History
The city of Valencia was founded by the Roman Empire in 138 BC and was given the original name of Valentia. The region has a rich cultural history after being occupied by the Greeks, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, Byzantines and Arabs over the years. The Moorish Muslims brought many new agricultural processes and products to the area including olives, silk, rice and oranges, all of which are still part of the local economy. They also introduced a revolutionary irrigation system that is still used to this day.
Valencia rose to prominence in the 15th century and it was during this century that many of the city’s landmarks were constructed. The city expanded quickly and became one of the Mediterranean’s main economic centres. The arts and culture also enjoyed significant growth and investment during the 15th century. The city was home to many respected artists as well as Joanot Martorell who is credited with writing Europe’s first novel.
After the Spanish War of Succession in the 18th century, Valencia was stripped of autonomous power and certain privileges that had first been put in place by King Jaime I. It was in the 19th century that the city began to grow and the industrial revolution had a great impact on the whole area. The city walls were demolished and the population exploded. There was also a renaissance within the city as it consolidated its status as a Spanish centre of the arts and reclaimed its ancient Valenciano language.
Population
The city of Valencia is the most populated city in the autonomous community of Valencia and is Spain’s third largest city, with a population of 810,000. It is currently the 15th largest metropolitan area in the European Union. Over two million people live in the greater Valencia area. Included within the wider metropolitan borough of Valencia is the industrial area of the Costa de Azahar.
Places to Visit
Mercat Central – This is a great example of an authentic Spanish market, selling everything from fresh vegetables to locally caught game birds. The building was constructed in 1914 and its huge windows allow natural light to flood on to the market stalls.
La Plaza del Ayuntamiento – This is the beautiful town hall square and consists of the town hall and the city’s main post office.
Torres de Serrano – The ancient walls of Valencia are guarded by twelve gates. This is the one that originally led to the city of Zaragoza.
Las Fallas – This is one of the most high-profile festivals in Valencia and brings both tourists and locals on to the streets to enjoy the fun. The festival consists of 40 feet high papier mache effigies of various high profile figures. The gigantic paper statues are then burned on the final night of the festival.
Torres de Quart – Built in 1441, these are another example of the city’ defences, designed to repel would-be invaders.
Jardines Botanicos – These botanical gardens are located in the University of Valencia and are home to a massive amount of plants. There are a huge range of cactus species to admire for an admission fee of only €2!
Valencia City of Arts and Sciences – This is one of the most popular city centre attractions anywhere in Spain. The city is home to Europe’s largest aquarium and a laser IMAX cinema. The City of Arts is located in Turia Gardens and is a great way to spend an entire day.
Cuisine
Valencia is a city that is in love with food and it is no surprise that it is also the home to Paella. The cuisine of the city is famous for its freshness and the city restaurants’ insistence on only using the best quality local produce, ensures that the quality of food available is astonishing. The sheer range of local restaurants is astonishing and Tapas plays a massive part of Valencian social culture.
Valencia owes much of its reputation as a gastronomic centre of Europe to the green belt of land that surrounds the city – known as ‘La Huerta.’ This is some of the most fertile agricultural land in all of Spain and has been used for the purpose of farming since the times of the Moors. The area is home to olive groves, rice fields, vineyards and several vegetable producing farmlands. There are usually four significant harvests every year, so the supply of local and fresh produce never runs out!
Valencia has a wealth of food riches as it is also right on the Mediterranean The Port of Valencia is the source of locally caught fresh sardines, octopus, mackerel, shrimp and hake. This embarrassment of seafood riches means that Valencian cuisine is dominated by tasty local fish dishes. The main draw to visitors is the authentic Paella that is cooked in a pan called an ‘apaellera,’ over a wooden fire. This is the way paella was cooked for centuries and was designed as a social dish, to be shared with family and friends. The main paella dish will be stated on menus as paella valenciana.
The city is also famed for its local fish dishes. Arroz a banda is a rich dish that is marinated in fish stock and served separately from fish, giving it a unique taste. Arroz negra is also a famous rice dish cooked in squid ink. Arroz al horno is a baked dish with rice, potatoes, vegetables, beans and sausage.
Accommodation
The city of Valencia is full of hotels and apartments which means there will never be any trouble in getting somewhere to stay, even in the peak seasons. The beach and port area offers hotels with fantastic coastal views, with the beach within a few minutes by foot. However, most of the attractions are situated in the heart of the city so staying in this area might increase taxi or bus expenditure.
Staying in the centre of the city provides the most convenient access to all of the city’s sight-seeing attractions. There are several hotels that range from basic, hostel-style accommodation right through to five-star luxury. However, staying in the city centre can be noisy and a quieter environment is available by the beach. The City of Arts and Sciences has many great quality hotels within walking distance. This is one of the most desirable locations in the city and includes shopping malls and modern buildings. However, the area is slightly isolated from the traditional sites of the city.
Weather
The average annual temperature in Valencia is 17C. The summer months are typically Mediterranean with very little rain and hot sunshine. Temperatures in the summer average at around 30C, although it is not uncommon for temperatures to reach 40C at times. It can get chilly in the winter, especially in the evenings and temperatures can dip as low as zero during the coldest of winter nights. However, the winter months still see plenty of sunshine and the majority of the daytime temperatures hover around the 10C mark in January and February. 17 inches of rain falls in the city every year, with the majority of it falling in the autumn. Spring temperatures are pleasantly warm with averages of around 18C in March and April. This is a great time of year to visit for people with low tolerance of extreme heat.
Transport
As Valencia is a major European city, transport is as good as anywhere in Spain. Driving around the city centre is not advised for tourists as many of the streets aren’t signposted and Spanish drivers can get rather impatient! The old areas of the city are compact enough to be explored on foot. There is an extensive network of public buses, metros and trams that service the entire city. The Valencia Tourist Card is a great way to load up on journeys in advance and can be used on all forms of public transport. The city also has many bike lanes and there are some very reasonable rental rates to be found. Taxis are available all over the city and can be flagged down almost anywhere. For groups or families, using taxis can often be cheaper than paying for multiple bus or metro journeys.
