- Religious buildings
- Valencia landmarks
- Valencia for children
- Valencia museums
- Note to shopaholics
- Delicious points on the map
Spanish Valencia ranks third in the country in terms of the number of residents and certainly one of the first in terms of popularity among the tourist fraternity. Fans of museum exhibitions, lovers of holidays and festivals, adherents of architectural masterpieces of the Middle Ages and, of course, gourmets will be happy to answer the question of where to go in Valencia. It was in Valencia, according to its residents, that paella was invented, and you can taste the Spanish specialty without stopping or repeating for any length of vacation.
Religious buildings
Valencia Cathedral was consecrated in the first half of the 13th century in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin. The temple was built on the site of a former mosque when the Moors were forced to retreat under the pressure of the Spaniards. The cathedral was designed in the Gothic style, but its external appearance clearly shows elements of the Baroque, features of neoclassicism and even echoes of the Renaissance.
The most significant decoration is the eastern gate of the temple, which is called the Portal of the Apostles. The main entrance is called the Iron Gate because of the metal door cast during the period when the cathedral received baroque architectural additions.
The interiors of Valencia's main Catholic cathedral are decorated with wall paintings dating from the 15th century and numerous sculptural compositions. But not only this is worth going to the cathedral. Historians believe that it contains the original grail from which Jesus drank during the Last Supper.
Valencia landmarks
For the period of the XV-XVI centuries. Valencia flourished. During these years, the city turned into the largest commercial port in the Mediterranean and some of the structures and buildings that have survived since then are true pearls of the late Gothic architectural style.
For example, Lonja de la Seda, a complex built for the silk trade. The structure demonstrates the wealth and power of the trading city. The main exchange hall, called the Sala de Contracion, is striking in its impressive dimensions - 35x20 m. Its vaulted ceiling is 17.5 m high, and the floor is inlaid with marble slabs of several colors. Huge Gothic-style windows are decorated with sculptural images of gargoyles. The room is divided into several zones by five rows of spiral columns.
A popular tourist attraction in Valencia is the City of Arts and Sciences. This museum complex is an example of the work of contemporary Spanish architects. In the "City" you will find five buildings, each of which is worthy of the attention of visitors:
- L'Oceanogràfic will be interesting for lovers of the underwater world. Valencia Oceanographic Park is considered one of the largest in the world.
- The El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía offers opera and other theatrical performances.
- L'Hemisfèric is a planetarium, a laser show theater and a modern interactive cinema.
- In L'Umbracle you will find an exhibition gallery.
- El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe is one of the most interesting contemporary museums in Valencia. It hosts interactive exhibitions that present the latest achievements and technologies of science. Among the permanent exhibitions of the Prince Felipe Museum, the Titanic is popular. The exhibition tells the story of the most famous shipwreck in history.
The City of Arts and Sciences has many restaurants and bars, and the complex itself is surrounded by parkland where Valencians love to spend their weekends.
Valencia for children
Do not think that medieval Valencia will seem too gloomy and boring for the younger generation. Firstly, city museum expositions can captivate anyone interested in history, art or military affairs, and secondly, there is an entertainment and educational facility in Valencia, where not only children, but also their parents go with delight.
You can spend a busy day in the Oceanarium, where more than 45 thousand animals, fish, mollusks and other marine inhabitants live. The Oceanographic Center of Valencia occupies 117 thousand square meters. m., in its aquariums and pools there are 42 million liters of water and in these indicators it is second only to its Moscow "colleague".
In the museum, you will experience ten different maritime climates, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic and from the Red Sea to mangrove swamps. Dolphins invariably become the favorites of young visitors, participating in a variety of demonstration performances every day. The tailed artists have achieved great skill in performing tricks, and it is worth going to the Valencia Oceanarium at least to meet them.
Valencia museums
In the administrative center of the province of Valencia, there are fifty museum exhibitions. Each of them invariably finds its fans, but absolutely all guests of the city tend to visit some addresses:
- The richest collection of paintings, considered one of the most unique in the country, is on display at the Valencia Fine Arts Museum. Fans of the works of El Greco, Velazquez and Goya should go here. The gallery building is also a city landmark. An old Catholic college with a blue-tiled dome, donated to the museum in 1913.
