Visit Valencia - Spain's City Of Culture

Valencia is the third largest city in Spain. It is a melting pot of the traditional and the modern, and home to a very friendly and warm population. From a tourist's perspective, the city and its outskirts have lots of tourist attractions, stunning beaches, museums, culture and arts, and in short, everything that one would expect to see and experience in a vacation hotspot. Reaching there is quite easy as Valencia is well connected by air and road to all major towns and cities in Spain as well as other European countries.
One of the major highlights of Valencia is its festivals, most of which are celebrated in the summer months, starting February to June. This includes February carnivals, the Las Fallas festival in the following month, Holy Week and Easter celebrations, Corpus Christi in the month of June, and the San Juan bonfires in June end. The 'Tomato Warfare' in Bunol every summer and fireworks in Paterna in August are other notable festivals.
Regarding other must-visit places, the first on the list is the magnificent Valencia City of Arts and Science, which includes the L'Hemisfèric Planetarium, the leisure complex Palacio de las Artes Reina Sofia, the artificial marine world Parque Oceanográfico, and the treasure cove of information and artifacts, the Museo de las Ciencias Principe Felipe. Also, it is worth visiting the Miguelete Tower, offering a panoramic view of the city, Nicolau Primitiu Library, Palacio de la Música, the music palace, and Palacio de Justicia.
Historic edifices of interest include Antigua Universidad de Valencia, the 18th century hall - Ayuntamiento - the World Heritage Site of Lonja, Puente del Mar - the 400 year old sea bridge - and the main port, Puerto de Valencia. The small town of Sagunto, on the northern outskirts of Valencia, has some ancient Roman edifices and ruins.
For shopping, Plaza Redonda and Plaza de la Virgen would be ideal. Also, it'll be a nice experience to walk around the historic square at the heart of the city's Old Quarter, Plaza de Manises, or to savor the sight of Plaza de Toros, the 19th century Valencia bullring.
No visit to Valencia would be complete without a visit to the city's some extraordinary museums, especially if you are somebody who loves history and archeology. The famous museums in the city include Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueologia, Museo de la Ciudad, Museo Taurino, and San Pious V Museum.
For those who love sea, the beaches, and water sports, there are plenty of those along the Valencia coastline. The coastal resort of Benidorm, the charming Alicante - to the south of Valencia - and Balearic Islands - east of Valencia - including the island of Ibiza with its 50 beaches, offers more than one would expect from a beach tourist destination.

Hidden Secrets of Valencia, Spain

The Spanish city of Valencia is to be found in a province of this country of the same name and is becoming a popular tourist destination with people from around the world. Not only does this city have a varied history and architecture dating back hundreds of years there are plenty of things to do and see during your visit.
Should you be considering visiting this city then there are certain times of year when it is best to visit mainly during the spring and autumn months. The problem with visiting this city during the spring and winter months is temperatures greatly vary so you may not be able to do some of the activities you would like.
If you are going to be visiting during the summer the temperatures are considerably higher than in other parts of Spain and you need to be wary when out in it. As for the winter hiking should be limited as the temperatures can drastically drop.
When it comes to visiting this wonderful city at any time of year there are numerous places to go and things to do and see. Along with a number of history and art museums this city has a great science museum and a superb bullfighting museum.
The science museum of Valencia is called the City of Arts and Sciences (Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies). Within this there are five different halls to explore covering all aspects of science and arts. The first hall you enter relates to opera and music, which is then followed by the Oceanografic museum. In here you will find Europe's biggest aquatic exhibition. Following spending some time exploring this part of this museum you then move on to the Prince Philip Science Museum. This is a part of this museum that children of all ages will like and where they can have a more hands on approach to learning about science.
After spending some time exploring the areas above no visit to this museum in Valencia, Spain would be complete without going to a movie. At the City of Arts and Sciences Museum you will find L'Hemisferic a gigantic IMAX 3D cinema that allows you to feel as if you really are in the movies.
Finally at the end of your visit to help you relax after all that activity then spend time wandering around L'Umbracle. These beautiful botanical gardens can be explored at your own pace using the provided walkways.
Following exploring this Valencia museum for the day then it is worth spending the next day relaxing. This can be done easily as there are several wonderful beaches to be enjoyed. The closest one to the city is Playa las Arenas which because of so many bars along it is very popular. However, if you want to be able to swim and the kids to build sandcastles then consider taking a short drive to Playa de Malvarossa or for even more privacy Playa de Patacona. But be aware that this is some distance north of the city but certainly won't be as populated during the summer months as the others mentioned.

If you would like to see all that Valencia has to offer, why not look at staying in one of the many holiday homes in Spain or stay close to Valencia in the area itself. Click4holidayhomes.com advertise several holiday villas and holiday homes in Valencia so you can really enjoy your holiday. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanne_Parks

Holidays in Valencia - What Makes This Region of Spain So Popular As a Tourist Destination?

