Spain

It is the third most popular tourist country in the world; every region is has its own flavor and can offer everything a tourism may wish: sea and beaches, culture, monuments, gastronomy, nature, golf, sailing, cycling and so on.

Valencia
Famous the world over for its Fallas festival and its delicious paella, Valencia is ever more sought after, both as a tourist destination and for holding meetings and events.
Located on the east coast of Spain, Valencia has regenerated itself to become a modern, cosmopolitan city, ideal for organising congresses and business meetings. Washed by the Mediterranean Sea, its excellent climate is one of its main advantages. Access from European capitals is easy thanks to its international airport, just 8 kilometres from the city centre.

The beaches and water sports available are, without a doubt, part of Valencia's appeal - its waters are considered some of the best sailing grounds in Europe. Proof of this is the fact that the city host the most important sailing race in the world: the America’s Cup. There are other interesting alternatives to enjoy, though: a stroll around the old town, where you will see its wealth of monuments, with outstanding buildings such as the Cathedral and Silk Exchange, which has the UNESCO World Heritage designation, or a boat trip to the Albufera Nature Reserve are good options. By night, nothing better than to head out to discover Valencia's famous nightlife with bars and nightclubs.

The state-of-the-art centre was conceived as one of Europe's most imaginative Millennium projects and consists of four main buildings occupying 90 acres of land next to the dry bed of the River Turia. Together the buildings look like something out of a James Bond movie set. There's a wonderful inter-active science museum, the "Hemisferic" planetarium where you can make a virtual trip through space, an oceanarium consisting of an underwater city which recreates the habitats of all the world's oceans and the Palace of Arts, equipped with all the latest technology to support performances of theatre, opera and music.

A rather more ancient attraction is the sacred chalice, reputed to be the Holy Grail, housed in the Sala Capitular of the city's beautiful Gothic cathedral. The relic, said to have held the blood of Jesus Christ, is Christianity's most holy prize. Its authenticity is, unsurprisingly, a matter of hot dispute.

The ancient and modern are combined in Valencia's annual "Fallas" celebration when the city becomes a spectacular ball of flame as hundreds of papier mache figures are set on fire to commemorate the feast of San Jose on March 19th. It's one of Europe's biggest and most extraordinary festivals. Noisy, exuberant and at times downright dangerous!
In 1961, Hollywood heart throbs Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren put Valencia firmly on the world map with the lavish epic movie El Cid which told the story of how Spain's greatest ever warrior recaptured the city from the Moorish invaders in the 11th century.

We hope you enjoy your time in Valencia and get a chance to experience first hand the beauty, the culture, the food, and the lifestyle of this magnificent city.

http://www.turisvalencia.es/index.aspx - Official tourist site for Valencia (see top left button for English).

Click here for a fascinating presentation of Valencia