Valencia Tourism

Getting to Valencia

There are two International Airports in the Valencia region – at Valencia itself and at Alicante in the south of the region. The airport at Valencia doubled its number of passengers in the decade up to 2007 so that it has now become Spain’s eighth busiest terminal. Although about 60% of the passengers at the airport use Spanish internal flights, the introduction of, amongst others, Ryanair, Easyjet and Jet2 flights has helped British access to the region.

Alicante Airport, of course, has long been a favourite destination for British holidaymakers travelling out to Benidorm, Torrevieja and other Costa Blanca resorts. With over 9 million passengers in 2007, it is the sixth largest in the country and attracts flights from Ryanair, Easyjet, Monarch, bmibaby and Jet2 airlines.

The region is also extremely well served by rail links both to Madrid and Barcelona and the Mediterranean coastal motorway – now practically extending from the French border all the way to Cádiz – is a fabulous drive.

Valencia Tourist Destinations

As most people visiting the region will probably arrive by plane, the first two places to consider are Alicante and Valencia themselves.

Alicante is another one of those cities, like Cádiz and Cartagena, that has been re-invented in the last two decades. It has always had absolutely stunning beaches – wide, clean and with some fabulous eating places dotted along them. But now, rather then the run-down and seedy place it used to be it is a lively, vibrant and interesting town. Certainly Alicante should be thought of as more than just an airport. The castle on the summit of Mount Benacantil, with impressive sculptures in its gardens and tunnels, dungeons and draw bridges, is well worth seeing – and you don’t have to walk up there as there is a lift from the town’s main Postiguet Beach.

Something very different is the eleven mile ferry ride from the main marina out to the tiny Isla Tabarca – once a pirate hideaway but now a haven for snorkelers and seafood lovers.

Valencia, of course, has taken off as one of the most popular short break destinations in the country – and it’s easy to understand why. Similar to Barcelona is the combination of stunning city and fabulous beaches. Here too there is a fascinating old quarter to wander round; some very trendy bars in the Barrio del Carmen; an intriguing stylistic mixture of a cathedral; the largest aquarium in Europe; the totally overwhelming City of Arts and Sciences and some great shopping. All this and a street Grand Prix, La Liga football and the Lladró factory shop and museum!

Of course, the Valencia region is famous, or infamous depending on your point of view, for being the home of Benidorm, which never leaves people with a ‘neutral’ reaction. It is worth seeing – just to appreciate how many hotels can be built in such a condensed area and to ponder about the engineering feats involved in some of the lift constructions. There are many other resorts too, though. Places like Peñiscola in the north of the region have a very Spanish atmosphere whereas Denía and Torrevieja are much more cosmopolitan. Different in character are the smaller towns such as Altea – not a good beach unless you like stones but a lovely old town, Oropesa and Jávea.
If you’re driving along the main coastal motorway, try to take one of the roads into Elche – Elx in Catalan. This city is just full of palm trees, often in lovely scenic gardens that are cool even in the middle of August. It’s also a centre of the Spanish shoe making industry so you can pick up some great bargains here.

But Valencia is more than just a coastline. Heading off inland can bring some fine rewards. Places such as the hill top town of Morella, in the very north of the region, offer fascinating scenic drives and delightful, seemingly unspoiled Spanish towns. There are equally spectacular drives through the central valleys of the region or across the Sierra Mariola, through Guadalest.

Valencia Regional Festivals

People all over the world know of the famous festival of Las Fallas in Valencia. Held in the middle of March each year, it must be the noisiest festival ever. Locals claim that there are more people walking around with missing fingers in Valencia than anywhere else in the world and you will soon appreciate that they might only be half joking when you witness some of the amazing pyrotechnical goings on here. It’s not just the incredible house-high papier-maché, wood and polystyrene statues. It is the absolutely ear drum shattering explosions that you think you’ve got yourself prepared for. The tip is to keep your mouth open, apparently – for some reason it’s less dangerous then. Don’t let this put you off, though. It’s really a ‘must see’.

Somewhat less dangerous, but equally messy in a different sort of way, is the Tomatina festival in the small town of Buñol on the last Wednesday of August. About 30,000 people will throw over-ripe tomatoes at each other for no very good reason other than they’re having fun.

These are the most famous regional festivals but there are many others. You’ll find the famous Moors and Christians at many different places at various times of the year. The Alicante festival is in August, for example, and the Benidorm version in October. Two of the most famous are those at Alcoy in April and a seafaring version in Villajoyosa at the end of July, commemorating a Saint Marta inspired victory over the Moors in 1538.

Food and Drink

Valencia was the birth place of the paella and so you’ll find it to be everywhere. There is what the locals refer to as Paella Valenciana, which will have chicken and perhaps rabbit; Paella Marinera, with as much shell fish as the cook can find; and Paella Mixta, which is just as authentic. Valencia is also known, though, for its very sweet bakery products such as doughnuts, coconut cakes and almond rosegons.

A popular local almond-based soft drink, horchata, is worth trying and you might also appreciate Agua de Valencia – a mix of orange juice and cava. There are three local denominaciones de origen- Alicante, Valencia and Utiel-Requena. The last of these three produces excellent quality cava and the Alicante region produces a distinctive if strange-sounding red dessert wine, tasting of treacle and balsamic vinegar – Fondillón.