Valencia Holiday experts. Bestattravel.co.uk have over 17 years experience in booking and arranging holidays in Valencia.

Lively, warm and welcoming, Valencia is Spain’s third largest city and birthplace of its most famous dish - paella. Refreshingly non touristy, it is blessed with beautiful weather, lively nightlife, an excellent fine arts museum, and an atmospheric old town. For a fantastic view over Valencia, head for the Miguelete - the octagonal bell tower lying atop the city’s cathedral. The cathedral itself reflects the city’s rich architectural history with Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance styles all featured. It is claimed that the Holy Grail (Santo Caliz) - the gold cup used by Christ during the Last Supper - is housed in the cathedral’s museum. Valencia’s town hall - the ayuntamiento - lies right in the heart of the city. A palatial 18th century building, it houses two small museums and is wonderfully lit up at night. For an outstanding collection of work by Valencian impressionists such as Sorolla, Espinosa and Ribalta, don’t miss the Museo de Bellas Artes. Situated in the Jardines del Real, the museum is one of the best in Spain and also features works by Goya, Velazquez and El Greco.

Founded by the Romans and then occupied by a succession of conquerors, including the Moors and El Cid, Valencia became and remains a major Mediterranean port. It is now Spain's third largest city, measuring 5 mls by 5 mls with a population of 780,000, and offers a well-coordinated combination of tourism and industry, with a thriving rice and orange trade. It boasts an eclectic selection of Gothic, Roman, Moorish and modern architecture, all easily explored on foot over flat terrain. Most of tourist interest is contained within 2 sq mls at the heart of the city, where the historic centre has been tastefully restored; Barrio del Carmen forms the oldest district and many of the ancient buildings here have been converted into restaurants, bars, boutiques and galleries. The shopping and business districts remain bustling, overcrowded and often noisy, but the park that occupies the old river bed is a welcome area for relaxation and fresh air, while the modern "City of Arts and Science", to the SE of the centre at the end of the Turia Gardens, offers museums, a planetarium and IMAX cinema.