Valencia
Spain · 2 nights
This balmy Mediterranean port town, set in a dreamy seaside setting, lives up to the local saying "a piece of heaven fallen to earth." The town's palm-fringed plazas come alive under the warm rays of the southern sun, and its churches sparkle with brightly colored azulejo domes. Valencia has a rich cultural heritage as the former capital of the kingdom of Valencia. The 15th-century Silk Exchange, the 18th-century Marquise Palace, and the Museum of Fine Arts are just a few of the magnificent historic monuments that tell the story of a wealthy merchant and aristocratic past. Valencia has a charming historic center, the Ciutat Vella (Old Town), but it has jumped right into the twenty-first century. Visitors are immersed in a brave new world of artistic and scientific discovery at the sleek Modern Art Institute and the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences. Capital: Valencia International Airport: Valencia Airport (VLC) Population: 835,000 Currency: Euro Time: GMT+1 Driving Side: Right Main Electricity: 230V Official Language: Spanish Religion: Roman Catholic