Day 1 in Valencia

Welcome to Valencia! Upon arrival, you will go through customs and immigration. Should you opt to purchase a transfer to your hotel; a representative will be waiting for you as you exit immigration. Arrive at your hotel, check in and do not give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to see and do!

Start at the Torres dels Serrans. It is one of fourteen gates which once marked the boundary of Valencia`s Old City, and one of only two that still exist today. At over 100 feet tall, the gate is the highest of its kind in Europe. Afterwards, stroll parts of the meandering Jardi del Turia (full length 4.5 miles). Two museums that are located just off the Jardi del Turia are the Museu de Belles Arts de Valencia and the Museu de Ciencies Naturals. The former is a fine art museum with an extensive collection of paintings from the Spanish Golden Age, and the latter houses one of the larger dinosaur fossil collections in Europe. Wrap things up by unwinding at the picturesque Jardi de Montfort.

Day 2 in Valencia

Wake up early and head toward the Plaça de l`Ajuntament. You'll get a chance to take a gander at the morning's fresh flower deliveries at the stalls set up near the fountain. View everything that encompasses the `sumptuous arts` (ceramics to gilded carriages) at the Palau del Marques de Dosaigues. Take some time out for a fresh lunch using all local ingredients at the massive Mercat Central.

Just a short distance down the road is the UNESCO World Heritage Site, La Llotja de la Seda. Once the base of wealth for much of the Iberian Peninsula, the building's ornate main rooms still exude sophistication and class centuries after their zeniths. Explore the winding streets of Ciutat Vella (the Old City) before arriving at the Centre Arqueologic de l`Almoina. Its archaeologic exhibits tell the story of Valencia as it was lived during the time of the Romans and the Moors.

Down the Carrer del Micalet are two noteworthy sights: The Valencia Cathedral and Plaça de la Mare de Deu (also called Plaza de la Virgen). The Holy Grail is said to be housed inside the Valencia Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece dating from the 13th century. Valencia's Roman-era Forum was situated on the same site as Plaça de la Mare de Deu; be sure to visit the plaza`s Turia Fountain and listen to the story of its construction. The final sight of the day is Esglesia Sant Nicolau, with some of the most beautiful Baroque-era frescoes you`ll see in any church in Europe.

Day 3 in Valencia

Get an early start with a morning walk along Platja de la Malva-rosa. Afterwards, take an inland street (ex. Carrer d'Eugenia Vines) and stop off at any of the restaurants or cafés. Keep your eye out for the historic architectural gems around the entrance of Port de Valencia.

Reserve at least a few hours for one of the city's most popular cluster of sights: the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies. You can easily spend a whole day there, so choose wisely which sights you want to see: L`Hemisfèric, the IMAX cinema and planetarium; the interactive science museum El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe; the half-mile landscaped walk L`Umbracle; the oceanography park L`Oceanogràfic; or the performing arts venues El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia and L`Agora.

Plaça de Bous de Valencia (located near Estacio del Nord railway station) is the town bullring, and in March, May and July, it is possible to buy tickets to see a bullfight live and in person. At the end of the day, decide which sight you would like to see: Institut Valencia d'Art Modern, the very first modern art center in Spain, which is now one of the top 100 most-visited museums in the world; or Jardi Botanic, a 650,000-square foot complex which has been cultivated by the University of Valencia for over 500 years.

Additional Days in Valencia

Approximately 45 miles northeast of Valencia is the town of Castelló de la Plana. If Valencia is one of the hubs of the modern arts movement in Spain, Castelló (as the locals call it) is no slouch either, with a number of modern arts museums and open-air exhibits. This city, wedged in between the arid mountains and the sunny coast, offers quite a bit to travelers and it is off the beaten path.

If you want to see the glitz and glam of the beach, head 85 miles south to Benidorm, located on the luxurious and decadent Costa Blanca. Benidorm is popular with tourists from Europe and around the world, and once you enter town you'll see just how popular: there are more skyscrapers here per capita than anywhere else on Earth! Enjoy cabaret shows and have an `eat, pray, love` foodie experience at their numerous tapas bars.

Further southwest is the city of Murcia, well-known for their Carnival and Holy Week celebrations, which are some of the largest in the country. Sights that must be seen in Murcia include the landscaped city square, La Glorieta, which borders the city hall property; the 18th-century Puente de los Peligros, Murcia's oldest bridge; and the Al-Andalusian palatial complex and neighborhood of San Esteban, an as-yet-unfinished excavation into an archaeology site which shows how life was lived in the area over 1000 years ago.

Your Last Day in Valencia

Depart your hotel for the airport for your return home. We recommend that you purchase a private transfer; if so, a representative will meet you at the hotel in time to take you to the airport for your flight out.