Hello Travelers! Interested in studying abroad in Spain? You’re just in luck! We offer a program, Spain: The Land of Many Cultures, that includes the beautiful city of Valencia. We wanted to share with you some great things to check out while you’re there.
Located on the east coast of the Iberian Peninsula, Valencia is the third largest city in Spain after Barcelona and Madrid and is definitely a must-see. Over the centuries, Valencia has undergone a number of transformations. Founded as a Roman Colony in 138 BCE, Valencia has since been home to invading Visigoths, Muslim dynasties, Christian conquests, and Bourbon rulers. Fast forward to the mid-nineties and Valencia had been transformed from a primarily industrial center to a bustling tourism hot-spot rich in history and culture.
Valencia is known for its architectural history, so when you visit be sure to check out the winding streets of Barrio del Carmen, which contain buildings from Roman and Arabic periods, as well as some fantastic restaurants and pubs! Nearby you will find the Valencia Cathedral, also known as Saint Mary’s Cathedral, a Roman Catholic Church consecrated in the 13th century and built atop the ruins of an ancient Visigothic cathedral-turned-mosque. Apart from its stunning Gothic architecture, the cathedral is also said to house a chalice that many Christian historians believe to be the true Holy Grail, or at least the most likely candidate for it. The chalice dates from the 1st century and has belonged to the cathedral since 1436.
Travel over to the newer districts of Valencia and you will feel that the short drive to get there transported you to another era. Along with its rich history, Valencia boasts stunning modern attractions, such as the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, also known as the City of Arts and Sciences. The City opened in 1998 and contains an IMAX cinema, planetarium, laserium, a museum of science that resembles the skeleton of a whale, an open air oceanographic park, an opera house, and a performing arts center, among other attractions.
Want to join in a celebration? Valencia is known worldwide for Las Falles, a festival held annually in March. What started as a feast for St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, has evolved into a five-day celebration that would be the envy of any pyromaniac. Translated, Las Falles means “the fires” in Valencian. Before the celebration, huge (sometimes several stories tall) life-like yet satirical-looking puppets or “ninots” made of wood, cardboard, paper-machè and plaster are erected and displayed parade-style in the city. On the last day of the celebration, the puppets are stuffed with fireworks and lit on fire at exactly 12 AM. Each year, popular vote saves one puppet from the fires; these “pardoned puppets” can be seen on display at the Falles Museum in Valencia.
Have you been to Valencia before? We would love to hear about your experiences and any ideas you have for exciting things to do there! Leave a comment below!
