Valencia City Guide - Overview

Frequently touted as the ‘New Barcelona', Spain's third largest metropolis is now one of the hottest tickets in the European city break market. A short hop from the resorts of the Costa Blanca to the south and serviced by a large number of low-cost airlines, its transformation has been led by two huge projects.

The first is the architectural tour de force La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (The City of Arts and Sciences) housing an eclectic range of visitor attractions. The second project was the America's Cup, the world's biggest and most prestigious yachting event, which was staged in and around Valencia in 2007.

To accommodate this, the port area was turned into one of Europe's largest urban regeneration projects with over €1.5 billion invested to put Valencia on the map as a world-class yachting centre. A stunning new marina called Port America's Cup has been built and will appeal to even the most nautically challenged visitor. And the excitement hasn't stopped with the departure of the America's Cup; on 24 August 2008 Valencia will be hosting the Formula 1 European Grand Prix around the streets of the new port.

Spain's third city also boasts an atmospheric old town that is the equal of any of the country's centros históricos. By night this hosts a throbbing nightlife (‘la marcha') and as a bonus there's a very good beach just a five-minute ride from the centre - ideal for chilling out the morning after.