Winter sun in Tenerife
This October I had the liberty to visit Valencia with nobody less than my own Dad. Next to Barcelona and Madrid is Valencia the 3rd biggest city of Spain. It’s been high on my must-see list and in October it was the perfect timing for this city trip.
From Amsterdam Airport we had a direct flight with Transavia. Within 2.5 hours we traded the cold and cloudy to a more sunny climate. With 3.5 days to spare these were the highlights of our trip.
1. Old town
This is the place where Valencia is happening; just scroll around the small streets and squares and be surprised at every corner. Many places to sit down for a drink and eat a few tapas. We stayed at a nice apartment close to the Plaza del Mercado; a daily local indoor market with plenty of rich foods that’ll make you drool.
Some of the famous sights are the Virgen Square with its huge cathedral or the Torres de Serranos. History will reveal itself at every corner in the Old Town of Valencia and you will love it.
Plaza del Virgen
2. Jardín del Turia
This huge stretch of a park is at the bottom of the river, well there used to be a river flowing through Valencia but due to many floods the river has been redirected. Now a beautiful park remains that stretches for as long as 9 kilometers. Within the park you’ll find tennis courts, playgrounds, fountains, a botanical garden and more. One of my favorites was Parc Gulliver; a playground inspired by Gullivers Travels.
Gullivers playground
3. Bioparc
Although I’m not much of a zoo type of person, I can definitely recommend visiting the Bioparc. Just a short bus ride just outside the center will take you to this park with only African animals. What I liked about this place was how it was set up, it felt you were among and up close with the animals.
Bioparc
4. Tapas
When you come to Spain you must devour yourself in their local delicious treats. My favorite tapas place called Boatella and was close to the Plaza del Mercado. You sit among the locals on their outside terrace. I especially liked their tomato meatballs, nomnom.
5. Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias
This modern complex at the end of the Jardín tel Turia is jaw dropping impressive. The first thing you’ll see is the 250 million euro project Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia which resembles a spaceship that could have come straight out any science fiction movie. After awing for a while we continued walking to the next sight which were the Hemisferic and the Science museum.
Since the science museum also caters for English speaking visitors we thought it would be worth a visit. It definitely was fun walking through this museum; trying out different experiments and learn a thing or two. I definitely enjoyed comparing my results with my dads to see who won. Yup, a bit of a competitive challenge never hurts 🙂
Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias
6. Playa de la Malvarrosa
When visiting a coastal city you’re just not allowed to skip the beach. Although mid October was too chilly to go swimming we could still enjoy the long stretch of sand and the sound of the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. During summer I could see this would be a nice beach to lay low for a day.
7. Xativa
Xativa is a city 60 kilometers South of Valencia and with a direct train connection a perfect day out. In my post about Xativa you can read more about this hidden treasure.
Xativa castle
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