33406SPA
TRANSPORT
Bus Station: Avenida Menendez Pidal
Train Station: Calle de Xátiva (Estación del Norte, local trains) ;
Calle de Jesus (Estación de Joaquin Sorolla, AVE & EUROMED)
(the stations are close by, but there is also a free shuttle bus
between them)
Metro: Valencia is served by 9 metro lines (http://www.metrovalencia.es/ – the site has departure information for every station). A pass for the most central zone A is €8.00 Suma10 ( ten trip ticket).
The same ticket can be used on the metro and the trams, but busses charge a separate fee (approx. 1.50€ trip). The metro runs until around midnight but is very infrequent from 10:30PM. Metro runs all night on special occasion like Fallas (16-19 March) or San Juan (24 June) and is sometimes also free on such occasions.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Publications & events info:
AU (printed version available in some venues, online: http://au-agenda.com/), Love Valencia https://www.lovevalencia.com/agenda Valenciablog (http://www.valenciablog.com/).
All of the above cover all types of local events and venues, restaurants, shopping and nightlife
Tourist Office: Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
Open Monday – Sunday 09:00 – 18.50,
Here you can get an excellent map of the city.
There is also a tourist office at Joaquin Sorolla AVE station
Post Office: Plaza del Ayuntamiento (does not close for lunch and opens
later than the other offices).
The building is worth pointing out to the group for metal structure on top which used to house post pigeons. Also, from the inside of the building you can see an impressive glass ceiling.
American Consulate: Calle Ribera 3
MAJOR SIGHTS
Cathedral. Started in the 13th century this church incorporates a wide range of architectural styles. The Micalet tower is worth the climb (2,50€ for adults/1.50€ for groups of +10 adults/ 1€ for children – individuals or groups) for a bird’s eye view of the city’s many domes and rooftops. The cathedral museum claims to have the Holy Grail (Santo Cáliz). There is also a Goya painting in the same chapel as the Holy Grail.
Palacio de Marqués de Dos Aguas, Poeta Querol
It houses the national museum of ceramics.
The museum is interesting, but it is also worth just to pass by the building to show it to the group – it has a very impressive baroque portal by Ignacio Vergara.
Plaza del Ayuntamiento
A busy square with a beautiful flower market, the history museum and the Paleontology museum. The Town Hall is located here, and since 2016 can be visited by general public most mornings.
MUSEUMS
Museo de Bellas Artes, Jardines del Real
Carrer de Sant Pius V, 9. Supposedly, the 2nd largest art museum in Spain after the Prado this museum is well worth a visit and contains works by Velázquez, El Greco and Goya, Van Dyck and Bosch. There is also a collection of Valencian Impressionist paintings. The gardens are worth a visit too (http://www.museobellasartesvalencia.gva.es/).
Museu Faller
Plaza de Monteolivete 4. A museum housing the best of the ‘ninots’ (las Fallas puppets) saved from the fire. Free on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Las Fallas are now included on the UNESCO’s list of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
L’Almoina Archeological Centre
Plaza de Décimo Junio Bruto. Museum of roman ruins of the city – makes for an easy stop, as it is in the city centre right next to the Cathedral. It costs 2€ but is free on Sundays and holidays. Just outside, there is a space that looks like a big base of the fountain – if you look in, the base of it is transparent glass and you can see the ruins beneath. https://www.valencia.es/ayuntamiento/almoina08.nsf/
Modern Art Museum – IVAM
Huge Museum devoted to Contemporary Art and a landmark of the city
Opening hours: Close on Mondays. Tue-Sun from 10:00 to 19:00h. | Friday 10:00-20:00 (free entry from 19:30). €5 / €3 for students
Tel: 96 386 30 00 | Guillem de Castro, 118, 46003 Valencia | https://www.ivam.es/
Museo de la Prehistoria de Valencia Museum of the city’s prehistory (http://www.museuprehistoriavalencia.es/)
More information about the various museums and cultural sites in Valencia: http://www.museosymonumentosvalencia.com/
MARKETS
Mercado Central
Central market – one of the largest in Europe. A beautiful example of modernist architecture where locals still shop for their food supplies. Open Mon-Sat 7:00-15:00h ; Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges, s/n, 46001 València
Mercado de Colón
Another beautiful modernist market, turned into a hip shopping/dining area with numerous bars and restaurants. Open daily from 7:30 AM till 1:00AM. Carrer de Jorge Juan, 19 | http://mercadocolon.es/ | There are a couple of Orchaterías in the market, including the stand of the famous Daniel (http://www.horchateria-daniel.es/), otherwise located in Alboraya.
