Valencia, Spain’s 0.33 biggest metropolis, sits on the East coast of the Iberian Peninsula along the Mediterranean. While the bigger Spanish towns have a quite urban, excessive-electricity feel, this port town has an extra laid-back surrounding and a dedication to celebrating its herbal points of interest. Old meets new right here, as you may locate remnants of a 100BC Roman colony and ultra-current architecture. Every March, Valencia hosts the Fallas Festival, where every community shows papier-mâché figures of all sizes and colorings for an entire week.
However, March isn’t the handiest time to celebrate in Valencia. Every night, the town vibrates with lively bars and nightclubs in every neighborhood. Additionally, it is home to the famed Spanish paella, problematic ceramics and several world-renowned song faculties. Here is a have a look at a number of the should-see points of interest in Valencia:
Top 17 Tourist Attractions in Valencia, Spain
- Medieval Town of Requena
- Torres de Serranos (Ancient Town Gate)
- Bioparc València
- Catedral de València
- Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas
- La Lonja de la Seda
- Spend a Day at Playa del Saler
- Oceanogràfic de València
- Plaza de la Virgen
- Mercado Central
- Ceramics Museum, Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
- Las Fallas Festival
- Iglesia de San Nicolás de Bari y San Pedro Mártir
- The City of Arts and Sciences
- Iglesia de Santo Tomás y San Felipe Neri
- Institut València d’Art Moderne
- Museo Arqueológico de la Almoina
Medieval Town of Requena
Located 68 kilometers from Valencia, the captivating medieval metropolis of Requena exhibits a normal Hispanic-Arabic ambiance with its antique Moorish fort, many narrow pedestrian streets, nonviolent squares, and homes decorated with decorative tiles wrought-iron balconies. The city has
crucial 14th-century church buildings, the Iglesia de Santa María and the Iglesia del Salvador; both function with ornate Isabelline Gothic facades. Other noteworthy medieval monuments include the El Cid Palace and the Iglesia de San Nicolás.
Torres de Serranos (Ancient Town Gate)
This marvelous landmark is a symbol of Valencia. The Torres de Serranos represents a historical gate of the Old Town and remembers technology while protection partitions surrounded the city. The town ramparts were constructed in the 14th century on top of Roman foundations.
In 1930, the Serranos Towers were repaired to their former glory.
- location: Plaza dels Furs, València
Bioparc València
Created in 2008, the Bioparc is owned via the city of Valencia but managed through a for-earnings zoological corporation. It lies alongside the Turia gardens and has a modern idea of having certain habitats for animals that are visited by humans, in preference to the opposite way round. Instead of setting animals apart from people by railings and cages, they use natural landforms like huge rocks, ditches, and rivers to maintain them separately. The African animals are the spotlight of the zoo, although there are several examples of other world ecosystems as properly.
- locationn: 3 Avenida Pío Baroja, València
Catedral de València
The Catedral de València stands out as one of the most uncommon cathedrals in Spain, attributable to its mishmash of architectural styles. Originally this area became the website of an ancient Roman temple and then a Moorish Mosque. At this spot that is steeped in records, the cathedral turned into construction started in the 13th century.
The outdoors combines authentic Romanesque architectural factors with sculptural info added later inside the Middle Ages. Dazzling in its Gothic beauty, the somber excessive-vaulted nave is embellished with Renaissance artwork and stylish Baroque art. The various chapels are decorated with masterpieces of artwork, such as paintings by Goya and a crucifix the aid of Alonso Cano.
In addition to traveling indoors to the cathedral and the cathedral museum, you could ascend El Miguelete (the Miguelete Tower) to admire remarkable perspectives. The 207-step climb to the tower’s pinnacle rewards with panoramic vistas of Valencia’s cityscape.
- location: Plaza de l’Almoina, València
Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas
The Palace del Marqués de Dos Aguas, an opulent castle built in the 18th century and formerly the home of a remarkable noble family, is next to the Església de Sant Mart (Church of San Martin). The palace is famous for its lavishly adorned façade and refined, ornately adorned indoors. The castle now houses the González Martí National Museum of Ceramics, which opened in 1947.
The museum gives extra than 5,000 examples of traditional pottery from Valencia and the encompassing place, azulejos (blue glazed ceramic) from Teruel and faience (glazed earthenware) from Toledo and Seville.
