VALENCIA

Valencia is Spain's third largest city with respect to population, as it has close to 800,000 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the Autonomous Community of same name. Valencia is located at scarcely 4 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea. The city lives mainly of its rich agriculture, its powerful industry and the intense commerce, which all this originates. The industry is quite varied and goes from the manufacturing of fans, furniture, tiles, fireworks, perfumes, etc. to shipyards, engines, smelting and casting, etc.

The city of Valencia was first founded in 137 B.C. by the Roman consul Decio Junio Bruto el Galaico.

Places of interest

The best time of the year to visit the city of Valencia is the month of March. This is when the people from Valencia celebrate the Fallas (Firework Celebration held in Valencia on Saint Joseph's Day). It is a festivity that has been declared of International Tourist Interest and whose last day known as the Cremá is spectacular. Moreover Valencia has many attractive sites as the Cathedral, of the XIIIth century, the Palace of the Generalitat, the Palau de Benicarló (Palace), the Colegio del Patriarca (Patriarch School), the Museo Nacional de Cerámica González Martí (National Ceramics Museum González Martí), the Jardines del Real (Royal Gardens), the Museo de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Museum) and the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (Arts and Sciences Resort).

Tours around

25 kilometres from Valencia is the town of Sagunto, whose main treasure is a castle, bimillenial fortress surrounded by walls of different periods and styles and full of Iberian, Roman, Arab, Medieval and modern remains. Moreover, some of the most important buildings of the Roman Hispania are found in Sagunto, the Roman Theatre and the Church of Santa María, built over the ancient Murviedro Mosque.

Gandía is one of the most busy and popular Valencian towns during the summer months for its beautiful and never ending beaches. The Cultural offer is also very interesting: the Palacio Ducal de Gandía (Gandía`s Ducal Palace), the Iglesia Colegiata (Collegiate Church), the Church of San Nicolás and the Church Monastery of Santa Clara. Near Gandía the following should be visited: the Monastery of San Jerónimo de Cotalba and the Monastery of Santa María de la Valldigna.

Xátiva, is 58 kilometres distance from the capital of the Autonomous Community. It is the centre of an important orange production area and also furniture, textile, paper and starch industries. The Church of San Bartolomé, the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, the Church of Santa María de Loreto, the Old Town Centre or the Molinos (Windmills) de La Plana are all musts when visiting Xátiva. Other interesting visits are: the Capes of la Nao and San Antonio, the Montgó Natural Park and the ecologic routes that can be enjoyed in the surrounding areas.

Links:

• Institutional webs:
  www.ayto-valencia.es
  www.comunidad-valenciana.com
• Local newspapers:
  www.levante-emu.es
  www.lasprovincias.es
  www.diariodevalencia.es
• Other:
  www.turisvalencia.es
  www.valenciaturismo.com

Services Directory

Hotels:

HOTEL MELIÁ VALENCIA PALACE *****
Prolongación del Paseo Alameda 32
Valencia
+34963375037
196 rooms

HOTEL ASTORIA PALACE ****
Plaza Rodrigo Botet 5
Valencia
+34963526737
204 rooms

HOTEL HUSA DIMAR ****
Gran Vía Marqués del Turia 80
Valencia
+34963951030
104 rooms

HOTEL AD HOC ***
Boix 4
Valencia
+34963919140
28 rooms

HOTEL HUSA LLAR ***
Colón 46
Valencia
+34963528460
50 rooms

HOTEL NH CENTER ****
Ricardo Mico 1
Valencia
+34963475000
193 rooms

Museums:

PREHISTORY AND VALENCIAN CULTURES MUSEUM
(MUSEO DE PREHISTORIA Y DE LAS CULTURAS DE VALENCIA)
Corona 36
Valencia
963883614
Visiting Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10-20 h.
Summer: Tuesday to Sunday: 10-21 h.
Free admission.

VALENCIAN INSTITUTE OF MODERN ART
(INSTITUTO VALENCIANO DE ARTE MODERNO)
Guillem de Castro 118
Valencia
963863000
Visiting Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 10-20 h.
Summer: Tuesday to Sunday: 10-22 h. (1st of June - 30th of September)
Closed on Mondays.
Admission Fees: General: 2.1 €
Students and Youth Card: 1 €
Friends of the IVAM, pensioners, children under 10, large families, groups and Sundays: Free.
www.ivam.es

FALLAS MUSEUM (Firework Celebration held in Valencia on Saint Joseph's Day) (MUSEO FALLERO)
Monteolivete 4 (Quatre Carreres)
Valencia
963525478
Visiting Hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 9.15-14 h., 16.30-20 h.
Sundays and public holidays: 9.15-14 h.
Admission Fees: Adults: 1.8 €
Children under 12: 0.6 €
Groups, students and youth card: 1.2 €
Pensioners: 0.9 €

VALENCIA FINE ARTS MUSEUM
(MUSEO DE BELLAS ARTES DE VALENCIA)
San Pío V 9
Valencia
963605793
Visiting Hours: Tuesday to Sunday (and public holidays): 10-20 h.
Closed on Mondays, New Year's Day (1st January), Good Friday and Christmas Day (25th December).
Free Admission.

CATHEDRAL MUSEUM
(MUSEO DE LA CATEDRAL)
Plaza Reina s/n
Valencia
963918127
Visiting Hours: Tuesday to Friday: 10.30-13 h., 16.30-18 h.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday: 10.30-13 h.
December to February: Afternoons closed.
Admission Fee: 1.2 €

Restaurants:

RÍAS GALLEGAS
Adress: Cirilo Amonós 4, Valencia
Telephone: 963525111
Menu: 28 €

ALBACAR
Adress: Sorni 35, Valencia
Telephone: 963951005
Price: 36 €

EL ÁNGEL AZUL
Adress: Conde de Altea 33, Valencia
Telephone: 963745656
Menu: 29 €

ELADIO
Adress: Chiva 40, Valencia
Telephone: 963842244
Menu: 33 €

LA PEQUEÑA COCINA
Adress: Sorni 31, Valencia
Telephone: 963738170
Price: 39 €

Transports:

BUS:

Bus Station
Avenida Menéndez Pidal 13
Valencia
Telephone number: 963466266

TRAINS:

Estación del Norte (North Station)
Játiva 24
Valencia
Telephone number: 963520202

Main destinations from Valencia: Alicante, Albacete, Almería, Barcelona, Bilbao, Ciudad Real, Córdoba, Cuenca, Logroño, Madrid, Málaga, Pamplona, San Sebastián, Zaragoza.

TAXIS:

AUTO TAXIS 963959560
COOP. VALENCIANA DE TAXIS 963740202
ONDA TAXI 963475252
RADIO TAXI 963703333
TELE TAXI 963571313

Emergency:

University Hospital La Fe 961862700
9th October Hospital 961460000