Valencia smells of orange trees, sea and gunpowder. Every year many tourists come here looking for the charm of the historical part of this city, the natural richness of the surroundings, the sun and the Mediterranean atmosphere of its beaches and gastronomy.

Here is a list of the 5 essential places to see in Valencia:

THE CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES AND THE OCEANOGRAPHIC PARK

In July 1996, construction of the City of Arts and Sciences got underway, designed by the Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. It is an architectural, cultural and entertainment complex, located at the end of the old Turia riverbed. It is an IMAX cinema projection room, planetarium and a laser in the shape of an eye with an approximate surface area of 13,000m². It is the largest hall in Spain that houses three projection systems on a concave 900m² screen. The Oceanogràfic also represents the marine ecosystems of the planet’s different seas and oceans. There are different types of tickets, we recommend the combined ticket that gives you access to the Hemisfèric, the Science Museum and the Oceanogràfic.

PLAZA DE LA VIRGEN

It is located in the heart of the city, where the forum of the Roman Valentina used to be. In the square, you can see three of the city´s monumental and emblematic buildings: the Cathedral of Santa Maria, the Basilica of the Virgen de los Desamparados and the Palace of the Generalitat. You can park your motorcycle there, which will allow you to get to feel the spirit of this Mediterranean city.

PLAZA DEL AYUNTAMIENTO

This is another of the must-visit squares. It is less than a five-minutes walk from Plaza de la Virgen and the first thing you see when you reach it is the large white façade of the Casa Consistorial, the Valencia City Council building. The house was built between 1758 and 1763 in a mixture of styles ranging from neoclassical to neo-baroque. In the centre of the square, there is a circular fountain, as well as the Post and Telegraph building.

CENTRAL MARKET

The Central Market, in Plaza Ciudad de Brujas, less than 100 metres from the Lonja building, is one of the city´s best examples of Valencian modernist architecture. Construction began in 1914 by Francesc Guàrdia i Vial and Alexandre Soler i March. The building is a work of art from the beginning of the 20th century and outside it is full of terraces where you can have an aperitif.

ALBUFERA NATIONAL PARK VALENCIA

This is a natural park located about 10 kilometres south of the city. This space has a shallow coastal lagoon, dunes, beaches, pine forests and reeds, in an area of approximately 24 square kilometres of land between sea level and a thousand metres above sea level. Entry is free of charge. It is home to an endless array of migratory birds and grey herons, little egrets, common terns and the marbled teal. You can get there by motorcycle leaving from Valencia on the Carretera del Saler (V-15), which leaves from Valencia and crosses the park from north to south as far as El Saler. Another way of accessing the northern part of the Albufera is via the CV-401, which goes from Alfafar to the El Saler district.