- Location: 2 Calle Poeta Querol, València
La Lonja de la Seda
This fantastic Gothic structure was built in the fifteenth century to residence the town’s Silk Exchange, the marketplace wherein the well-known Valencian silk changed into traded with merchants (to be sold all over Europe). The structure is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
With its imposing tower and crenelated exterior, La Lonja de la Seda, one of the best specimens of Gothic civic architecture in all of Europe, resembles a fort from the Middle Ages. The façade capabilities richly decorated doors, decorative home windows, and gargoyles (the grotesque carved creatures that feature as water spouts). The fundamental hall has wealthy stellar vaulting borne on twisted columns.
You can climb the one hundred forty-four stone steps of the winding staircase.
- location: Plaza del Mercado, València
Spend a Day at Playa del Saler
One of the most famous beaches inside the Valencia location, this pristine stretch of sand is just sixteen kilometers from Valencia in the La Albufera Natural Park.
Two different lovely beaches border El Saler Beach: Playa L’Arbre del Gos; and, to the south, La Garrofera beach
This idyllic stretch of excellent sandy coastline extends for 2.6 kilometers and is covered by the wind through dunes and pine bushes.
Oceanogràfic de València
This placing construction was designed by architect Félix Candela as a part of The City of Arts and Sciences, home to the biggest aquarium in Europe. It is sincerely a complex of several homes, each is committed to one of the earth’s maximum essential marine ecosystems and environments: Wetlands, Oceans, Temperate and Tropical, Antarctic, Mediterranean, Arctic and Islands, and the Red Sea.
More than 500 distinct marine species are represented by way of forty-five 000 sea creatures, seen in 9 towers that allow viewing as though you are underwater. The most dramatic of those is the tunnel, wherein you stroll surrounded by both facets and overhead via swimming sharks.
Some of the most famous things to see are the beluga whales, sea lions, walruses, penguins, seals, sea turtles, and dolphins. Along with looking at the ocean lifestyles, you can revel in mangrove swamps, marshlands, kelp forests, and special wetland environments with their local plant species.
If you’re seeking something special, experience a meal at the Submarine Restaurant in the Oceanogràfic de Valencia construction. A circular aquarium and functions surround the eating room as a chandelier that looks like a swarm of jellyfish. The menu makes a specialty of present-day-fusion cuisine with a Mediterranean effect. The eating place serves lunch each day and dinner Monday thru Saturday.
- location: 1 Carrer d’Eduardo Primo Yúfera, València
Plaza de la Virgen
The Plaza de la Virgen, which overlooks the cathedral, is one of Valencia’s many plazas and one of its oldest (dating to Roman times). It is also one of its cutest. The swish Neptune fountain in the middle of the Plaza de l. A. Virgen is the painting of Valencia sculptor Silvestre Edeta. Lighted at night, it’s a fave assembly region among locals.
Numerous landmark homes border the square. Across the rectangular is the Palace of the Generalitat. After the Catedral de València is the Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados, the most important (and also the first) Baroque church in Valencia. This church is famous for its dazzling fresco on the dome ceiling, painted by Antonio Palomino in 1701 and considered a masterpiece of Spanish Baroque art.
Mercado Central
From the top of the tower, the views of the metropolis are lovely. This enchantment is open to the public each day (besides Mondays). The Art Nouveau construction is lavishly decorated with azulejos, decorative ceramics usual of the region. The corridor contains masses of marketplace stalls wherein companies promote sparkling results, Vegetables, and food products from the Valencia area, in addition to other areas of Spain.
The Iglesia de los Santos Juanes, a cute historic church, is observed on the Plaza del Mercado at once after the Mercado Central. This National Historic and Artistic Monument was built between the 14th and sixteenth centuries at the website of a hermitage church that changed into a vintage mosque.
While the indoors is Gothic in style, The superb Baroque façade was designed with the aid of Vicente García in the seventeenth and early 18th centuries. Gorgeous frescos grace the indoor’s vaulted ceiling; the fresco artwork was created with the aid of Antonio Palomino in 1700.
- location: Plaza de la Ciutat de Bruges, València
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
An excellent place to learn about Valencia’s creative heritage is the National Museum of Fine Arts. The museum presents archeological findings, artwork, and sculptures, from the medieval period to the 20th century. Much of the art collection indicates medieval nonsecular art work created by means of Valencian artists or works created for Valencia church buildings.
Among the museum’s most valuable works are the 14th-century altarpiece of Fray Bonifacio Ferrer (a Valencian friar) and a triptych of the Passion with the aid of Hieronymus Bosch.
The museum is starting Tuesday via Sunday. Admission is free of charge.