Each neighbourhood has its own market, and cultural activities are often centered around those. The mostly lively neighbourhoods/markets with a lot of events are those in Ruzafa and Benimaclet.
SHOPPING
The best shopping opportunities are around metro and street Colón, where there is also a large El Corte Ingles. The nearby neighbourhood Canovas, is good for posh shopping with adult groups.
For souvenirs/designer shops: little streets in the neighborhood of El Carmen.
PARKS
Jardines de Turia
After the flooding of the city in the 1950s the riverbed of the Turia river was moved outside of the centre, and the previous riverbed was turned into a large
park, crossing the whole city. There are different areas within the park, and it’s a nice place for a walk/picnic. There is a giant gulliver playpark here – open during daylight hours only.
Jardines del Real/Viveros Park
Adjacent to the Turia Park, it is a good spot to have picnics and people watch.
Monforte Gardens
Beautiful neoclassical gardens.
Jardin Botánico
Some of the largest and most beautiful in Europe, it belongs to the University of Valencia. There are many cats roaming the garden, cared for and fed by the local cat shelter. There is a small entrance fee.
Parque Central
A new park around the Joaquin Sorolla train station has partially opened in 2018. The plan is to put all the rails underground and convert the entire area into a park, but it might still take many years.
OTHER SITES
Palau de la Música
A huge concert hall for classical music and other types of concerts. The Opera is now in Palau de la Reina Sofía in the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias.
La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
A giant complex containing four futuristic buildings, desgned by Santiago Calatrava, who is also the architect of Ground Zero in New York. It was featured in a 2015 film Tomorrowland (starring George Clooney). It is a complex of several buildings; L’Hemisfèric has a large screen for films, there are laser shows here, a planetarium, a science museum, a large aquarium and an open air auditorium, Caixa Forum also has a exhibition/cultural centre here. Tickets are available for each individual building in the complex (http://www.cac.es/).
Bioparc
A safari-style zoo with all kinds of animals kept without cages or barriers. A unique visit for animal lovers. It is located at the end of Jardines de Turía (near Parque de Cabecera). Open daily 10:00-18:00. Check prices and other details at http://www.bioparcvalencia.es/
L’Oceanogràfic
A large aquarium just behind the Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias, also designed by Calatrava. www.oceanografic.org
America Cup site
A completely redeveloped area of the beach front with shops, restaurants etc
BEACHES
The beaches are not in the city centre. In summer they have lots of chiringuitos – beach bars selling soda and ice creams etc. The each can be accessed by the tram system or using you coach in free time – depending on driver’s hours restrictions etc. In the summer, special bus lines are open to link the centre and the beaches.
The town’s beach is Playa de la Malvarrosa – a lively area in the summer and easily accessible by buses and tram no 4. A less crowded, but nicer beach that is still within the city, just north of Malvarossa, is La Patacona, but the access by public transport is more limited.
Playa el Salér 10 km away is a much better beach. Buses leave from Calle Alicante (Mediterráneo urbano 96 3497222). However, it is best to go there with coach/taxi, as public buses are normally infrequent and the round-trip can take forever.
EVENING ACTIVITIES
Barrio del Carmen is where most tourists go out, and the university area (Av. Blasco Ibañez/ Av. Aragón) is very popular with students with lots of bars and clubs. Another area popular locals is El Cedro, not far from the university neighbourhood. There is also a good range of nightlife in Benimaclet, which also feels like a small village, as it has retained much of its architecture from before being made part of the Valencia. The hip area to go out, with popular clubs and a very nice range of restaurants, is Russafa.
Bésame, Explorador Andrés 6, has traditional flamenco on Tuesday nights (October-June) and live bands on Thursdays.
Another good option of flamenco shows is El Café del Duende (http://cafedelduende.com/en). There are shows from Thu to Sat at 11pm, and on Sundays at 8pm.
Johnny Maracas, Calle de Caballeros 39, a Cuban salsa bar.
For discos, try Ciudad Universitaria where there are plenty.
In the summer, every Friday evening by the Museum of Science there are free concerts by the students of the Berklee College of Music from Boston, the European campus of which is located in Valencia.