If you're fortunate to make it to Valencia, I think one of the best things to do is take a long,…read moreleisurely walk through this unusual urban park. Snaking through the middle of the city for over 5-1/2 miles, it's the former riverbed of the Turia River. A tragic flood in 1957 forced the city to reroute the river, and while Franco wanted to build an autobahn, the local populace insisted it be turned into a green oasis. Because we had only a couple of days in Valencia, Jamie W and I focused mostly on the continuous walking path. We didn't have time to stop at destinations along the way like the various museums and historic bridges. Starting at the City of Arts and Sciences on the southern end, we made our way back toward the center of town. Because of its submerged level, the park is well insulated from traffic noises. There are many places to take a rest and enjoy the orange trees (Photo 5) or watch Valencians jog, bike, and frolic, including the Gulliver playground where groups shared the same slide on one of his sleeves (Video). RELATED - Exploring Valencia? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/xRp9hOr4NT

When Im in town i generally stay by the Calatrava complex. After taking a stroll through the…read morearchitecture, I make my way through the Turia river bed gardens. If I had a day to spend Id try and walk the whole thing out to the outskirts of the western parts of the city. It is quite huge. It's interesting that this city planning and beautiful space came out of the tragedy of the city flooding and the new river, which is almost completely barren on the outside of the city is down trodden. Anyways, there is way more to explore than meets the eye, and a bonus is on hot days, it's usually more temperate in the gardens below

Came here in both October and December. October was warm and not too busy. December was busy but…read moreabsolutely lovely due to the beautiful Christmas decor and Christmas market...during this time, they have a large nativity scene, lit up trees, and lots of artisan pop-up shops. If you've never been to Valencia before, Plaza de la Reina is a must-do; even if it's not on your list, you're likely to come across it as you're walking around..it's very centrally located. The main attraction at the Plaza is the Valencia Cathedral. Here is where you can find the supposed real Holy Grail / Holy Chalice, but you must pay an entrance fee to see it. You can feel free to skip this attraction but still enjoy the lovely plaza. Grab a snack to eat, do a little shopping, and take in the beautiful architecture and Valencian culture. As I mentioned before, this Plaza is very centrally located. Right behind it is the Plaza de la Virgen with some more impressive religious architecture, and just a few blocks away is the Plaza del Ayuntamiento which is very impressive. TONS of restaurants and shops in the area. Mercado Central is also very close by. Plaza de la Reina even has its own underground parking, just look for the blue "P" signs when you get there. You'll have to pay for parking here, but considering how centrally located it is, it's decently priced. A Valencia must-do.

On my way to see the Cathedral, I realized Palza De La Reina is crazy busy. Too busy for me. It's…read morecrowded with tourists, people hawking things to tourists and awy too much traffic. It is cool to see the mass of humanity up to a point. The tented vendors, then people sitting on the sidewalks, it's a crazy mix. However if you're like me you'll go to take in the architecture, have a chufa horchata, then get the heck out

As much as I love sushi, I don't quite share that passion about fish before it gets caught,…read moreauctioned, filleted, and devoured. Now Jamie and I have been to world-class aquariums from Okinawa (review: https://yelp.to/JmZt0OKoJh) to Monterey (review: https://yelp.to/Zl6LM5VwU2), and this one is among the better ones we've visited, for sure. Take, for example, the Shark Tunnel billed as Europe's longest underwater tunnel (Photo 8). Sharks, rays, tortoises, and the more alpha fish swim above and all around you. It was definitely a unique feature, and so was the college campus approach to the entire operation. Instead of the usual claustrophobic space aquariums provide visitors, Oceanografic offers separate pavilions to reflect different ecosystems like the Arctic, Antarctica, and the Mediterranean. Spanning 110,000 square meters, It allows them to spread out the marine life. Birds and reptiles get their own outdoor compounds. The layout and architecture are compatible with the rest of the retro-futuristic City of Arts & Sciences complex. In fact, this worked well as an introduction to the expansive complex for us as we headed northward through Jardí del Túria. We didn't plan on coming here, which meant we waited in line for a half-hour before paying 39.45€ for each of us to enter. A bit steep but hey, if you like live sushi.. RELATED - Exploring Valencia? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/FQBNx3Jkoj

As far as aquariums go this one is world class. Oceanogràfic offers various aquatic environments…read morethat will delight and awe everyone from children to elders. The highlights are the tunnels that fully immerse you in the underwater dwellings. You can see sharks and various other fish and sea life swim all around you. The beluga whale and penguins in the artic exhibit were cool too. If you're visiting Valencia, I highly recommend including Oceanogràfic as a must visit destination.