No, Eating Is Not All We Did In Valencia

Valencia is Spain’s third largest city, behind Madrid and Barcelona, and it is just as interesting and worthy of a visit. It was founded as a Roman colony in 138 BCE and has a rich history that is easily observed in various monuments and different types of architecture.

We enjoyed getting lost in Valencia’s labyrinthian old city district. The old city is quite large and has many winding narrow lanes that are barely large enough for a single car. These narrow confines are romantic and mysterious. There are plenty of open squares as well with cafes, shops, and beautiful buildings, and of course a large cathedral.

One of the things we love about Europe and Spain is how well-preserved things are and how well modern and historical architecture can exist side-by-side. La Longa de Seda, the former silk exchange building built between 1482 and 1533 is a Gothic-style civic building where the city’s rich commercial history can be contemplated.

The Torres de Serranos was built in the 14th century and served as one of the 12 official entrances to the medieval fortified city. During the Spanish Civil War it was used to store 525 painting along with other works of art from the Prado museum.

By the way, the bridge from which this picture is taken is over 500 years old. There are many such old bridges in Valencia, which used to span the Turia River. The river ran through the city; however, after many floods, in particular a devastating one in 1957, the river was diverted around the city. Now, the dry river bed is a long park that traverses the city for several miles and contains gardens, walking/ running/bike paths, sports fields and other public spaces. It is beautiful and used extensively by the people of Valencia.

As for the towers, of course we climbed to the top and took in the views.

Jeff humored me, and we visited the National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts, which is housed in the Palace of Marques de Dos Aguas. The building dates back to the 15th century, and was refurbished in the middle of the 18th century in the rococo style. The building facade and many of the furnishings inside are the definition of “ungapatchka,” a Yiddish word meaning overly-ornate.

In addition to many historical sights, we went to the Bioparc Zoo, both to enjoy the wildlife and the beautiful weather. What made the Bioparc worthwhile is that the animals are not confined to cages and live in larger natural settings with the barriers cleverly hidden. Many animals live together as they might in the wild.

We also visited the magnificent City of Arts and Sciences, which includes six areas and multiple futuristic buildings, including a science museum, aquarium, opera house, and 3D Imax complex. The buildings were designed by Santiago Calatreva, a world-famous architect who is from Valencia. Hollywood could easily use the complex as the setting for a Star Wars or other science fiction movie... perhaps they already have! The entire area is open to the public at all times to enjoy the architecture, gardens, and sculptures.

It was a fabulous trip and week off from Spanish school. We would highly recommend Valencia as a destination here in Spain and hope we can return soon.

Hasta luego,

Shana & Jeff