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Our adult students recently went on a trip to Valencia. Carla Browne, Head of Activities at our International College of Further Education reports on the trip.
The trip took place in March, just as Las Fallas festival was about to begin. Friday evening after checking into our hotel, we went out for a meal of typical Spanish food, paella. Saturday morning, we walked through Plaza del Ajuntamiento, past the beautiful mixture of architectural styles from the Baroque to Art Deco, past the impressive fountains to the oldest part of the city; Barrio del Carmen. We visited the Cathedral of Santa Maria and climbed the tower to take in the magnificent views below. Inside the 14th century cathedral are two paintings by Goya and most impressive of all ‘The Holy Grail'. As the Fallas festival was about to begin at 2pm with a 10 minute explosion of fire crackers, there was no time to lose. Back at Plaza del Ajuntamiento, we joined the 1000s of people with great anticipation. It wasn't long before the first BANG resounded and the vibrant blue sky was filled with smoke. All very exciting. After lunch we took taxis to La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. The breathtaking architecture by Calatrava is stunning. These remarkable buildings were constructed in the old river bed of the Turia river, which is now a magnificent park. (The river was diverted around the city after serious flooding). We visited the Oceanografic. After seeing the dolphin show, we ventured towards the deep oceans to see the sharks. This is the largest aquarium in Europe and is impressive in both its layout and variety of marine life. From here we wandered back towards the city centre through the park, past the other impressive constructions Calatrava designed. That evening we had a fabulous meal in the old part of the city. The food was excellent. Later that evening we strolled around Plaza de la Virgen and to the lively streets nearby. The next morning, having packed and eaten breakfast, we went to the Museo de Belles Artes, considered to be one of the best fine arts museums in Spain. Inside works by El Greco, Goya and Valazquez can be found. Sunday afternoon, we went to have Paella at the beach. Valencia is the home of this dish and the restaurant didn't disappoint. After a quick stroll on the beach, there was just enough time for churros and hot chocolate in the city centre before making our way to the airport. This was a very memorable trip with an excellent group of students.
