HOLA!!

Panoramic visit on board a bus/van/car to the old city. Once there, there is a visit on foot that takes in the major monuments of Valencia: Estación del Norte (Railway Station), Plaza de Toros (bull ring) Plaza del Ayuntamiento (City Hall Square) Mercado Central (Central Market, where we can organise a tasting tour where visitors can savour some of the delicious foodstuffs sold at the market), Lonja (old silk exchange, World Heritage Site), Plaza Redonda (round square), Palacio del Marques de Dos Aguas (Palace of the Marquess of Dos Aguas, housing the National Ceramics Museum) Plaza del Patriarca, Cathedral, Plaza de la Almoina and Plaza de la Virgen.

Visitors will then be driven past the old riverbed of the Turia to the most avant-garde part of the city to marvel at the arts and sciences complex known as Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias. On foot, they will be able to see the emblematic exteriors of the buildings designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava.

Visitors will see the most noteworthy streets, squares and monuments of Valencia’s historic heart: Plaza del Ayuntamiento (City Hall square), Mercado Central (Central Market, where a tasting session of market products can be organised), Lonja (old silk exchange, World Heritage Site by UNESCO), Plaza Redonda (Round square) Palace of the Marquess of Dos Aguas (the palace houses the National Ceramics Collection), Plaza del Patriarca, Cathedral, Plaza de la Almoina, Plaza de la Virgen and the medieval gateway known as Torres de Serranos.

As an option, a horchata (typical vegetarian drink) tasting session accompanied with delicious fartons (sweet breadsticks) can be organised.

The best and most comprehensive way of seeing the city.

Participants will first cycle through the gardens, the work of landscape architects, on the former Turia riverbed and will pass under the historic bridges.

They will then cycle through the old quarter and visit Plaza de la Virgen, the exterior of the Cathedral, Plaza de la Almoina, exterior of Palace of the Marquess of Dos Aguas, Plaza del Patriarca and the gardens known as La Glorieta with its giant specimens of ficus trees, centuries old.

The cyclists then head back into the Turia riverbed gardens and see the Palau de la Musica (Music Hall), the Gulliver children’s park and the various buildings that make up the futuristic complex known as City of Arts & Sciences.

This visit can start at the Valencia Guías bikes office or at hotels (in which case the bicycles are transported to the hotel address). If starting out from a hotel the starting point for the route is adjusted accordingly.

It is possible to have refreshment and/or tapas stop at a bar with this visit.

This tour involves a panoramic bus/van/car tour by the former riverbed of the River Turia right up to the new symbol of contemporary Valencia. Visitors will see the Umbráculo (a raised garden promenade) which offers a superb vantage point for the buildings designed by the architect, Santiago Calatrava: Palacio de las Artes (opera house), Hemisferic (including planetarium and IMAX theatre), Science Museum, bridges and the Ágora.

Visitors are then taken to the Oceanográfico, Europe’s largest marine park and aquarium complex where they will be able to marvel at the array of aquariums representing the seas and oceans of our planet.

Visit Europe’s largest marine park and aquarium complex where the seas and oceans of Planet Earth are reflected in large aquariums.

The ecosystems represented are: Mediterranean, temperate latitudes, the tropics, the Atlantic, the Arctic, the Antarctic, the Red Sea and the islands of Patagonia.

The visit includes a dolphin show (depending on time of visit)

There is also the possibility of organising a visit to the technical areas of the Park which are not normally open to the public as well as private visits with the Park closed to the general public.

This is a new space with an accent on the natural and located in one of the biggest swathes of greenery in the city known as Parque de Cabecera on the former riverbed of the Turia.

The Bioparc is a space that has recreated the conditions reflecting the ecosystems of various parts of Africa; we can see wild animals from Equatorial Africa, little-known species from Madagascar and the unusual creatures of the Savannah grasslands in a natural setting.

It is like visiting Africa without leaving Valencia.

Panoramic tour of the city to the port area known as Puerto de Valencia. This area was transformed so that it could host the world’s most prestigious sailing event, the America’s Cup in 2007 and 2010.

This area of the port was redesigned starting in early 2008 to become Europe’s second urban Formula 1 track after Monaco.

On foot, visitors will see the old Modernist style dock buildings and the team bases for the America’s Cup competition, all the way up to the building known as Veles e Vent, the symbol of the new port designed by the British architect David Chipperfield.

This visit can be complemented by a catamaran cruise around the harbour and the regatta course.

This is the best way of getting to know Valencia’s old quarter in a laid back fashion in unison with the local lifestyle and tasting delicious Mediterranean cuisine.

Tapas and “ir de tapas” (going out for tapas snacks and drinks) is very much a custom of Spain – the idea of tasting a variety of different tapas washed down with some good wine and enjoying good conversation.

The tour involves strolling down various streets and squares and seeing some of the major monuments in Valencia’s old quarter. Visitors will stop at a selection of the most popular bars and restaurants; some are quite traditional while others are quite avant-garde.

If it is a morning visit (Monday to Saturday), one of the stops is the Mercado Central where it is possible to taste products sold at the market.

Guests are transported to a traditional farmstead known as an Alquería, surrounded by market gardens on the outskirts of Valencia.

The group is welcomed and offered an aperitif after which it is divided into teams.

After listening to instructions given by the Head Cook about the ingredients that go into the paella and the steps to be taken, each team starts to make its own paella under the chef’s supervision.

