Valencia - Spain's Cultural Capital
Located fairly close to another major Spanish town like Barcelona, Valencia does however manage to attract large numbers of tourists thanks to its rich cultural life and lively nightlife. Come here March and you’ll witness the Fallas festivals and in August to witness La Tomatina (annual tomato fight). Sailing enthusiasts will not be disappointed with the yacht charters Spain options to be found here.
General Info
This town is considered a landmark not just by the locals but also by the tourists coming here in search of a Yacht Charter vacation thanks to its cultural heritage and one of Spain’s most famous festivals, the Fallas.
Situated on the Eastern shore of the Spanish peninsula, it acts as one of the big ports next to Barcelona. Of course, there are other Yacht Charter destinations like Denia, but Valencia manages to attract a lot more tourists thanks to its size.
Travel & Arrival
Considering that Valencia International Airport is just 9 km from the city center and that every half hour there are buses back to town, air travel would be a comfortable and fast option for any Yacht Charter visitor to get here. Taxi rides are also available and decently priced in case you don’t want to wait for a bus.
The Yacht Charter tourist coming in by car needs only to follow the A-7 E-15 from Barcelona. Another road, coming from the west, is the E-901, but there is also the V-21 and the CV-500 which are situated along the coastline, making your drive more scenic.
Trains rides from Madrid, Barcelona and even some European cities arrive daily at the Estacion del Norte, right next to the town hall in the city’s central region. Yacht Charter arriving crews can also check and book tickets online.
But if none of that appeals to you, there’s always the possibility of arriving in Valencia by ferry, especially if travelling from the Balearic Islands, from Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca and Mahon.
Avant & Apres Sail
There are some very interesting modern buildings to be seen all through Valencia, as well as numerous monumental heritage sites, as the town itself is regarded as a cultural center for the whole country. Any travelling Yacht Charter group should stop by the City of Arts and Science, the Barri del Carme, the Llotja, the Mercat Central (good place to do some shopping also), Llado Porcelain Museum and Factory.
While eating out in Valencia, there is only one word you should remember: paella. While there are many recipes available, this is the place that first spawned this magnificent culinary delight so you should give it a try. Also, a hungry but also inquisitive Yacht Charter seaman might also want to try black rice (arros negre) darkened with squid ink, all I pebre (an eel dish), bunyols (donuts) with chocolate and orxarta which is a drink made from a local plant very popular during the summer months.
For a pleasant night out, Yacht Charter parties should head out to the Barrio del Carmen, a place where you’ll find restaurants, bars and even clubs and a lovely party atmosphere, especially during the warm season.
Events & Activities
The most famous event in Valencia is the Fallas, famous throughout Spain, where huge paper maché sculptures are burned down in the street on March 19th, according to an old tradition. Large crowds flock from all over Europe to enjoy this event, so why wouldn’t your Yacht Charter crew benefit from this too?
Nearby, in the town of Buňol, in the last week of August, there is another world famous event, La Tomatina, or the annual tomato fight which might prove very appealing to some scrappy Yacht Charter sailors.
These are just a few reasons why you should consider Valencia as an option for the Yacht Charter holiday this year.