Valencia is a dynamic city where lazy days at the beach combine with a vibrant nightlife, all sorts of cultural venues and a beautiful old quarter packed with sights. Most of what you'll want to see and experience is located in the center of town, which is surrounded by the Turia Riverbed Park and the streets of Colón, Xàtiva and Guillem de Castro; these borders, which encompass the oval-shaped center, trace where the medieval city walls once stood.
As an Enforex student at our Spanish school, you can come along on our school-organized guided Valencia tour... Just swing by the school and sign up!
Valencia Attractions
- The 14th-century Torres de Serrano and 15th-century Torres de Quart, Valencia's two remaining Gothic twin-towered gates that remain from the medieval walls that once surrounded the city.
- With Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements, Valencia's Cathedral is a microchosm of the city's centuries of architectural history. It also has the arm of Saint Vicente and what they claim is the real Holy Grail.
- The oldest part of town, called El Carmen, is a neighborhood of honey-colored buildings and twisting alleyways. Its undergone a cultural renaissance and is now a hip place to dine and drink, not to mention it's home to some of Valencia's top cultural venues.
- History buffs will be interested to know that the Plaza de la Virgen, right behind the cathedral, was once the site of Roman Valencia's forum.
- Considered one of Europe's best examples of civil Gothic architecture, the Lonja de los Mercaderes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that looks like a fairytale castle, complete with a tower, gargoyles and battlements. Formerly the city's silk exchange, it was where commerce and dealings were done during Spain's golden age of sea trade.
- Dominating the spacious square by the same name, Valencia's palatial Ayuntamiento (City Hall) is a marvelous example of fine Neoclassical architecture.
- After a major flood in the 1950's, the Turia River was diverted away from the city center. The riverbed, which runs alongside Valencia's historic neighborhoods, is now home to the 10-kilometer Turia Riverbed Park, where you can enjoy gardens, athletic facilities, running paths, the Bioparc zoo, a giant figure of Gulliver that kids can climb on and, at its southermost extreme, the City of Arts & Sciences.
- The City of Arts & Sciences is Valencia's top attraction and second only to Madrid's El Prado in all of Spain. The sprawling, ultra modern complex was designed by Valencia-born and world-famous architect Santiago Calatrava and has a performing arts center, an interactive science museum, Europe's largest aquarium, an IMAX theater / planetarium and more! Get more info: City of Arts & Sciences
- Beaches: Valencia's main beaches - Playa de la Malvarrosa and Playa de las Arenas - stretch along the eastern edge of the city. Running along the beaches and up to the modern America's Cup marina is the city's iconic Paseo Marítimo, a long seaside promenade.