A Day in Valencia, the one in Spain

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We have a yummy buffet breakfast at the Silken Puerta Valencia.

After that we meet our local guide Rosa for a bus and walking tour of Valencia. She tells us that there is another language spoken here other than Spanish (and some English) it's Valencian. For example they say Bon Dia not Buenas Dias.

She also tells us the main industry years ago was silk. But in the 1800s a disease hit the Mulberry Tree then no more food for the silk worms.

València is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-largest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona, with around 800,000 inhabitants in the city center. Its urban area extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of around 1.6 million people. Valencia is Spain's third largest metropolitan area, with a population ranging from 1.7 to 2.5 million depending on how the metropolitan area is defined.

The Port of Valencia is the 5th busiest container port in Europe and the busiest container port on the Mediterranean Sea.

We stop at the beach for photos and Rosa points out all the many restaurants there are to choose from if we want to come back in the afternoon.






We stop at the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències/City of Arts and Sciences.




Designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela, the project began the first stages of construction in July 1996, and was inaugurated on April 16, 1998 with the opening of L'Hemisfèric. The last major component of the City of Arts and Sciences, El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, was inaugurated on October 9, 2005, Valencian Community Day. Originally budgeted at €300 million, it has cost nearly three times the initial expected cost.

Rosa introduces us to horchata. A drink made from tiger nuts.



It is mainly made from chufas which are known as earth almonds or tiger nuts in English. These nuts take the form of a small knot and can be found protruding from the roots of the juncia avellanada plant. They also look a little bit like hazelnuts. The nuts are crushed and squeezed then mixed with sugar and water. It was really refreshing and the pastry served with it was great.

Next it's off to the market.




You can find just about anything here in the Mercat Central.

We walk around the old town a little more then head back to hotel to freshen up for a free afternoon exploring Valencia.


Jay and I decide to visit L'Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe. They aren't kidding, we spent almost three hours there.






We stop on our walk back to the hotel for beer and tapas and an ice cream. We're in the room around 7 p.m.. We walked over 7 miles today and we are feeling it.

Next up we make the long drive to Barcelona with a stop in Peñíscola. Game of Thrones fans will recognize Peñíscola as the city of Mereen from Season 5.

Barcelona is our final destination on this journey and some of us are starting to get homesick.


More photos of L'Oceanogràfic: https://photosbynanci.smugmug.com/Spain-2019/Oceanografic-Valencia/

More photos from our adventure: https://photosbynanci.smugmug.com/Spain-2019

Nancy Nutile-McMenemy is an Upper Valley freelance photographer and writer who loves to attend concerts and local events in and around Weathersfield and the Upper Valley.

If you have an event you'd like listed please email it to: photosbynanci@comcast.com

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