- location: 9 Calle San Pío V, València
Las Fallas Festival
Valencia is one of the best locations to visit in March. For over two weeks at some stage in the month of March, the metropolis turns into a scene of a joyous birthday celebration at some point of the Fiesta de San José (Feast Day of Saint Joseph), An energetic nonsecular festival that brims with innovative spirit and exciting things to do. The festival consists of traditional songs and food (paella), a parade, fireworks, and unique art exhibits.
This festival is thought of for its innovative installations called fallas, huge floats featuring figures product of paper-mâché. These creations are installed in the streets and then burned in the hours of darkness on the final day of the fiesta. The custom originated in the Middle Ages When carpenters and different craftsmen could burn leftover scraps of wood and other substances on the ceremonial dinner of Saint Joseph.
The Museo Fallero (Fallas Museum) on Plaza Monteolivete offers a risk to the appearance of the ninots (figures) that have been created over the years. It is thrilling to see how the ninots have developed with the generation, from early wax figures wearing actual clothes to caricature-like modern figures products of papier-mâché and, maximally these days, polystyrene.
- location: Plaza Monteolivete 4, València
Iglesia de San Nicolás de Bari y San Pedro Mártir de València
This church, devoted to St. Nicholas of Bari and St. Peter the Martyr, was based in the 13th century on the online website of a Roman sanctuary. The Romanesque church was renovated in the Gothic style in the 15th century, and its interior was finished in the 1690s within the Baroque fashion.
Although the outside is pretty simple and somber, the church has a sumptuous indoors that is one of the maximum ornate of all Valencia’s churches. The sanctuary capabilities breathtaking wall and ceiling frescoes designed by Antonio Palomino, even as the actual portrait turned into finished by way of Dionis Vidal. The frescoes constitute scenes from the lives of Saint Nicholas and Saint Peter Martyr.
- location: 35 Calle de los Caballeros, València
The City of Arts and Sciences
You can find out the charming world of arts and sciences at this futuristic complex on the outskirts of Valencia. The City of Arts and Sciences (La Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències) is considered one of Europe’s most impressive centers committed to cultural and scientific exhibitions. In a 2-kilometer space along the river Turia, the complex consists of several lovely examples of avant-garde structures designed by means of architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela.
The Ciudad complex has six principals critical: The Hemisfèric IMAX Cinema, which monitors three-D virtual films and serves as a planetarium; The Umbracle landscaped region that features shaded walkways; The Museu de les Ciències, an interactive museum with famous approximately technological know-how, the environment, and era; the Oceanogràfic, Europe’s largest aquarium; the Palau de les Arts opera house; and the Ágora stay performance space. The City of Arts and Sciences additionally hosts meetings, exhibitions, and workshops related to technology and art topics.
- location: 7 Avenida del Professor López Piñero, València
Iglesia de Santo Tomás y San Felipe Neri
With its stunning blue-tiled dome, this stunning church exemplifies the functional Mediterranean fashion of Valencia. Built in 1725, the Church of Saint Thomas and Saint Philip became indexed as a National Historic Monument in 1982.
The church has an imaginary embellished Baroque façade, and the architectural format became modeled after the whole lot-imitated Il Gesú church in Rome. The breathtaking indoors has a spacious crucial nave covered with several facet chapels.
Catholic mass is held at the church each day. The monument isn’t always open to the general public for a visit. However, tourists can also attend a mass to look at the lovely sanctuary.
- location: Plaza de San Vicente Ferrer, València
Institut València d’Art Moderne
Housed in a stunning area-age building, the Valencia Institute of Modern Art is devoted to the avant-garde artwork of the twentieth century. The permanent series covers all actions of modern-day and avant-garde art, consisting of Analytical Abstraction, Pop Art, and New Figurative.
The museum also hosts transient showcases, lectures, and workshops. In hanging assessment of the modern construction, an underground room of the museum exhibits ruins of Valencia’s medieval metropolis wall. The archeological stays were uncovered throughout the construction of the museum.
- location: 118 Calle Guillem de Castro, València
Museo Arqueológico de la Almoina
Beneath a graceful current constructed throughout the cathedral, La Almoina Archaeological Museum offers a glimpse of the civilizations that have contributed to Valencia’s background. Discovered all through excavations between 1985 and 2005 are properly-preserved remains of the primary agreement here via the Romans, greater than 2,000 years in the past.
The debris (relationship to the 2nd century CE) of the Roman baths and streets, including a sanctuary, a part of the discussion board portico. Together with ancient pottery and different artifacts found underneath modern-day Valencia, the excavated place is considered one of Europe’s satisfactory archaeological websites.
- location: Plaza Décimo Junio Bruto, València