Tourism plays an important role in the Spanish economy. Spain is in the second position, after the United States, in the tourist income ranking and it is the third most visited country, after France and United States, with 52 million tourists per year.
In the last few years there has been a massive amount of tourists interested in visiting one particular city of Spain; Valencia. Why are these tourists so interested in a Valencia holiday? Valencia (3rd largest city of Spain) averages 300 sunny days a year, there is a rich gastronomic cultural offering (birthplace of paella), it offers a wide variety of landscapes (perfect place for mountaineering or snorkeling) and a big variety of activities and opportunities for all different tastes, ages and budgets.
Now there are an increasing number of low cost flight companies for your holiday in Valencia such as EasyJet and Ryanair that connects the city with many other European cities. There is also now a direct flight between the city of Valencia and the United States (New York - Valencia) operated by Delta. You also have even more flight options if you go to Alicante Airport (one and a half hours drive from Valencia).
Valencia has a beautiful old quarter called Barrio del Carmen where you can find a strange combination of traditional and modern. It never runs out of places for you to go, between restaurants, nightclubs (some of best night life is here), theaters, cinemas or modern clothes shops.
Few other European cities can offer such a varied assortment of fascinating attractions such as the World-Class Golf or the international yachting event the 32nd Americas cup, held in 2007. Also to be held the 33rd Americas Cup in 2010 although no less important is the European Grand Prix which is held on a new street circuit around the city since August 2008 (same as Monaco!).
The architect Santiago Calatrava designed the futuristic City of the Arts and Sciences in Valencia, which has made this city even more popular as it attracts a large audience every year. This stunning complex, contains a museum, theater, gardens and an aquarium (largest in Europe), and has put the city on the preferred destination for modern architecture lovers.
There is a big festival in March that you cannot miss; Las Fallas. These are kind of giant monuments made of painted cardboard and constructed in every quarter of the city which is then burnt after a week of being exhibited.
There are still many more reasons why the region of Valencia is a preferred destination.
If you are those that like peaceful places away from the hustle and bustle of the city and crowds, then you can enjoy one of the many beautiful towns on the Costa Blanca. Or why not enjoy an amazing hike in one of many Natural Parks. There are many medieval towns inland where you can enjoy a gastronomic tour, do a castle tour, or visit one of the major bodegas regions of Spain (called also the Valencian Toscana).
There are plenty of reasons that will convince you to have your next holiday in Valencia. Find yours.

10 Reasons to Visit Valencia, Spain

Valencia is situated on the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. It is a thriving city, resplendent with glorious architecture from earlier eras.
1. Las Fallas is the most famous festival in Valencia and presents tourists an opportunity to see Valencia at its best. It reflects the locals love for all things explosive with an awe inspiring pyrotechnics demonstration. The local architects, artists and designers plan it for months.
2. The City of Arts and Sciences houses the biggest aquarium in Europe, a science museum, a planetarium and music venues. It is the second most popular tourist destination in Spain. Spread over 350, 000 square metres, it lies in the Turia river bed.
3. Reflecting the entire gamut of Spanish architecture, Valencia is home to some of the most fascinating buildings in Spain. The variety of architecture spans ornate baroque palaces, castle-like Gothic silk exchanges, Visigoth crypts, and magnificent Modernista markets.
4. Some wonderful monuments worth visiting are the Catedral de San Pedro y Santa Maria and El Miguelete.
5. The nightlife in Valencia is vibrant and continues all night long. Night spots include grunge bars, elegant cocktail bars, fancy clubs, sophisticated lounges and comfortable Bohemian lifestyle outlets in El Carmen. Loud music and the tinkling of glasses epitomize the fun loving locals.
6. Although Paella normally is associated with Spain, Valencia likes to take the credit for turning out the best Paella. With the availability of the best fresh produce and their culinary skills in over 200 rice dishes, the locals pride themselves on the quality of their Paella.
7. Valencia has a tradition where excellence in sports is concerned and is a good vacation destination for football fans. It has two football teams playing in Spain's leading division, La Liga. The two teams, Valencia CF and Levante UD inspire the locals to devote themselves totally to game nights over copious amounts of beer.
8. Valencia also has much to offer golf lovers with its two large golf courses, the El Saler Golf Course and the Club de Golf Escorpion, thus making for an ideal golfing holiday.
9. Valencia has a wide range of accommodation options available including luxury beach resorts, hotels and hostels; this range encompasses all budgets and tastes. Those who are looking for budget accommodation can opt for the hostels, the cheapest option being an albergue which offers group discounts. Most of these are along the beaches or near the railway station. Small modern hotels cater to the business traveller while the luxury resorts such as Ayre Astoria Palace, Zenit Valencia and Eurostars Gran Valencia are geared for the up market tourist traffic.
10. Transportation in Valencia is convenient. Visitors can use taxis, buses, the underground and hired cars to get around easily.