Try to think of Valencia as being developed from a recipe. All of this can be left to your imagination in what it is and where it came from. There are just to many facets to choose from like the energy of Madrid, the vibes of Barcelona and the friendliness of Seville, all of which are to be found here with much more. The Holy Grail of Spain, the paella and of course El Cid are other points of interest. You ask does this city need an edge, well it has one in the rejuvenation of the cultural renaissance that is now taking place.
Valencia has a tremendous amount of agricultural and sea commerce due to its location. It is in the middle of Spain'sMediterranean coastline, an extremely fertile area near the sea. All of this makes it a city with the potential to become one of not only Spain's, but Europe's outstanding cities. Valencia is ranked as the third largest city in Spain with a population of over three quarters of a million and is the capital of Comunidad Valenciana.
To be from Valencia is to be proud especially of old traditions, music, dances, food recipes, artisan crafts and festivals. Today if you are looking for the true Spain, then El Carmen around the university as well as along the beach front is where you find culture, energy, sophistication, shopping and night-life. All of this is to be found in abundance but with a presentation based on character and pride. They are even reviving the once forgotten language of Valencian after the death of the ultra nationalist dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.
As the Valencian's like to party then a festival can't be passed up. Here you can find a number of off beat and riotous fiestas, like the nearby tomato chucking contest of La Tomatina, the Battle of the Flowers and a festival solely about fireworks. At the top of the pile has got to be the Las Fallas, here they build bonfires to jump over and make wishes. Dolls are made out of paper-mache only to set on fire, all of this while an ogre of fireworks rattle your teeth. What more fun could you ask for you say, well a trip to the Valencia CF is definitely called for. Fans here create an atmosphere that is out of this world, you have got to be here to experience it.
If you approach Valencia from the Mediterranean you will realize how stunning the city actually is. Once inside the city you will be surrounded by a mixture of Architecture that offers history to be seen no where else other than Spain. To explore the city and its history, start at the Prison of Saint Vicente the Martyr and it's Visigoth Crypt to the Gothic Silk Exchange. On the way stop at the Mercado Central, a modern market reported to be the largest covered market in Europe. When you are on this journey don't pass up all of the history in between as the architectural is beyond compare.
Don't take your walking boots off yet as we have just started. Amble through the city and its 40 plus museums, bars, restaurants, markets, theatres and last but not least the historical quarter. You can enter El Carmen through the Ayuntamiento and Cathedral ''barrios'' (neighbourhoods) where you will find the oldest part of Valencia. Take a relaxing walk through this area with its narrow streets dating back centuries and find a Medieval fortress or two located here. If you are hungry, there is an ample supply of just about any type of bar or restaurant one could wish for to satisfy their culinary requirement. Once the streets darken it's time for the entertainment to begin so find a seat and get ready to people watch while you listen to the latest music on offer as El Carmen is the centre for night-life in the city.
One could ask, how can Valencia get any better and at the same time attract more tourism, well we could start with polishing up the old quarter with a complete revamp, making the area more accessible and enjoyable. But the city fathers didn't stop there, they built the City of Arts and Sciences which houses a multi function arts and music performance centre, Europe's largest aquarium, an interactive science museum, a planetarium, an IMAX theatre and much more. This new city, with its futuristic buildings, is the second most visited attraction in Spain. Valencia was also named as the host for the 2007 America's Cup yachting regatta. With all of this in mind how could Valencia not become the modern day tourist mecca that it deserves to be, we can only wait and see what else the city fathers have up their sleeve.
