We’ve had to focus on all the legal requirements needed to get back into Britain so have fallen behind with the blog. We’ve ordered the day two PCR tests from Boots, not cheap at £69 each, and finally completed the Passenger Locator Form.
I say “finally” as it took us some time to wade through the plethora of questions and work out what some of them were actually asking. At this point we’ve no idea if we’ve filled them in correctly, but we’ve submitted them, and unfortunately it looks like we’ll only know if there are any problems with them when we arrive at the border!
Anyway, back to Valencia. Valencia is a port on the Mediterranean on Spain’s South Eastern coast and, with a population of about 800,000 people, is Spain’s third largest city. Its history is a familiar one for a Spain. Founded by the Romans in 138BC, it’s was conquered by the Moors, captured by El Cid in 1093, retaken by the Moors and recaptured by Jaime I, the conqueror, in 1238.
These days Valencia is a destination for art, culture and a vibrant nightlife. It proudly boasts of a City of Arts and Sciences which is regarded as one of the 12 treasures of Spain. The City, stretching over 2 kms, includes the largest aquarium in Europe, a digital 3D cinema with a 900 metre concave screen, a Science Museum, Opera House and extensive gardens.
Unfortunately we only had one day, so we focused on the old part of the city.
The train to Valencia from the campsite, is actually Line 1, of the city Metro system. It’s a pleasant journey, though orange groves and market gardens, and only takes about 30 minutes, and as you enter the outskirts of the city the train dives underground.
We emerged from the train into the bright Valencian sunshine at the Plaza España and headed to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, an impressively large square, at the heart of the old town. We had a bit of a plan to find the three or four “must see” buildings first, but to be honest the real pleasure was in simply wandering about in the labyrinth of streets that form the old town.
The cathedral was build in 1262 and added to over the centuries. Its claim to fame is a finely polished agate cup, displayed in one of the chapels, which according to legend, is said to be the Holy Grail.
Sadly of the city walls no longer protect the city, having been dismantled in the 19th century. The impressive Torres de Serranos, erected in 1238, is one of the two remaining gateways into the city. If the walls matched this structure in terms of scale they must have been enormous.
The Mercado Central is one of the largest and surely the most attractive markets in Europe. A huge iron, glass and tile building it’s as though it’s been built as a cathedral in celebration of the seafood, vegetable, fruit and cheeses it sells.
We were never going to give justice to Valencia in one day, especially staying on the outskirts. Really Valencia would be an ideal destination for a mini break allowing 3 or 4 days to explore the old town, the coast and of course the city of Arts and Sciences. It would also be an opportunity to sample some of the “exuberant” night life.
Adventures in the Silver Machine 