Valencia Guide

The city of Valencia


Few cities are, like Valencia , able to combine so harmoniously remains from remote periods, as far away as 138 B.C., with the most modern, avant-garde buildings to be erected in the new millennium.

Valencia equals commerce, culture, cinema, theatre, museums, music, and business. It is a place for international and avant-garde design and one of the most attractive cities in Europe when it comes to fairs and conventions.

Thanks to its location, Valencia has been the Spanish gateway to the Mediterranean , with the special charm that seaport cities have. The fine sand and crystal waters, the vastness of the open sea, and the proximity of the coastal mountain range lend the Valencian coast a unique appeal.

There are outstanding beaches and dunes at Canet d'En Berenguer , where the coastline becomes leisurely and residential, as it does to the north of the Valencian capital, where small tourist town (La Pobla de Farnals, Alboraya , and El Puig) have emerged where only a few years ago fruit and vegetables were grown.

In addition, still within the city of Valencia , the beaches of La Malvarrosa and Levante offer a wide variety of places to dine and enjoy a quiet evening by the sea. To the south, nature becomes predominant at Saler Beach and in the L'Albufera Nature Reserve, where the sun can be enjoyed in unique surroundings. The beaches of Cullera, Gandía and Oliva combine beautiful landscapes with a number of sporting and recreational facilities.

Interesting routes await you inland, such as the one defined by the course of the Turia River , or charming towns like Buñol, Requena and Xátiva .

Art and Culture

From the Roman Forum to the City of Arts and Sciences

When walking through the streets of Valencia , the traveller can feel, among its walls and under the pavement, the beat of many centuries. From the remains of the Roman Forum, founded by Junius Brutus on the site of today's Plaza de la Virgen, giving rise to Valentia, to the emblematic Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of the Arts and Sciences), Valencia has transformed its layout, while preserving monuments that are a living testimony of bygone periods.


The Cathedral of Valencia stands in the same place where the first temple of the Roman city was erected, and later, an Arab mosque. Built between 1262 and 1426, the many expansions and alterations it has gone through have left their mark in the interesting juxtaposition of styles laid over the prevailing primitive Gothic.

The Miguelete , the tower most closely identified with Valencia by people from outside, is the Gothic bell tower of the Cathedral. It rises to a height of 50.85 metres , the same dimensions of its perimeter. The effort it takes to climb all 207 steps to the top of the tower are more than rewarded by the splendid view of the city that it presents.

In the Plaza de la Virgen itself, the Basilica of La Virgen de los Desamparados stands out, along with, nearby, the Royal Convent of Santo Domingo , built by the Dominican order in the 13th century, with the approval of King Jaime I. In the historic quarter of Valencia it is possible to find other churches of interest, such as the churches of Santa Catalina , San Nicolás and San Martín .

Civil architecture is very important in the history of the city. From the ancient medieval walls, two old gates remain: the Serranos and Quart Towers .

The Palau de la Generalitat (Palace of the Autonomous Government) is a Gothic-style structure, built in the 15th century and later extended in the 17th and 20th centuries. The building stands out because of its large Renaissance tower that leads to the Plaza de la Virgen.

Yet beyond all doubt, the most remarkable building is the Lonja de la Seda (the Silk Exchange), an elegant Gothic structure built towards the end of the 15th century that has been declared World Heritage Site . This ancient trading place holds authentic treasures in its interior, such as the monumental Salón de las Columnas, the Torreón Central and the Sala de Juntas del Consulado del Mar. The City Hall, located in the city centre, occupies the old premises of the 18th century Real Casa de la Enseñanza. Modernism has also left a legacy in this city, with beautiful examples like the Central Market , made of iron, stained glass, and ceramic tiles; the Colón Market ; and the magnificent Estación del Norte (North Railway Station).

In addition to this huge architectural legacy, a myriad of museums grace the city. One of the most symbolic is the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of the Arts and Sciences), a futuristic complex housing the L'Hemisfèric Cinema-Planetarium; the Palace of the Arts, devoted to promoting and publicising art; the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum; and the Universal Oceanographic Park.

Valencia occupies one of the top places on the Spanish art scene, thanks to the Institute Valencian Institute of Modern Art (IVAM) . This centre has nine galleries that include permanent collections of the works of Julio González and Ignacio Pines, as well as other temporary exhibitions of painting, photography, and modern art, from the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century to the present.

Located inside a Baroque building, the San Pío V Museum of Fine Arts is one of the most outstanding in Spain, thanks to its collection of the work of early Valencian artists; its collection includes Valencian school painters such as Hernando Yáñez de la Almedina, Juan de Juanes, the Ribaltas, Ribera, Espinosa, Vicente López, Sorolla, and Pinazo; and other artists of the stature of Pinturicchio, Andrea del Sarto, Van Dyck, Murillo, Velázquez, Bosch, El Greco, and Goya. The museum also has sculptures by Mariano Benlliure, as well as interesting archaeological artefacts.

Another remarkable art gallery is located in the complex of the Corpus Christi Seminary. The Patriarch's Museum has a 16th and 17th century painting collection, as well as works by Juan de Juanes, El Greco, and early Flemish painters. The church preserves Ribalta's "Last Supper" at the high altar, as well as a Flemish tapestry in the Communion Chapel. The González Martí National Ceramics and Sumptuary Arts Museum is located in the Palace of Marqués de Dos Aguas, built in the 15th century, and refurbished in the 18th century. The interior displays a vast collection of ceramics from Manises, Paterna, and Alcora, some of which date back to Christian times. Just as remarkable are the ancient pottery collection; the "socarrat" ceramic collection; the Chinese and Japanese pieces; and the pieces signed by figures like Picasso. The festive nature of the people of Valencia is represented in two museums: the Museum of the Fallas keeps the "ninots" (papier mâché figures) which have been spared from burning in the annual Valencia fire festival for every years since 1934, and other elements that illustrate the history of the Fallas; and the Falla Artist Museum , where sketches, posters, photographs, and more spared "ninots" on display. Do not forget the City Museum , or the Municipal History Museum , or the homes of famous personalities such as Vicente Blasco Ibáñez and José Benlliure.

Food and Wine


Tastes of the gardens and the sea

Paella is Valencia 's typical dish and the most widely known of all Spanish cuisine.

It represents the supreme flavours of the products of the fields, sea and mountain products mixed together in one delicious dish, which is different every time because there are enough different paellas so you can enjoy a new one every day, no matter how long you stay.

FoodThe pleasure of good cooking


From the sandy or rocky coastlines to the rugged mountains of the interior, visitors to the Land of Valencia and its thousand and one sights sights will be surprised to see the fabulous riches awaiting them in the form of the popular cuisine from this Mediterranean region. From the southern most point of the Costa Blanca up to Castellón Costa Azahar, via Benidorm , Valencia Terra i Mar, the gastronomy of the region is a real delight for the senses.

Often hidden behind the plethora of rice dishes and paellas that dominate the culinary scene, there are many other traditional dishes which are just as delicious, even if they are not as well known as their big sisters. Both urban and rural recipes, they have been perfected by time and by local wisdom, some of them dating back to remote periods of history.

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