Vamos a Valencia
“I feel like if I had to live somewhere in Spain long-term it would be Valencia. You still have the beach like Barcelona, the same good food, the shopping, and the people are nicer.” –Abby
That pretty much sums up Valencia. This past weekend we took a three-hour train southwest down the cost to the 3rd largest city in Spain. It was very peaceful and a nice little getaway from Barcelona to enjoy some more of Spain. The train ride takes you along the coast much of the way for some great views. The city is definitely smaller than Barcelona and you can feel it. With that being said, it’s not “small” by any means, this is just a tribute to the size of Barcelona.
We spent a lot of time exploring the city the Friday after we arrived. Our first stop was Plaza de Toros de Valencia. This is the site of the famous bull-fighting ring still used around 3 times a year, otherwise a venue for concerts. From there we walked around the city to Plaza del Ayuntamiento. In case you’re wondering I did have to Google that to make sure I spelled it correctly. This long A-word plaza is the modern plaza of the City Hall of Valencia. Outside you can see the beautiful fountain pictured with beautiful Abby.
We kept walking to the Valencia Cathedral. This Roman Catholic Cathedral was consecrated in the year 1238 by the first bishop of Valencia. From there we also stopped in Plaza de la Virgen to take a few more photos. We ended the evening where any good American would who would be hungry before many of the Spanish places were open for dinner; The Hard Rock Café Valencia.
Saturday we woke up and headed to Oceanographic, the largest aquarium in Europe. We arrived just in time to see the Dolphin show. This just reminded us how incredible of animals dolphins are. They are so smart and really seem to have funny personalities. After the show, we ventured around the rest of the grounds and saw everything from Beluga Whales, to Sharks, to Tortoises, to Sea Lions, to Flamingos, Penguins, and more.
After the Aquarium we grabbed a late lunch (and if your name was Abby an Ice Cream as well). From there we did a little shopping and went back to our Air BnB to relax for a bit before dinner. We made a reservation for dinner at an Italian spot right near Plaza de la Virgen (25 min or so walk). We headed over and had some fantastic pasta.
Sunday morning we went and had some breakfast at a nice café. Following that, I wanted to do a little shopping. But don’t worry, I could tell you were starting to. Abby did some shopping too!
Valencia was totally worth the trip. It definitely feels like a smaller version of Barcelona but still embodies a lot of the Spanish culture. After all, it is the homeland of the Paella.
