Valencia Hotels

Spain’s third-largest city, Valencia, lures millions of tourists every year with its thin expanse of Mediterranean coastline. Historically transitioning from Roman to Moorish to Christian rule, Valencia has a rich and varied heritage. Today, this city offers an impressive collection of historic buildings, well-manicured gardens and state-of-the-art museums.

Bioparc Valencia
This 21st-century wildlife facility transcends visitors’ preconceptions about zoos and offers a completely immersive experience. Each of the habitats is meticulously recreated, with subtle barriers like streams and rock formations that enhance, rather than detract from the wildlife viewing experience. When safe and appropriate, animals are kept together in sprawling, common enclosures that mimic their natural habitat. Children will be especially impressed by the lemur habitat, in which the primates range freely and even cross paths with their human admirers. The park opened in 2007 with an African safari theme. The upcoming construction phase will add South American and Southeast Asian habitats. Website: www.bioparcvalencia.es/ingles.html.

Fiesta San Vicente: Valencia’s patron saint, San Vicente Martir is honoured on the 22^nd of January. A sombre pontifical mass is held on the 21^st, and on the following day there is a procession across town that retraces the final steps of this Christian martyr. An evening mass is held again at La Roqueta (the Cristo Rey Cathedral).

Almoina Plaza
This small square next to the cathedral has hidden some of the city’s most fascinating archaeological treasures. Excavations began in 1985 and uncovered an amazing variety of artefacts including relics related to the old Roman road, Arab baths and a Visigoth chapel. The plaza is adjacent to St Vicente’s crypt, where the multimedia presentation pairs nicely with visits to historic Almoina Plaza. Phone: +34 96 394 14 17.

Valencia’s airport in neighbouring Manises is situated just over eight Kilometres (five miles) west of the city centre. This is a gateway for tourists to the Costa del Azahar region, and it also serves a significant number of business travellers. In all, more than six million passengers pass through this facility every year, coming from and going to major cities (such as London, Milan, Paris and Lisbon) representing a total of 15 countries across Europe.

Banks: 08:30 to 14:00, Monday to Friday; some open 16:00 to 20:00, Thursday
Post Offices:08:30 to 21:30, Monday to Saturday
Government Offices: 07:00 to 14:00, Monday to Friday in summer; 09:00 to 14:00 and 16:30 to 19:30 on some afternoons, Monday to Friday in winter
Business Centres: 09:00 to 14:00 and 16:30 to 19:30, Monday to Friday
Shops: 09:00 to 21:00, Monday to Saturday; some open on Sundays