A Travel Blog
We hopped a short flight from Valencia, Spain to Valletta, Malta. Malta is a small archipelago of islands in the Mediterranean roughly 93 km south of Sicily and 300 km from Tunisia and Libya in North Africa. We’re staying in the capital city, Valletta which we will use as a base to take a few day trips to other parts of the islands.
Read the full post »
On our last Sunday in Valencia we took the subway to the neighbourhood of Benimaclet, then walked down through the Jardines del Real to the Museu de Belles Arts (Museum of Fine Arts).
Read the full post »
During our day trip to the town of Sagunto we climbed up the winding road to explore the Castillo de Sagunto, a 2000-year-old castle built by the Iberians, Carthaginians, Romans, Muslims and Catholics.
The castle was conquered by the armies of both Hannibal (in 219 BC) and Napoléon Bonaparte (in 1811). Parts were repurposed for anti-aircraft defenses during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930’s.
Read the full post »
Along the road between Sagunto’s town center and the castle we paused at the Teatro Romano de Sagunto. This 8,000-seat Roman amphitheater was built into the natural slope of the mountain during the 1st Century AD.
Read the full post »
On Saturday we took a day trip to visit the town of Sagunto, located about 30 km north of Valencia. The town is known for its sprawling castle ruin, restored Roman theatre, and historic town centre.
Read the full post »
We visited the Mercado Central in Valencia, one of the largest markets in Europe. It was built between 1914 and 1928 in the Art Nouveaux style, which gives it the stunning high ceilings and a light, airy atmosphere.
Read the full post »
A museum of ceramics might not sound particularly enticing, but the Museo Nacional de Cerámica in Valencia is housed in an 15th century building that was re-modeled into a dramatic Rococo palace in the 1740’s. It’s impressively overwhelming — if gaudy to modern eyes — and well worth the €3 admission.
Read the full post »
Many layers of history are buried beneath the streets of Valencia. We visited the Centro Arqueológico de la Almoina where we were able to go underneath the city’s oldest square and walk through excavations from the Roman, Visigoth and Arab eras.
Read the full post »
During our first week in Valencia, we had lunch inside the Mercado de Colón, a former traditional market that’s been renovated to house two floors of upscale restaurants, shops and cafés.
Read the full post »
On a warm and sunny Sunday we decided it was time to figure out the Valencian bus system and head to the El Cabanyal area of the city, about 20 minutes from the core. There we explored the beautiful Platja del Cabanyal beach and the historic fisherman’s quarter tucked in behind it.
Read the full post »
We visited the Museu del Patriarca (Museum of the Patriarch) in Valencia’s old town. The museum is located inside a seminary constructed in the late 1500’s, and includes a cloister courtyard and a small chapel.
Read the full post »
To get our bearings on our first full day in Valencia, we took a leisurely wander through the heart of the Ciutat Vella (Old City). It was a Sunday and a holiday so most sites were closed, but it was a good overview of the places we might revisit later.
Read the full post »