So next week a group of friends and myself are off to Valencia for ‘La Tomatina’. We have Tuesday to ourselves but unsure of what to do; thinking of trying to see the city, maybe hire some bikes and have a ride around but some folks not the biking type. The festival is on Wednesday and probably going to have a beach day on Thursday as we’ll all likely be very hungover.

So what are peoples ‘must do’s’ in Valencia?

City of Arts and Sciences buildings are good to go and wander around – impressive architecture.

Loads to see, we spent a WE there and is was pretty busy…

There’s a garden which circles the whole town, which is nice way to get around..
[url=https://flic.kr/p/8eAB3F]Park[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8eAACV]Bull ring[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8eDSES]Modern Art[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8eABse]The Med[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8eACVz]El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8eAD94]L'Umbracle[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

Good view from top of this:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8eAAnp]City Gate[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8eAzvD]Valencia from the gate roof[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

Loads of churches etc

[url=https://flic.kr/p/8eDSx7]More churches[/url] by Ben Freeman, on Flickr

The garden that circles the city used to be a river that got redirected I thought?

Lunch Tapas near the beach at Casa Montana – book it. An institution.

If there are 4 or less of you – eat at Cinnamon in the town.

Stroll through the areas around the Carrer de Cavallers at night.

The aquarium isn’t bad if it is raining

The park along the bed of the diverted river is, as said, great for a stroll. And the achitecture as above…

The mercat central is less touristy and perhaps more authentic than the Bocqueria in Barcelona.

Lots of good cheap restauarants. Not the best shopping place in Spain.

I like it.

Good timing I am thinking of doing the Marathon later in the year 🙂

Great stuff. Is the garden that circles all walkable in a day? We’ll get the about 10am so want to see as much as we can. Cheers!

Proper paella. Rabbit, preferably. Not from a fancy place but a back street caff.

Is the garden that circles all walkable in a day?

Yep, but there is loads to see….

What to do in Valencia

By far and away, the local women.

Hire bikes and ride along the ‘Gardens of Turia’ (the old river bed) to one of the beaches (the further south you ride the quieter the beaches)

It’s easy peddling so suitable for non-cyclists. Bike hire is about 10 euros a day.

Eat paella

Watch the world go by in the ‘plaza de la virgen’

Thankfully Valencia has only recently become popular (since 2013 when the airport was extended) so it’s relative free from the dickhead ‘Brits abroad’ and pick-pockets that have seemingly tainted some peoples experience of Barcelona

Visit the Basilica and Cathedral
Loads of museums etc but I especially like the Archaeological museum behind the basilica
Visit one of the many cool bars in the old city (el carmen)
visit one of the markets
sample the fantastic local food and drink. (esp. the wine and ‘Turia’ beer)

There must be a maccy d’s and a Starbucks shirley…

Vuelta’s heading down that way round then.

All the above is good advice I live c 1 hr south so this is my advice.

tomatina – take goggles the tomatos sting. Take old clothes to throw away after.

City – its aug so c 35 degrees I d bin the bikes and take a local bus to el palmar in the albufera. Eat a paella in one of the 100
restaurants there. Take a boat trip after on the lake.

city stuff as above, cafe in the indoof mkt is good

Valencia!
Stick your head between your knees and whistle up your Barcelona!
(Best sung in an operatic stylee)

Digby – Member
Visit one of the many cool bars in the old city (el carmen)

Not quite in El Carme, but if Rincon Latino is still there and anything like it used to be then it’s a must (as long as you like slightly seedy – erm, Bohemian – rough cocktail bars). Haven’t been back to Valencia for a VERY long time though so it might have changed.

And +1 for getting a proper paella from a ‘locals’ restaurant.

If you like football go and see a game. Tickets for Spanish football seem to be less than for the PL and they go mad for it.

+1 for paella by the beach and the market.

Get the city sightseeing bus. It stops around the city centre, arts and science park and the beach.