the train station - it is very old and has thousands and thousands of oranges painted into the beautiful walls as well as striking mosaic work. A lovely old building.

THEN COMES THE NIGHT LIFE
Night life is fantastic. In fact, I went out with a young American girl from the hostel and could not believe the little side streets, as well as the more busier thoroughfares were the same place I'd seen in the day. In true Spanish style the night living starts late and goes on late. What a picture the little cafes, pubs, restaurants and the lit up statuary were..... superb, especially in the Barrio del Carmen district.

GETTING THERE
You can travel to Valencia by plane, train, bus or private vehicle and when you're there expect to be warm most of the year. January temperatures are around 10C with highs of 25C in July and August. Spring and autumn are the best times to go as it is not too hot. The sun shines around 300 days a year so it is really a great Mediterranean place to visit.

If driving, use the AP-7 motorway running down the east coast of Spain which connects Valencia to main European motorways and you can use the A-23 Sagunto-Somport or the A-3 Madrid-Valencia highway.

The train arrives at Valencia North Station, near the city centre, from national and international places as well as local provincial towns.

Planes fly in from many major European airports and there is a ferry from Port Valencia which takes visitors daily to places like Ibiza on a 3 hour crossing. There's one crossing a week to Mahon which takes 13 hours. Going to Palma you will be able to take one of the 3 daily crossings which takes four hours.

Currency is the Euro of course and there are plenty of shops to spend them in. Ancient or modern areas, the shopping is diverse and as mentioned there are plenty of attractions to keep you busy and entertained.

On the Costa Brava, Valencia has plenty of beach life, it's only a short bus ride out to the sea and all the recreation that offers. I didn't go out to the beach as I was rather busy doing my ''historic thing'' in the old quarter, but young people in my hostel went and stayed all day with all there was to do.

This ancient city was first called Valentia and since then it has evolved as a busy, religious, commercial and industrial centre where festivals and culture abound and trade fairs offer Valencia an important place as a dynamic Spanish city. A place where you can easily spend three or four days exploring, shopping, wining and dining and meeting new friends. If you are there next year you can go and see the America's Cup - during May and June, I think.

There is an America's Cup village evolving - I ran out of time to visit but a man in the queue at the airport went and he said it was a great place to view dozens of cranes.... he doubted it would be ready but most big event sites have these wobbles and on opening day they stand tall and proud and the sport goes on as planned.

Valencia is a good place to use as a base to visit outlying areas. I went to Sagunta for the day and enjoyed its ancient castle and the new-old roman theatre which uses the ruins as a base and is re-built as it would have been all those year's ago. Other places recommended in the tourism pamphlets are La Alburfera, a salt-water lake and Jativa which is a traditional manorial town with a fortress showing the remains of almost all periods of Spanish history.

Many years ago, Spain's national hero, 'El Cid' fought against the Moors in Valencia - nowadays it is a place which is ''happening'..... I believe it will further evolve to be a really interesting place for people to visit who want to experience Spain in a slightly different way to most of its other major towns. It presents as a busy city going about its business - the part tourists play is probably much more important than is currently realised but I do hope people who visit will enjoy it as much as I did.

Trust you enjoyed reading this review and learned some thing about Valencia .... do try the fresh orange juice ... it's divine.... hmmm!!!

 

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