- In 1954, the exposition of the Museum of Ceramics named after Gonzalez Martí moved to the Palace of the Marquis Dos Aguas. The palace was built in the 17th century. and richly decorated a century later with carved alabaster decorations. The rest of the façade was painted with frescoes, but today only marbled plaster has survived. The collection bears the name of the historian and philanthropist who donated the collection of precious ceramics to the state. Among the jewels on display are Moorish tableware and court porcelain from the 18th century.
- Fans of military history will love the collection of exhibits at the War Museum. In two dozen halls, samples of guns and military equipment, shells and cartridges, guns and sabers are generously presented. The oldest exhibits tell about the Spanish war against Napoleon, and the museum also displays miniature models of the most significant battles with the French army.
- In the premises of the old reservoir, the Museum of the History of Valencia was opened in 2003, where local historians will be happy to get acquainted with the past of the city and learn about significant moments in its existence and development. The room is no less interesting than the exposition. The Valencian reservoir is often referred to as the pearl of industrial architecture of the mid-19th century.
- Another popular museum in the city is named after the Catholic saint and Viceroy of Valencia, Juan de Ribera, who founded a seminary for the training of priests in the middle of the 16th century. The Patriarch Museum displays a valuable collection of art objects collected by the seminary. In the halls of the gallery, you will see works by El Greco, Luis de Morales and Ribalt, a chest with an original manuscript by Thomas More, masterpieces of sculpture and arts and crafts.
The list of popular exhibitions in Valencia, where a traveler should go, invariably includes the Museum of the History of Medicine and the Maritime Museum, the City Museum of Natural Sciences, the Rhine Palace of Arts, the Museum of Information Technology and the Almudin.
Note to shopaholics
The most important address on the Valencia trade map is the Central Market, which has existed in the city since 1839. At first, traders offered their goods in makeshift pavilions or even in the open air, until the city authorities announced a competition for the design of the market building. Barcelona architects Alejandro Solera March and Francisco Guardia Viala were honored to lead the construction, and their ideas were embodied in an exquisite structure that combines elements of Gothic, eclecticism and a bit of modernity. In the market you will find the most popular products of the region, buy souvenirs and gifts for friends.
Calle Colon is home to dozens of budget brand stores and a couple of El Corte Ingles shopping centers. On the neighboring street Carrer Don Juan De Austria there are shops of the popular Spanish brand Massimo Dutti. You can also find Spanish brands on Carrer Jorge Juan. Many brands have opened their departments in the Galería de Jorge Juan shopping center. Poeta Querol houses expensive boutiques with European and world names.
At the Plaza Redonda Sunday Bazaar, local craftsmen sell handicrafts made from mosaics, ceramics and silver, while the El Rastro flea market offers a wide variety of vintages on weekends.
Delicious points on the map
Valencia is called the birthplace of one of the most popular Spanish dishes, and you can try paella in almost any restaurant and cafe in the city. The chefs say that there are about three hundred types of paella, and therefore the question of where to go in Valencia to have lunch or dinner is not an issue for guests of the city. Any institution will provide the tourist with a sea of gastronomic discoveries:
- Locals believe that the best paella is served at El Rek, a restaurant in El Palmar. This suburb of Valencia is 15 minutes away. drive from the center in the Albufera Natural Park. In addition to paella with rabbit, seafood and chicken, the restaurant offers local dry wine and boat rides on the lake.
- On El Saler beach, paella is served at Casa Carmina, a restaurant with thirty years of history. The highlight of the restaurant's rice menu is paella with cuttlefish and artichokes, and for those who love vegetables, the chef prepares rice with turnips and beans.
- The history of the existence of the La Rosa restaurant on the city beach of Valencia goes back almost a hundred years. And if the Malvarrosa beach is famous for the finest sand, then the restaurant is famous for its impeccable reputation. While waiting for your order, you can stroll along the seashore, because real paella is prepared anew every time, rather than warming up. The institution also offers all kinds of desserts, because pastries are another strong point of the local team of chefs.
For those wishing to sample gourmet cuisine, we recommend Valencia's renowned restaurant on Calle Doctor Sumsi. The Michelin star and the three Repsol suns, which is called the most prestigious culinary award in Spain, are the merits of the Ricard Camarena restaurant. The establishment's tasting menu includes ten mini-appetizers and the same number of main courses, and the chef personally offers this wealth.
