Sightseeing OverviewFrom space age architecture to baroque barrios, Valencia is an intriguing mix of new and old. The former is largely the work of local boy-made-good Santiago Calatrava who designed the city’s
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (CAC).
It is what you might imagine from an Expo 2020, featuring five huge intriguing futuristic building complexes, with the space in between softened by tall palms and pale blue reflection pools. The
Museo de las Ciencias houses a hands-on science museum;
L’Oceanografic is Spain’s answer to Sea
World (see
Key Attractions);
L’Hemisferic features an IMAX cinema, laserium and planetarium;
L’Ombracle is a conservatory with palms and plants; and the
Palau de les Arts’ stunning architecture (see
Culture) draws comparisons with the Sydney Opera House. Down at the port David Chipperfield’s cubist
America’s Cup Pavilion has also gained rave reviews.
The
Centro Histórico (or Ciutat Vella), still largely confined by the city walls, contains a number of beautiful buildings, from the gothic to the modernista (Spain’s art nouveau) period. The atmospheric alleyways of the
Barrio del Carmen is where the city’s young and trendy now hang out, frequenting the burgeoning collection of cool shops, galleries, bars and, of course, indulging in ‘
la marcha’ - the city’s renowned nightlife.
Tourist InformationTurisValencia Plaza de la Reina 19
Tel: 96 315 3931.
Website:
www.turisvalencia.esThis is the main tourist office in town. There are other offices at the Town Hall, Poeta Querol s/n (Bajos Teatro Principal); Calle de la Paz 48; and Valencia North (Nord) railway station, Calle Játiva 24. There are also offices at the airport and beach.
PassesThe
Valencia Card (website:
www.valenciatouristcard.com) offers unlimited free transport and discounts in the main tourist attractions in the city, as well as in some restaurants, shops and leisure facilities. You can buy it from tourist offices, hotels and various tourist attractions.
Key Attractions:L’Oceanografic Europe’s largest state-of the-art marine park featuring lagoons, a dolphinarium, large-scale aquaria and a shark tunnel.
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (CAC)
Tel: 902 100 031.
Website:
www.cac.es La Lonja This glorious gothic 15th-century silk exchange is the city’s most beautiful ancient building, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Plaza del Mercado
Tel: 96 391 2295.
Website:
www.lonjadevalencia.com La Seu/
Catedral (Cathedral) Constructed between 1262 and 1426, this atmospheric building holds the Cup of the Holy Grail among other treasures and offers fine views of the city from its bell tower, the Torre del Miguelet (‘El Micalet’).
Plaza de la Reina 1
Tel: 96 391 8127.
Mercado Central (Central Market) Over 1,000 stalls sell all manner of wares in this splendid brick-and-iron monument to the modernista movement, built in the 1920s.
Plaza del Mercado
Tel: 96 382 9100.
Website:
www.mercadocentralvalencia.es Museo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum) The largest arts museum in the land after the Prado, this is an eclectic mix of ancient and modern galleries featuring works by many of Spain’s greatest painters.
Calle San Pío V
Tel: 96 387 0300.
Website:
www.cult.gva.es/mbav Further Distractions:IVAM (Valencian Institute of Modern Art) One of the most important 20th-century art museums in Spain, with a strong permanent collection and acclaimed temporary exhibitions.
Calle Guillém de Castro 118
Tel: 96 386 3000.
Website:
www.ivam.es Bioparc Valencia Visit 4,000 animals representing some 250 species from Africa, South-East Asia and the Tropics, all in their natural habitats in this huge parkland.
Parque de Cabacera
Tel: 902 250 340.
Website:
www.bioparcvalencia.es
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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