My sister and I spent 10 days in Valencia, Spain at the SH Valencia Palace hotel located across the street from the River Walk. The area has about 5 miles of green space, futuristic architecture, historic bridges, and cultural venues.
On our first day of walking through the river walk, we came across runners who were participating in the Iron Man Challenge. Later in the day further down the road, we watched as they crossed the finish line. The walk through the park also led us to the City of Arts and Sciences, which
is a complex with a science museum, the Oceanogràfic (largest aquarium in Europe), an IMAX cinema, and planetarium (an eye-shaped design). There’s also the Palau de la Música, the Flowers Bridge, and a shopping mall, all within walking distance.
We spent a day in the city center where there were loads of tourist. There’s an arena that looks like the colosseum we saw in Rome. It’s called the Plaza de Toros de Valencia and is used for fighting. There’s also a lot of brand name retail stores if you’re in the mood for shopping.
We spent a half day touring the Catedral de Valencia. The cathedral houses the Holy Chalice of Valencia (Santo Cáliz), which is one of the most prominent contenders for the cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper. The relic consists of an upper, dark red agate cup (dated to the 2nd–1st centuries BC) set within a 13th-century medieval base, and it is displayed in a dedicated chapel of the Holy Grail. The cathedral also houses significant religious books and manuscripts in its archive, including a notable 13th-century Bible.
We got a chance to try the famous paella, and I must say it was much better than what I had in Malaga. I mentioned to some people that I didn’t like the paella in Malaga and they laughed and said… you should never eat paella in Malaga. Valencia is the birthplace of this dish and I’m glad I gave it another try.
Valencia is one of Spain’s most underrated cities with so much to offer. It’s more affordable and less crowded than Barcelona or Madrid. Definitely a city worth visiting.
