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Valencia, Azahar coast, Alicante
Valencia
Spain’s third-largest city (population
800,000), Valencia is famous for its
orange groves, its fruit and
vegetable market (one of the largest
in Europe) and its lively nightlife.
It is also a popular tourist resort
with beaches a short bus ride from
the town.
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The newest tourist
attraction is Santiago Calatrava’s
City of Arts and Science Park. The
Hemispheric, an amazing glass
structure, houses a planetarium,
IMAX dome and laserium. The Palace
of Arts boasts the largest
oceanarium in Europe. Valencia’s
Cathedral claims possession of the
Holy Grail. The Fallas (Mar
15-19) is a major festival
culminating in the burning of
papier-mâché effigies satirising
famous Spanish figures and a
magnificent fireworks display.
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Alicante & the Costa Blanca
The Costa Calida in the province of
Murcia lies to the south of Alicante
and is thinly populated except in
the areas around the river valleys.
Summer temperatures here can be
unbearably hot in the resorts but
especially inland. Murcia, the town,
has a university, cathedral and
small old quarter. The salt water
lagoon at Mar Menor is good for
watersports, while nearby, La Manga
offers tennis, golf and so on. Other
resorts include Mazarrón, La Unión
and Aguilas. The best time to visit
Cartagena, founded, as its name
implies, by the Carthaginians in the
third century BC, is during Holy
Week. The town museum has a good
collection of Roman and pre-Roman
artifacts. Space on the beaches
around Torrevieja is at a premium
during the summer.
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Srt and Sciencies city,
Valencias |
Further north along the coast is
Alicante, the most important town on
the Costa Blanca. The town is
dominated by the vast Moorish castle
of Santa Barbara, which offers
superb views of the city. Excursions
from Alicante include a run inland
to Guadalest, a village perched like
an eagle’s eyrie high in the
mountains and accessible in the last
stages only by donkey or on foot.
Also of great interest are several
historical sites, including the
castles at Elda and Villena, and
Elche, famous for its forest of a
million palm trees, Botanical
Gardens and Basilica, where a
medieval Mystery play is
performed to celebrate the feast of
the Assumption (Aug 14-15).
The Costa Blanca has expanded
rapidly in recent years and most of
the coastal towns between the Peñón
de Ifach and Alicante are primarily
tourist resorts. Temperatures are
higher than on the Costa Brava and
the beaches tend to be more
extensive. Benidorm is the largest
and most intensively developed
resort. The new Terramitica theme
park is proving popular with
visitors. One of many places of
interest in the area is the Peñón de
Ifach (Ifach Rock), 5km (3 miles)
beyond the walled town of Calpe.
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Sportive harbour - Valencia |
The Costa del Azahar
This coastal region extends from
Vinaròs and the Gulf of Valencia to
beyond Denia. The region has
expansive beaches around Benicàssim,
but its most outstanding feature is,
perhaps, the medieval fortress town
of Peñiscola, a dramatic sight when
viewed from a distance. Other places
of interest are the ruined castle of
Chisvert, inland from Peñiscola; the
16th-century Torre del Rey at
Oropesa; and the Carmelite monastery
at the Desierto de las Palmas. North
of Valencia is the attractive
provincial capital of Castellón,
Castellón de la Plana. This small
town is situated on a fertile plain,
and is the center of a thriving
trade in citrus fruits.
VALENCIA
AND THE REGION OF VALENCIA RECEIVE
THE 32ND AMERICA'S CUP
Ten
minutes before midday on Thursday,
26 November 2003, Pierre-Yves
Firmenich, commodore of the Société
Nautique de Genève, announced the
name of the city that would host the
32nd edition of the American's Cup,
the most important yacht racing
competition in the world, with an
exclamation: 'Valencia!'.
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Thus
commenced a relation that has
permanently altered the city of
Valencia and the Community of
Valencia. It marked the beginning of
new era for the oldest of trophy
winning sports, which began in 1851,
and will take place in Europe for
the first time.
With
its 300 sunny days a year and
perfect wind conditions for sailing,
the area is well situated for a
world famous yachting event of this
nature. But this alone is not reason
enough to host an event of the
social magnitude of the America's
Cup.
The
determination to be chosen to host
the greatest edition of the race in
history was a revolutionary
endeavour not only for the city of
Valencia and the Community, but also
for the America's Cup.
Compelled by the innovative
determination and prestige
associated with this international
event, the city and the entire
region are undergoing a profound
transformation. |
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