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Visiting a city's old quarter is the best way to really see a city for what it is, not just what it once was. It's a journey through time that will reveal the secrets of the city you're in now. Valencia's old quarter, or "Ciutat Vella" in the local language, is completely surrounded by the tram or cable car that marks off where the old walls of the city stood until 1865. Within this oval shape is where you'll find the majority of monuments, dating back mostly to the period after the conquest by Jaime I. This concentration of historical and cultural monuments can be easily visited on foot, traversing streets and plazas dedicated to nearly forgotten trades: Correjería (belt-making), Bolsería (bags), Cerrajeros (locksmiths), Tejedores (weavers), Juristas (lawyers)...
Route 1: The Cathedral Area
The Cathedral presides over the historic centre of the city. It is early Gothic in style and inside you'll find wonderful treasures, such as the Holy Grail in one of the side chapels, while in the Museo de la Catedral, there are valuable paintings by Goya, Jacomart, silver-work by Cellini and paintings from the Valencian School dating from the 15th to 17th centuries. It's also worth climbing the 207 steps to the top of 'el Miguelete', the bell-tower, for the fantastic panoramic views over the old quarter. Some people even like counting the bells, 300 according to Victor Hugo.
Next to the Cathedral, you will find the basilica dedicated to the patron saint of Valencia, la Virgen de los Desamparados, and on a nearby narrow street, you can visit el Almudín, an old warehouse, and today a museum. Just a bit further away is the Plaza de la Almoina, site of some of the most important archaeological finds in the city, which trace Valencia's history back to Roman times, the Visigoths and Moors. Continuing along towards the east, we come to the San Esteban church, where it is believed that local Saint Vicente Ferrer was baptised and where 'el Cid', a legendary figure in the battles between Christians and Moors, had his daughters married. Just a step away is Palau street where you'll find the Baños del Almirante, the only remaining Arab bath house in the city.
When you come out to the Plaza de Nápoles y Sicilia, take a right until you reach the Plaza de San Vicente Ferrer. Here you'll find the San Juan del Hospital church, admirable for its elegant Gothic facade. Continuing on Las Comedias street, we'll head towards the old university. If you look down La Paz street, you can make out the Santa Catalina church bell-tower. In front of the antigua universidad de Valencia, the old university, a neoclassical building with a wonderful cloister inside, you'll see the impressive Real Colegio del Patriarca (or del Corpus Christi)--a former seminary. Inside is the Museo del Patriarca , a small museum with valuable works of art, and perhaps the most beautiful Renaissance cloister found in Spain. There are also wonderful works of art in the church and the Capilla de la Comunión chapel, with incredible Flemmish tapestries on the walls.
When finished with this visit, if we walk down La Nave street, we can stop for a break in the small garden found in the Plaza de Alfonso el Magnánimo. A rest will do you good, because there's a lot more to see.
Route 2: The Central Market Area
If we start at the Plaza de la Virgen, with the Cathedral behind us, we'll head off in the opposite direction from the previous tour. Take Serranos street which leads to Plaza de Manises. Here you'll find the Batlia and Marqués de la Scala palaces. Both now house a part of the local government's offices. They date from the 15th and 16th centuries and have both been declared National Historic and Artistic Monuments. We'll soon reach Caballeros street, and the old aristocratic neighbourhood. This street turns into Calle Quart which ends at the Torres de Quart (1441), a tower and medieval gateway, one of two left in the city. If we go back down Quart street, take a right at Plaza Tossa and head down Bolsería street until you reach the Plaza del Mercado. Here you'll find 3 of the most important buildings in the city: the Mercado Central (Central Market), modernist in style; la Lonja de Seda (Silk Market), built by Valencian merchants in 1483; and Santos Juanes church, whose dome was site to the world's largest murals at the time.
Heading down Avenida de María Cristina, we come to San Vicente Mártir street, one of the main arteries through the old quarter. Heading back towards the Cathedral, we recommend stopping off at picturesque Plaza Redonda, especially on a Sunday. Here you'll find all sorts of stalls set up selling an incredible assortment of items and local products. Take any of the winding streets and head towards the Plaza de la Reina. Once here, you have several options: take a carriage to see the rest of the old quarter the old fashioned way, or sit down at one of the outdoor cafés, restaurants and hot chocolate bars to watch the world go by. If you prefer, you can sit at one of the benches in the Plaza's garden and feed the pigeons, while contemplating the Cathedral's Miguelete bell-tower and Santa Catalina's, the city's legendary lovers.
The Beaches
Any time of year is great for enjoying the city's beaches, although as they say, when the heat strikes, the coast comes to life in a special way. From the Arenas beach to Alboraia, by way of the Malvarrosa beach, the entire area is steeped in the maritime character of the land, complete with everything that this entails: sun, sea, fun, good food, and that special light that you'll find in Sorolla's paintings. The beaches are easy and quick to reach from downtown, barely a 10-minute ride in one of the many buses of the EMT urban fleet, or via a special bike lane, tram, metro, or even on foot.
