Valencia, Spain – birthplace of the classic rice dish Paella.
This sun-drenched port city served as my Veterans Day holiday getaway. Honestly, Valencia has never been on my adventure list because I’ve often confused it with Valencia, California, home of Six Flags Magic Mountain.
How did I select Valencia, Spain for my holiday?
Simple. I googled “top warm places to visit in Europe in November.” The Canary Islands was number one, but flights and other logistics didn’t fit my proposed budget. Seville, Spain was another consideration, but yet again prices didn’t fit the budget.
So I turned to my trusted travel adventure caucus and asked them. One member said Valencia, and the others agreed, and that’s how Valencia was selected.
GETTING HERE
Flights to Valencia were typical pricing for this time of year. Not super high, but not super low. As I don’t do budget airlines like RyanAir, I book a roundtrip ticket with Lufthansa, directly with the airline of course. I always book directly with the airline. One bad experience dealing with third-party customer service was one too many.
Nope, I always book direct whenever possible. I strongly advise my fellow travelers to do the same. Yes, that $50 ticket is mouth-watering, until you add in the extras fees, lack of customer service or courtesy, and the lack of flight choices.
Anyway, my flight was smooth and there were no issues. I retrieved my luggage upon arrival and headed to the kiosk to buy a 72-hour Valencia Tourist Card. The cost was €25.
VALENCIA TOURIST CARD
The tourist card came with free use of the urban transportation system (metro, bus, tram). Considering a taxi from the airport to my hotel would have cost €27, the tourist card had already paid for itself.
Additionally, the card also granted free admission to municipal museums and monuments, and discounts on entry to the top attractions like the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències and the Marqués de dos Aguas Palace. However, I focused on the museums and attractions that were free with the card.
Nevertheless, if in Valencia, consider getting the tourist card. The unlimited use of public transportation pays for itself, especially given the surcharge taxis now apply to the final amount.
PALACIO SANTA CLARA
Valencia has many lodging options. I selected the Palacio Santa Clara because it met my standards and was only a six-minute walk from the city centre.
I’d chosen an interior room, but upon check-in was upgraded to a Deluxe King with a City View. Customer service was great, and the staff were eager to answer questions and provide information to help me explore their beautiful city.
The room was cleaned and featured nice decor and plenty of room for me to maneuver without bumping into walls or other items. The bed was comfy and the teapot was exceptionally clean. There were ample amenities, including a nice dental kit.
The only surprising element was the shower was out front and not a separate room as expected. Guests who are squeamish will not like the lack of privacy when showering.
Breakfast was standard, nothing special, but nice options to get your day started. I didn’t eat in the restaurant or order room service because there were a plethora of restaurants within walking distance.
MUSEO DE HISTORIA DE VALENCIA
The Valencia History Museum was on my list to explore. Entry was free with the Valencia Tourist Card. Highly recommend visiting during your exploration of Valencia.
I enjoyed this museum mainly because of its interactive components. Interactive museums are real treats because they allow you to immerse yourself more into the history. Staring at a skeleton doesn’t spark the same level of inspiration as touching bones and artifacts, or recreating the skeleton yourself.
The Museo de historia de Valencia featured interactive videos reenacting various key moments and themes throughout the city’s history. The learning began from entry. The museum is housed in what was once the first underground reservoir of drinking water, which was originally constructed to improve the water supply to the city.
Now it is the home of the place dedicated to educating visitors about Valencia’s historical development. Not a bad way to continue serving the people.
Easily spent two hours exploring the museums. The ‘Living History’ videos were quite informative. They were also in multiple languages. Visitors selected their preferred language and watched. The dramatized scenes recreated everyday moments from history, beginning in 138 B.C. up to 1975 Valencia. The conversations were about ridiculous and trivial subjects, but there was a lot of history in-between the lines.
The museum is rather dark, so it was hard to read the language guides provided. Nevertheless, there are many interactive elements and activities that give visitors much information about the history of the city.
TORRES DE SERRANOS
Next up was Torres de Serranos, or Porta dels Serrans in Valencia, or Puerta de Serranos in Spanish, one of the twelve gates that formed part of the ancient city wall, the Christian Wall.
Entry was free with the Valencia Tourist Card. The 264 total steps I climbed (132 steps up & down) to get to the top was a breeze compared to the Dubrovnik City Wall’s 1,080 steps.
There wasn’t much ‘history’ exhibited as you climbed. Guess organizers figured folks just want to climb to the top and take their selfies, so why waste the time, effort and money setting up historical displays? Nevertheless, Torres de Serranos is an important Valencia landmark and one of the best preserved monuments in the city.
I did a little research on my own because I love ‘origin stories.’ The Torres de Serranos gets its name from the hills that form the backdrop of the city. During the 1930s Spanish civil war, it was used to store 525 paintings along with other noted artwork from the Prado museum. Today, the Torres de Serranos is used for different official ceremonies, the most famous of which is La Crida, the opening ceremony of the Fallas.
CENTRAL MARKET
A visit to Mercado Central de Valencia is a must. Chaotic and amazing is the only way I can describe this place. The building itself is spectacular, but all the action is really quite interesting. I’ve been to quite a few European markets, and Cannes’ and Valencia’s markets were the most impressive so far.
Of course, I picked up some fruits and other snacky-snacks to chow down on during my late night writing sessions back at the hotel.
LA LONJA DE SEDA
I wasn’t quite sure what La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia was all about, but it was listed as the #4 of 20 top attractions according to Visit A City-Valencia.
It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Learned it was originally used for trading in silk, and was the city’s sole building used exclusively for mercantile transactions. Interesting, and best yet – entry was free with the Valencia Tourist Card. Also, it was across the street from the Central Market, so why not visit?
The Sala de Contratación was the highlight. The magnificent hall was breath-taking; a sight you must see with your own eyes to really understand not just the beauty, but the power and history behind this place.
Try as I may, I simply couldn’t capture the entire room in one snapshot.
Although the place is a hot tourist spot, it was rather peaceful and tranquil during my visit.
I took time to relax and enjoy learning the history of the building, and didn’t feel the need to rush as to visit another touristy spot.
PLAZA DE AYUNTAMIENTO
Valencia’s largest square. Dominated by an impressive fountain, the plaza is filled with awe-inspiring architecture, including the Ajuntament de València, or City Hall.
A pedestrian area, thus easy to walk around and snap photos without worrying about cars. Plenty of restaurants, shops and bars to keep you entertained.
PLAZA DE LA VIRGEN
What a beautiful square.
On one side is la Fuente del Turia (Turia Fountain).
On the other are the doors to the Catedral de Valencia. Although the Catedral is a must-see attraction, the Valencia Card only provided a 20% discount. I maintained my focus on the free attractions, so I didn’t pay to enter. Nevertheless, the Catedral is a beautiful site to gaze at while sipping a cool beverage.
CITY LIFE
My traditional ‘City Life’ photo safari concluded my Valencia Adventure. There is more to this little city than meets the eye. I am looking forward to another Valencia Adventure.
NEXT ADVENTURE
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