Amerys Travels 2009- From Valencia, Spain

Valencia is around 90 minutes from us, and on arrival, following the advice of our hosts, Geoff and Paula, we parked when we got to the city centre and took the open top double-decker bus tour, which enabled us to see (and hear about) as much of the city as we could in the one day we had available. One day is nowhere near enough.

The city is built on flat land around a river, with many nice bridges, but it has a bizarre quality about it, as the river was completely diverted to solve the massive flooding problems Valencia used to experience, and the dried up river bed now holds gardens. Imagine the Thames replaced by gardens!

We would have thought they could have retained at least a small river and diverted most of the water instead.

Known to New Zealanders as the new home for the America’s Cup yachting trophy we used to hold, we looked forward to seeing the port, and expected a lively waterfront lined with bars, but it all seemed pretty deserted and a bit boring.
The nearby beach area seemed to have all the bars and cafés (where we had lunch) set back from the widest beach of nice sand we have ever seen. We never saw the water’s edge- it would have taken ten to fifteen minutes to walk to the water from the promenade, and although the sand was nice and fine, it’s not our kind of beach- we found it just to big and open and characterless. We would always prefer a small cove between rocks any day.

What was truly delightful was the city centre itself- the old historical centre full of the most splendid buildings, including the cathedral and the pretty Plaza de la Virgen with it’s fountain and statues of the eight virgins.

What was even more impressive, however, was the district full of modern architecture, and it was simply staggering. We used to think the Sydney Opera House was dramatic, but not any longer. As you can see, some is pretty, some is ugly, but all of it is very impressive. It includes an Arts and sciences museum, performance spaces, and Europe’s largest aquarium complex.

Would have loved to have a closer look, and to explore some of the parks, but we will just have to come back.
More from us soon,
Richard