Valencia:
a Mediterranean Jewel

Valencia, with its rich heritage, wealth of architecture new and old, and vibrant calendar of cultural events, is among the Mediterranean's most attractive and most festive cities. Valencia has traditionally sought to protect all the attributes of a big city -- it is Spain's third largest - without suffering from any of the drawbacks. Situated in a fertile valley watered by two rivers, the Jucar and the Turia, the city boasts a long tradition of agriculture -- citrus orchards in particular - enhanced by irrigation systems first set up by the Romans and then improved by the Moors.

With a history stretching back to Roman times and encompassing Visigoth and Moorish periods, the city's architecture is delightfully rich, offering magnificent churches, elegant museums and romantic promenades. Valencia is in constant renewal, with innovative surprises such as an old river bed converted into a sprawling urban park. The new waterside Congress Centre, built by Sir Norman Foster and opening in July 1998, will guarantee Valencia's place in the intellectual life of Europe.

Key sights
The old city is a maze of tiny, charming streets that discourage the motorist -- happily! At the square of the Virgen de los Desamparados is the main cathedral, which was begun in the 13th century, completed in the 15th and renovated in the 18th, mixing Roman, Gothic and Baroque styles. Nearby are the Baroque basilica Our Lady of the Forsaken and the Lonja de la Seda, built in the 15th century as a silk market. This structure has been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List for the high quality of its Gothic architecture and Renaissance decoration. La Lonja reflects Valencia's long history as a Mediterranean commercial centre.

Two museums are especially attractive. The Fine Arts Museum, considered Spain's second after the Prado in Madrid, is a former monastery with works by Bosch, El Greco and Goya. The Gonzalez Marti ceramics museum, formerly a marquis's palace, has a rococo facade whose designer died a madman.

Another landmark is the Puente del Real, a 16th-century bridge originally built to cross the Turia River, long ago diverted with the help of a canal. The former riverbed is now a mecca for walkers, footballers and tennis enthusiasts.

The vast Plaza del Mercado is one of Europe's largest markets, covering 8,000 square meters. In addition, every Sunday there is a flea market at the Plaza Redonda.

Events
Hundreds of thousands of visitors descend on
Valencia March 15-19 each year for the city's premier festival, Las Fallas, when brass bands accompany parades featuring larger-than-life caricatures known as ninots, derived from an 18th-century tradition but with each passing year bearing more explicit political and sexual overtones.

The Feria de Julio (the July Fair) is an annual fixture featuring open-air concerts, parades, fireworks, bullfights and the crowning "battle of the flowers".