Drinks and appetisers are served during the cooking process.

Once the paellas are cooked, the chef tastes each one and decides which team is the winner. Entrées are then served, followed by the paella as the main dish, drinks, dessert and coffee.

This activity can start with a visit to Mercado Central (Central Market) where an in situ explanation of paella ingredients will be given.

For small groups the activity can be organised in a cooking school near the Central Market.

Valencia has earned itself an international reputation for its contemporary architecture thanks to the construction de various buildings designed by top architects.

Visit their most avant-garde creations: Conference Center by Norman Foster, The construction work for the new Valencia Football Stadium designed by RFA (Reid Fenwick & Associates), IVAM (Modern Art Museum, where it is explained the proposed extension by the Japanese group SAANA, Pritzker prize 2010), The bridge known as Puente de la Exposición and the Alameda metro station by Santiago Calatrava, Palau de la Música by García Paredes, City of Arts & Sciences by Calatrava (Opera House, Hemisferic, Science Museum, bridges, Umbráculo raised garden promenade and Ágora) and the harbour side edifice, Veles e Vent by David Chipperfield.

Only the exteriors of buildings are visited.

This visit can be conducted by architects (subject to availability).

The Valencia Region has commanded prestige in Spanish ceramics from the Middle Ages to the present age.

Guests enjoy a panoramic tour that passes by Mercado de Colon (former Colon market), Estación de Norte (Railway Station, one of the city’s most representative art-nouveau edifices and a clear example of the use of decorative ceramics applied to architecture), Mercado Central (Central Market) and Plaza Redonda (Round Square). The visit ends at the National Ceramics Museum that is housed in the Palace of the Marquess of Dos Aguas; here we can see the evolution of ceramic art in Spain over many centuries from the time of the Arabs to the pieces designed by Picasso for the museum.

Valencia is one of the most richly-endowed cities in Spain in terms of greenery.

This visit focuses on the historic and emblematic gardens of Valencia: Jardines del Turia (the former riverbed of the River Turia that has been transformed into a 10 km-long garden that winds its way through the city from the West to the East) Jardín Botánico (botanical gardens) Glorieta (with its giant ficus specimens over 200 years old), Jardines de Monforte and Jardines de Viveros o del Real (the gardens adjoining the former royal palace of Valencia).

The natural reserve known as Parque Natural de la Albufera is 11 km south of Valencia and has Spain’s largest lake; it is also considered to be a paradise for migrating birds.

We can drive past the verdant rice fields and board a typical boat at the El Palmar jetty; from the boat we will see the birdlife reserves on islands and along the shores of the Albufera.

The excursion can be complemented by visiting a barraca, or typical farmstead dwelling of the area, the park wildlife interpretation centre (subject to availability) where we can walk through the woods known as La Dehesa until we reach the bird-watching pavilion and/or a meal at a typical restaurant.

Xàtiva is 70 Km south of Valencia and is said to be one of the most interesting historic cities of the region known as Comunidad Valenciana.

The city was made famous as it was home of one of the influential Borja family, more commonly known as the Borgias.

Pope Calixtus III once lived in Xátiva and it was the birthplace of Pope Alexander VI under whose papacy in Rome the Renaissance flourished. He was also largely responsible for the entry of this artistic style in Spain.

As we explore the old quarter, we are taken back to the splendour of this city in the 15th Century. We can marvel at noble houses, its 15th Century Hospital and the collegiate church known as Colegiata Renacentista which Pope Alexander VI sought to raise to a cathedral status. We can go up to the Castillo or castle of Roman origin which towers above the city. Within this fortification there are vestiges of all of the civilisations that have occupied the hilltop position. The ascension up to the castle is made possible with a tourist train as bus access is not possible.

The region known as Comunidad Valenciana has various denominaciones de origen (official guarantees of origin and quality of wine). In recent years a series of high-quality wines which have attracted international recognition have been marketed; among these are wines with the Utiel-Requena label.

Requena is 65 km west of Valencia and has a long-standing winemaking tradition which accounts for this denominación or certified guarantee of origin and quality.

We can wander around the quarter known as Barrio de la Villa, declared a Historic-Artistic Precinct. Here we can visit two Gothic churches, the Alcazaba (a 10^th Century tower once part of old Arab wall) and under the streets of La Villa, a network of caves used since antiquity as wine cellars. We can then visit one of the local wine cellars for a spot of wine-tasting.

This visit can be complemented with a full wine-tasting session and/or lunch at one of local fine restaurants.

“Life is like riding a bicycle.
To keep your balance you must keep moving. ”
Albert Einstein.

With a city that is completely flat and an average temperature of 18º, the best way to get to know Valencia is undoubtedly riding a bike.

Our bike rental shops are located at:

1. Valencia BIKES Pechina
Paseo de la Pechina, 32.
GPS ( N 39º 28′ 37.25″ | W 0º 23′ 28.81″ )
Every day from 09:30 to 19:00 hrs.

2. Valencia BIKES City of Arts & Sciences
GPS ( N 39° 27′ 15.88″ | W 0° 21′ 6.12″ )
Everyday from 10:30 to 19:00 hrs.

3. Valencia BIKES Tapinería
Calle Tapinería, 13
GPS ( N 39º 47′ 47.39” | W 0º 37′ 64.24”)
Every day from 10:00 to 19:00 hrs.

To rent a bike, a 50 € deposit and an ID are required.