It is tight between the pavement cafés in the city. Photo: Shutterstock

Valencia offers sunshine in abundance, oranges and a strong personality. The city, which is the birthplace of the world famous Spanish risrätten paella, Spain’s third largest with 800,000 inhabitants.

But it must also be one of Spain’s nicest cities. Valencia has it all! Here are the history and culture in abundance. Wonderful restaurants with delicious Pintxos and tapas. Cosy old streets, interspersed with übermoderna creations in the Ciutat de les Arts and Sciences.

La Lonja de la Seda with its extraordinary twisted columns. Photo: Shutterstock

the interesting building is Unesco-the building of La Lonja de la Seda – the gothic silkespalatset from 1500-century with special, twisted columns and a small patio with orange trees. Valencia was a part of the famous silk road from Asia to Europe and in the La Lonja was a sidenbörs where the seller and the buyer negotiated. Silk, oranges, and of course the rice to the classic paella has always been important goods for Valencia.

We live perfectly at Tryp Oceanic Valencia, right in the middle. It is perhaps a ten minute walk to the modern Valencia. The Ciutat de les Arts and Sciences, is a two kilometers long, the culture – and vetenskapskomplex with the opera house, planetarium, museums and interesting exhibitions in technology, nature, design and science. With its futuristic design it is like walking directly into in the future.

At the Oceanogràfic at the museum visitors walk in a huge underwater world. Photo: Ray Tang/REX

Here is also Europe’s largest aquarium, the Oceanogràfic.

the old part of the city, such as Plaza de La Reina and partygatan San Vicente Mártir, it is longer and we take a taxi there. The evening we start at the Plaza de la Reina where we try the local speciality of ”Aqua de Valencia”, which can be best described as a very good, potent drinks which include orange and cava. We are enjoying the sounds, scents and life, we are the only non-Spanish guests?

Pintxos, small dainty morsels, served at the bars. Photo: Shutterstock

At Orio Gastronomia Vasca is pintxos on the menu. A pintxo usually have bread in the bottom then topped with sardines, crab, sausages, dried ham, anchovies, and much, much more. They are available both hot and cold variants. Together with a glass of Emina Reserva from the Ribera del Duero, it becomes a taste sensation.

Valencia is not only known for basque pintxos, but also for a broad variety of cultural attractions including many museums.

the Technical Museum, the Principe Felipe is one of them. And along the since the 1950s, the draining of the river Turia are football pitches, fitness parks, jogging trails and many open-air fitness center. You could say that the nine-kilometre-long rekreationssträckan much is Valenciabornas extended living room, where a lot of the time spent.

Along the dry up of the river Turia are football pitches, running track and outdoor gym. Photo: Shutterstock

in the Late afternoon, we will visit the aquarium in the Oceanogràfic. Here are more than 45,000 specimens of 500 marine species such as sharks, walruses, sea lions, stingrays and penguins. The aquarium is amazing and gigantic and I see or hear no other tourists than possibly Spanish.

One of the more hilarious details with Valencia is the fact that there seem to be few tourists. It is a world away from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona. It makes, among other things, that the city, in spite of its 800,000 residents, feels like a small town.

and with and this are all what we are looking for in a city at the Mediterranean sea. Modern märkesshopping find the man on the street Calle Colón and the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, while the corridor Carrer Conde de Salvatierra is a must for those looking for some more alternative shops.

In Valencia, it is not far for those who want to experience life on the beach at Las Arenas. Photo: Ray Tang/REX

most of The tourists who find their way to the Valencia share in the city’s oldest neighborhood, the Barrio del Carmen. ”Carmenkvarteren” is a quaint area that shows up a worn, old-style facade, but also the city’s most restaurant – and bartätaste area. There are also many charming shops to visit.

Not far from the Barrio del Carmen, hitting the waves over the beaches of Malvarrosa and Las Arenas. Sit down on one of the many restaurants along the several kilometre-long beach promenade and enjoy a paella in a långlunch. For the paella you eat never for dinner, if you ask a Valenciabo. Or why not order an ”Aqua de Valencia”!

Link to the graphics Valencia is paellans birthplace. Photo: Janerik Henriksson/TT From the bell tower El Miguelete you have a view over the city and the sea. Photo: Shutterstock

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