Along the Arenas and la Malvarrosa beaches, you'll find the Paseo Marítimo (Boardwalk), which is now one of the best leisure zones in the city. Every day, crowds of people stroll, skate, exercise, or enjoy the seafood specialties at the many popular restaurants that, after almost a century of tradition, have modernized their menus without compromising in the slightest their savoury treats. L'Estimat with its arroz a banda (rice platter with garlic mayonnaise), its fish dishes, and its baby squid and red mullet, the seafood paellas of La Marcelina, La Pepica's arroz negro (rice with squid in its own ink); or the seafood rice del cabañal carefully prepared in La Rosa are all good examples of the delicious and healthy Mediterranean cuisine found here.
After a great meal, there's nothing like a good horchata (cold drink made from tiger nuts). Just head to Alboraia, Patacona, PortSaplaya, or stay in Las Arenas or La Malvarrosa, and enjoy a cold drink in one of the many terraces, ice-cream shops, or horchataterías along the Boardwalk. There are also many options available for those looking for history and culture. For example, you can visit the Casa Museo de Blasco Ibáñez, the house and now museum of this important Valencian writer. Here you'll discover his personal objects and a wide selection of his literary works. In the south, you can visit the PinedoPinedo beach which houses a variety of delicious restaurants. Explore the beach of El Saler, the winner of a European blue flag award for its pristine sands and translucent water.
And when night falls, everything is transformed. Music and vibrant color come to life in the Valencian nights. You'll find outdoor terraces, cocktail bars, and recently opened spots that have joined alongside the previously existing ones in the Port and beyond. There is something for every taste: calm and low-key, such as Vivir sin Dormir, salsa clubs, such as Casablanca, or dance clubs, like Acuarela Playa and Caballito de Mar.
A full route, both during the day and at night, that will meet the leisure and entertainment tastes of every visitor, from the sun-worshipers to the night owls.
The Old River
The old Turia River, now diverted around the city, has become one of the most famous areas of Valencia in the past few years. The city has invested a great amount of effort in making the old riverbed what it is today, especially the section from the Calatrava Bridge to the City of Arts and Sciences.
The riverbed separates the urban center from the rest of the capital, and is, at the same time, the link between Historic and Futuristic Valencia. Across the riverbed, tradition and modern times alternate in a perfect symbiosis that is nothing more than a reflection of the character of the people of the region.
The section mentioned above is an interesting route for the traveler who would like to take a stroll through the past and the future of the city in record time. The suggested itinerary takes barely a half-hour, depending on your pace, of course. It begins at Calatrava Bridge, better known as La Peineta, as it vaguely resembles the Spanish ornamental comb (peineta). The bridge spans the riverbed between the Santo Domingo Convent—today the Military Government Building—on one side, and Paseo de la Alameda on the other.
From La Peineta, walk down into the riverbed. You'll find yourself in a lush garden that muffles the sounds of the city and will calm even the most agitated soul. The entire area is designed for the enjoyment of tourists and locals. Here you'll observe an interesting mix of people who visit the riverbed daily: exercisers, bicyclers, the hippied-out university students studying, an older man with his newspaper and his dog, a couple in love lying in the grass, a group learning Tai Chi, a few reckless skateboarders, children enjoying an afternoon snack, and mothers gossiping in group, though, of course, who you meet will depend on the time of day.
Continuing the walk, you'll cross the not-so-ironically named Puente del Mar (Sea Bridge), which once linked the old town to the port, and the highly trafficked Aragón Bridge. You'll soon come to the area around the Palau de la Música (Music Palace). If you're lucky, you might be able to watch the fountain "dance" to the rhythm of the music pouring out of it. If you're around at night, the colored lights make the show even more attractive.
Leaving the Palace, you'll cross another bridge. This one is sure to bring you good luck because it is the Puente del Angel del Custodio or Guardian Angel. This celestially named bridge will lead you to a magical place called Gulliver, a park for children. A giant figure of the famous Gulliver, full of slides and twists and turns that send the little ones (and sometimes not-so-little-ones) screaming in delight. Here everyone is Lilliputian!
After you're worn out from sliding and swinging, you'll soon reach the spectacular City of Arts and Sciences.
You'll have journeyed through the past and the present, and here you'll find yourself looking at the future. Or, at least you'll feel that way when you see the Palacio de las Artes, L'Hemisfèric (the city planetarium and IMAX theatre open to the public), and further along, the Oceanographic Park, a vast 80,000-square-meter underwater city.
If you still have some energy left, you can keep going up the last bridge to street level and to the El Saler Shopping Centre, just a few steps away, to catch up on your shopping or simply get a bite to eat.
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