- Unmissable trip: From the Roman Forum to the City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia has a huge cultural offering. Don’t fail to visit: Valencia Cathedral, the Miguelete tower, the Basilica dedicated to the Virgin of the Desamperados, the Royal Convent of Santo Domingo, churches like Santa Catalina, San Nicolás, and San Martín, the Serrano and Quart towers, the Generalitat Palace, the Silk Exchange (World Heritage Site), the Central Market, Colón Market, and the Estación del Norte. The City of Arts and Sciences, built by Santiago Calatrava (a futuristic complex located in the bed of the now dry Turia river, is home to the L´Hemisfèric planetarium-cinema, the Palau of the Arts (See video), geared towards to the promotion and circulation of the arts, the Príncipe Felipe Science museum (See video), the Universal L´Oceanographic Park and other museums like the Valencian Institute of Modern Art, The San Pío V Fine Art Museum, the Patriarca Museum, the Gonzaléz Martí National Museum of Ceramic and Sumptuous Arts, the Fallero Museum and the Fallero Artists Museum. Valencia has natural spaces like the Albufera Natural Park which contains many gardens, among which the Botanical Gardens (with more than 200 years of history) and the Royal Gardens (also known as the Municipal Nursery) are remarkable.

- Interesting facts:

As well as Spanish, Valencian is also spoken in Valencia.

The silk, furniture and metal industries are the most traditional industries in Valencia. There are more recent industries here as well: machine making, naval construction, lighting, jewellery, graphic arts and food.

Fairs (exhibitions) are one of Valencia’s constant features, a showcase for its industrial and commercial activity

After its conquest by Jaime I (1238), King of the Crown of Aragon, the public and religious buildings were reused and, until 1262, the main mosque was used as the cathedral. Aside from the commercial and trade areas, there were two areas where the religious minorities lived, the Moorish community lived in Quart Road (now San Miguel) with their own walls, lodgings, mosque and shops and the Jewish community lived around the neighbourhood of Xerea, Mar Street, Avellanas and the current Palace of the Marquis of Dos Aguas. In 1356, new walls were constructed (Blanquerías, Count of Trénor, Cuidadela, Colón, Játiva, and Guillén de Castro), enlarging the surface area of the city. Of its twelve gates, only those of Serrano and Quart are preserved.

- Practical information: When you go shopping, don’t forget the following:

Opening hours: Most businesses open between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and between 4.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. The shopping centres open continuously from 10 a.m. to 9.30 p.m.

Sales: Generally, they start in the second week of January and go on until the end of February for the winter season and from the 1st of July until the end of August for the summer season.

Payment methods: It is normal to pay either by cash or card. If you pay by card, you need to show your passport or identity document.

Tax free: Those who are resident outside the European Union and make a purchase worth more than €90.15 are entitled to reclaim the Value Added

Tax (IVA in Spain)

Valencia Card: Thanks to this card, which can be obtained in some hotels, tobacconists and kiosks, you can get good discounts in shops, restaurants, shows and leisure centres and it has the advantage of giving free use of the public transport in Valencia.

- Population: According to the 2005 census, 796,549 inhabitants.

- Local Markets: Local markets are held every morning in different Valencian neighbourhoods. At their stalls, it is possible to find very varied items, from clothes to flowers and antiques. One of the most popular markets is the one that is held every Sunday inside the Silk Exchange and concentrates on stamp and coin collecting. There is also the Rastro Sunday market around the Mestalla football ground where second-hand goods and antiques can be found.

- Festivals
New Year: 1st of January
Epiphany: 6th of January
San Vicente Mártir: 22nd of January
San José: 19th of March
Good Friday and Easter Monday: The date changes each year
San Vicente Ferrer: the Monday after Easter
Valencian Community Day: 9th of October
Hispanic National Day: 12th of October
All Saints: 1st of November
Spanish Constitution Day: 6th of December
Immaculate Conception: 8th of December
Christmas: 25th of December

-Climate: The climate of the Valencian Community is subject to influences by Mediterranean air masses. Its winters are not harsh with an annual average of between 8°C and 15°C and its summers are hot and humid with an average between 20°C and 35°C. Further inland there is a greater contrast between the winter cold and the high summer temperatures. Most rain falls in spring and autumn and varies between 650 mm annually in the northern highlands, 250 mm in the regions to the south of Alicante and between 300 and 400 mm in the coastal plains. When a bubble of cold air in high levels of the atmosphere comes into contact with warm air masses the so-called gota fria (series of torrential rains) is produced that can, on some occasions, produce serious flooding, like in the River Júcar in 1864, 1884, 1916, 1982 and in the River Turia in 1870, 1897, 1949 and 1957.

How to get there:

By road: Valencia is equipped with a modern road network which makes it easy to access from the main Spanish and European cities. The Mediterranean motorway (AP-7) is connected to the European motorway network.
By plane: Manises International Airport lies at a distance of 8 kilometres from the city and the approximate cost of a taxi from the airport to the city centre is 18 euros.
Information service: Phone Number: 34 961 598 500
Internet: www.aena.es

AERO-BUS: Direct service Airport/Valencia/Airport. It runs daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (every 20 minutes). Price approx €2.50. Stops: Airport (Departures area) – Avenida del Cid at the corner with Calle Burgos (Local Police Headquarters) – Calle Bailén (at the G.V Ramón y Cajal tunnel) – Ángel Guimerá with the corner of Calle Juan Llorens - Avenida del Cid with the corner of Calle Burgos (Local Police Headquarters) – Airport.

METRO:
Line 5 Airport/Torrent Avinguda- Neptú. Approx every 10-20 minutes.
Line 3 Airport/Palmaret- Rafelbunyol. Approx every 10-20 minutes.  
By train:
The ALARIS, EUROMED and RENFE trains leave from the Estación del Norte:
Calle Játiva, 24-46007 Valencia
Phone Number: 34 902 24 02 02
Internet www.renfe.es
By sea:
The companies that operate here are:

- BALEARIA
Estación Maritima (no number) 46024, Valencia
Phone Number: 902 160 180
Denia – Ibiza, Mallorca, Formentera
Internet: www.balearia.net

- ISCOMAR
Estación Maritima. Port of Valencia – 46024
Phone Number: 902 119 128
Valencia – Palma de Mallorca
Internet: www.iscomar.com

- TRASMEDITERRANEA
Estación Maritima - Port of Valencia – 46024, Valencia
Phone Number: 34 902 45 46 45
Valencia – Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Mahón
Internet: www.tranmediterranea.es
The contact details for the Valencia Port Authority are:
Muelle de la Aduana (no number) – 46024, Valencia
Phone Number: 34 96 393 95 00
Fax: 34 96 393 95 99
Internet: www.valenciaport.com
Email: apv@valenciaport.com