Last day in Valencia and here are the likely and unlikely musts in this gorgeous and happily (and thankfully) underrated city – besides paella and the old city center. Random order, you really have to try them all
1. Bioparc
You can call it a zoo, but you’ll be a gross understatement. This is the most wonderful “bio immersion” you’ve seen. The concept of immersing the visitor into the animals’ habitat – and not the other way round, the way a classical zoo does – is magically re-creating Africa in Valencia downtown.
2. Turia – the riverbed transformed into park
3. Estacio Norte – The train station
4. Agua de Valencia – the local twist on the champagne, it is a cocktail best served cold, made of cava / champagne, vodka, gin and orange juice.
5. Jardin Monforte – of all the parks and gardens in Valencia, the small Monforte is superlative
6. Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
7. Cabanyal-Malvarossa beach – best city beach in Europe
8. Palacio Dos Aguas
Maybe the most beautiful building in Valencia and surely the most mysterious. With its elegant game of shadows and the exquisite alabaster sculptures, the eerie palace of the Marques de Dos Aguas is an architecture gem by day and a ghostly presence by night.
9. Valencian oranges and tomatoes
try and google “best oranges in the world”. go to the market and buy Valencian tomatoes for your salad.