Valencia holidays bring home a hat-trick of lively beach resorts, historic city sights and legendary Spanish cuisine.
Century-spanning city
Style-wise, Valencia’s like an old warhorse that’s rediscovered its youth. A Medieval castle gate marks the entrance to the old quarter, where throwback buildings play host to modern craft shops and cafés. The Gothic cathedral’s dressed in similarly traditional fashion, and you’ll be able to eye up the city’s architectural masterpiece – the City of Arts and Sciences – from the top. This futuristic collection of buildings has fast become a postcard fave.
Big on beaches
If city breaks aren’t your bag, don’t fret – Valencia nudges open the door to the beach-flecked Costa Blanca. This chunk of Spain's coastline’s flush with big names, like Alicante, Benidorm and Denia. The first of the three ranks highly for culture and nightlife, while Denia posts solid shopping and sightseeing scores. Benidorm, on the other hand, needs little introduction. The entertainment’s bold and brash, and the bustling beachfront’s joined by home-from-home restaurants and a thicket of hotels.
Culinary calling card
Valencia and paella have a bond to rival Italy’s love affair with pizza. The first rice and seafood-filled skillet’s said to have been cooked in the 10th century, and the rest has become lip-smacking history. The classic recipe’s got a meat-free ingredient list, with mussels, shellfish and fresh lemon to garnish. It’s a great sharer in traditional eating out haunts, where locals clatter forks for the dish’s coveted crispy base.
