Valencia is sun, warmth and a sea covered by a blue sky that captures you. Valencia is a feast, a present for your senses. It is Avant guard, culture and tradition. The enrapture surges when you breathe the Mediterranean air of this city that exudes life, light and color. The main protagonist is its people that embraced me, making me feel as if their home was my home.
To discover the City of the Arts and Sciences is an extraordinary adventure. With its impeccable design and magnificent surroundings, this group of elements offers alternatives to spend a day without a hint of boredom. In its interior you can find l’Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe. Through the glass I find myself astonished by the beauty that Nature has to offer.
While strolling through the historic downtown I am aware that this is a city of contrasts, where everything combines with elegance. In the heart of Valencia you can find the Cathedral complex, with the Basilica of the Virgin of the Defenseless, Patron Saint of the city. The construction is astonishing, but when you look up and see the cupola, beauty prevails. The Baroque is represented in its full splendor in the Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas (Palace of the Marquis of Two Waters) with its fascinating facade. Once inside, there is no disappointment. I find the National Museum of Ceramics that exhibits pieces that are Prehistoric, Roman, Greek and Arab. I follow the route through the Silk Market and the Columbus Market. However, where I spend more time is at the Mercat Central (Central Market). Walking through the door of this pre-modern building is a synonym of enjoyment.
It is luxury for the senses flooded as they are by the colors, flavors and odors that reek from the fresh products of the stores. Aromas and shades are instilled in the gastronomy of the land. One of its best representations is the rice, prepared in one and a thousand ways and that provokes an explosion of flavors in the palate. To rest, there is nothing like having a Water of Valencia or a very cold Horchata in a terrace while the sun fills you with energy. The lake of the National Park of Albufera is witness to one of the most unforgettable sunsets ever. To sail away while you allow the red and golden shades embrace you is a privilege that everyone should enjoy at least once in the lifetime.
During the trip, it is worth to take a day to visit some of the close-by towns. Les covetes dels Moros de Bocairent, the architectonic jewels of Segorbe and the Monastery of Saint Mary in Simat de la Valldigna, are mandatory stops. As a fashion lover, I could not let the opportunity go of seeing the new trends that the Valencian designers offer. They have a reserved spot in the Eixample and the Barrio of Ruzafa, where you can find exclusiveness and multiculturalism in the creations shown in their Windows.
The Valencian expects with illusion the arrival of their “Festivity in flames”. The Fallas are a show for all the senses: you see the fire and the smoke, smell the gunpowder, but, overall, you feel the thrill that runs through your body. It is not only the Paella, the sun and the feast. Valencia has something that can’t be described that makes you always to come back.
