Stunning beaches, Disney-style attractions and €2 pizzas – the Spanish city with three holidays in one

Do you want to enjoy balmy beaches? Do you prefer museums or beautiful beaches?

Maybe you simply want to explore a vibrant city full of authentic restaurants. Well, Valencia has it all.

5

5

Here you can have several holidays rolled into one — and that’s exactly what I did in Spain’s third city, down on the south-eastern coast.

Star of the show is the City Of Arts And Sciences — a £760million spaceship-like mega-complex, which took a decade to build.

It is a stunning sight — one of the 12 Treasures of Spain — and made me feel like I’d been transported into a future of hovercars and space travel.

They are such a surreal sight that several shows, including Doctor Who, Westworld, and Tomorrowland, have used them as filming locations.

As I walked around the impressive buildings, I realised that the huge resort reminded me of another famous one — the land of Epcot at Disney World in Florida.

The aviary at L’Oceanografic, the complex’s massive aquarium, resembles the golf ball-shaped Spaceship Earth at Epcot.

And there is even a nearby playground, Park Gulliver, with oversized slides that don’t quite compare to the rollercoasters at Disney, but are still fun for little ones.

You can really discover the best of Valencia by purchasing a Valencia Tourist Card. This card gives you free travel on both bus and metro.

The Science Museum is a sprawling attraction that teaches children everything about the human body and space exploration.

Adults are welcome to attend the Festival Of Arts at Opera House. This festival features live music performances throughout the summer months.

Best of all, the attractions sit so close to some incredible beaches, where I lost hours drinking cocktails — mostly at Las Arenas strip, which overlooks a busy stretch of sand with paddleboarders in the distance.

The trendy El Cabanyal neighborhood is just around the corner, also known as Little Havana because of the rainbow-tiled houses that line the streets.

I was there that I enjoyed a live band at the local jazz festival and ate Iberian ham, croquettes, and local wine.

Colmado LaLola, a local Jesus and rescue chihuahua, has some of the best tapas.

The small dishes kept coming, as did the stories about his life.

‘Absolute must-try’

I washed down fresh scallops, spicy patas bravas, and fried padron bell peppers with a vermouth that was so strong, I felt the need to embrace the Spanish siesta at Valencia Oceanic Hotel by Melia.

But don’t nap for too long as, like all of Spain, the city really comes alive at night.

You feel like you’re in a musical when you see the bars that spill onto the streets.

If you’re looking for a budget night, head to La Finestra. Everyone comes for the cheap beers and mini pizzas (€2.50).

It’s so popular you’ll find people perched on the nearby kerbs when the tables are all taken.

You can also order a tasting menu from Saona, a small restaurant in Valencia that serves gourmet food “cups”Local wine
For any foodie, paella is the absolute must-have.

Valencia is where the famous rice dish was invented and Nou Racó, in Albufera Nature Park, does it best, serving up wood-fired paellas the traditional way with either meat or seafood, but never a mix of both.

In a few days, I’d barely scratched the surface of Valencia’s city attractions.

But I’d still managed to get my fill of Disney-style excitement, blissful beach relaxation and top-notch wining and dining — all at a bargain price.

This is a great deal for one city.

5

5

5