There’s more to Valencia than oranges…

Every September my mum and I decide to leave behind our men-folk and head off somewhere sunny for a week of shopping, eating and gossiping. For this year’s annual pilgrimage we both felt the urge to dust off our dictionaries and practice our rapidly disappearing Spanish. Our destination: Valencia.

It may be Spain’s third largest city, but for many people Valencia is associated with little more than the oranges it exports across the globe and its annual Fallas street party. Recently, though, a surge in budget airline routes and heavy cultural investment has seen this fantastic city – long overshadowed in the tourism stakes by its big sisters Madrid and Barcelona – emerge as a popular short-break destination.

Nevertheless, the first thing that struck us as we emerged from the airport into dazzling sunshine (the city prides itself on enjoying more than 300 cloud-free days every year) was the lack of tourist crowds. Despite its buzzing nightlife it remains blissfully free of the hen and stag parties which have besieged Barcelona and the streets exude a laidback, unhurried charm. Whether you’re navigating the tangle of narrow alleyways in the old town or strolling along the tree-lined boulevards of the nineteenth century Eixample district, the city’s relaxed exuberance is infectious.

We spent our first day happily soaking up the sights of the historic centre, from the vaulted ceilings of the Lonja – the former silk exchange – to the glittering blue tiles of the cathedral and the imposing ramparts of the Torres de Quart and Torres de Serrano – the last remaining remnants of the city walls.  Wherever we turned we were greeted by beautiful baroque architecture, with intricately carved wooden doors and wrought-iron balconies providing a hint of the city’s former glory as an international trading centre.

Equally impressive was the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences – a bold expression of Valencia’s outgoing attitude. Encompassing a science museum, IMAX cinema and performing arts venue, it combines other-worldly shapes with vast, reflective pools of turquoise water. We found the Oceanográfico sea life centre to be particularly worth a visit, boasting species as diverse as sea lions, sharks, penguins and beluga whales.

As you’d expect from the city which invented paella, our visit soon began to focus on Valencia’s gastronomic offerings. Many of its restaurants are gaining a growing reputation for their innovative spin on regional specialities and we sampled a range of creative dishes, from succulent sea bass with red orange marmalade at cutting-edge eatery Ness to black rice and cuttlefish paella at Hospes Palau de la Mar’s Senzone restaurant.

For a taste of more traditional fayre we visited the tiny Restaurante de la Fonda, which serves up Spanish favourites from its old-fashioned tiled interior, and browsed the mouth-watering array of fresh produce on sale at the vast central market. We also spent many a lazy hour sipping horcharta, a traditional Valencia drink made from ground tiger nuts. Much like Marmite, you either love it or hate it – personally I love it, but no matter what your taste the Horchartería del Siglo in heart of the old town is well worth a visit. Open since 1836, the café’s interior is lined with sepia photographs and its horcharta granizada (poured over crushed ice) is particularly refreshing on a hot day. 

To walk off all our indulgences we visited the sprawling golden sands of Las Arenas and La Malvarrosa, Valencia’s two beaches, and wandered through the Turía garden, which follows the course of the city’s long-since diverted river. The wide belt of cooling greenery snakes for miles around the historical centre and is dotted with lime trees, fountains and children’s playgrounds, providing a welcome relief from the heat of the centre.                                                                                                                                                 

All in all, you need look no further than Valencia for the perfect balance of culture, relaxation and history. I was enchanted by the different sides of this city of contrasts and hope to explore more of its charms during future visits. There’s certainly a lot left to see…

Useful links

Hospes Palau de la Mar – www.hospes.com/en/hotel-valencia-palau-mar

Restaurante de la Fonda – www.restaurantelafonda.com

City of Arts and Sciences – www.cac.es

Valencia tourism – www.turisvalencia.es

Easyjet – www.easyjet.com 

 

Plaza de la Reina in the old town

The futuristic City of Arts and Sciences

A beluga whale at Oceanografico

Fountains in the Turia garden

Lux-for-less, Valencian style

The lobby at Hospes Palau de la Mar

Well, I’m back from Valencia and struggling to adapt to the suddenly autumnal British weather after a week of 36°C heat.  There’ll be more on this fantastic city to follow soon, but first I wanted to share another ‘lux-for-less’ hotel option – Hospes Palau de la Mar.

Located along a shady tree-lined avenue in Valencia’s elegant Eixample district, the hotel is housed across two 19^th century palaces. It combines striking original features such as a sweeping staircase and intricately carved wooden doors with a sleek marble lobby and a muted, minimalist interior. The atmosphere is airy and understated, with chilled out music and the scent of orange blossom creating a soothing sense of calm as soon as you enter.

The rooms, spread across the original buildings and a modern extension surrounding the hotel’s interior garden, are simply furnished but very large, with wooden floors, heavenly beds and complimentary robes and slippers. They also boast marble bathrooms with enough free toiletries to make taking your own seem like a waste of valuable luggage space.    

The hotel encompasses an on-site spa offering a sauna, a steam room, an underground Jacuzzi fed by two miniature waterfalls and a tantalising range of treatments. I opted for a Balinese massage, which combines relaxing aromatherapy with invigorating Thai stretches.

I was equally impressed with the hotel’s Senzone restaurant, which provides an innovative twist on traditional Valencian dishes such as Paella. The accompanying bar is perfect for an after-dinner cocktail and does a great ‘Agua de Valencia’ – vodka and cava with fresh orange juice.

A final note on price – the hotel is not particularly cheap if you book directly and breakfast is not included in the room rate, but we managed to hunt down a great value deal through www.lastminute.com. Perfect for a touch of well-needed pampering without breaking the bank.