Catering to a crowd of sports enthusiasts, nature loves, art, film and history buffs, Valencia offers everyone their choice of pleasurable fun, the Spanish way. With top-notch architects like Santiago Calatrava, Valencia's ultra modern design captures the fun and excitement of a modern world with an ancient backdrop.
For the sporty visitor, you've got a range of choices. Are you in the mood for football, basketball, tennis, golf, and sailing? Valencia has played hosts to several sporting events - the European Grand Prix in 2009, the 32nd Americas Cup in 2007, among others. Of course, there's the popular Valencia CF football team, strong contenders and champions of the Spanish League. The sporty, athletic visitor is sure to find world-class facilities in a passionately sporty city, thanks to the creative touch of the Olympics genius of Calatrava.
What's a visit to Spain without flamenco? Not a Spanish experience, of course. Most Spanish cities have adopted the Andalusian dance as its own. From modern, upscale bars to cultural and historical museums, it's easy to get in the flamenco mood with music spilling into the streets. You don't have to wander far. Hope in to a sidewalk cafe or make your way through flamenco joints. You get up close and personal with the artists while stamping your feet, clapping your hands and yelling, "Ole, Ole" with the audience. You don't even have to be a history and culture buff to enjoy it.
Are you a fan of theatres, operas and the performing arts? Head to the City of Arts and Sciences and find Palau de les Arts and you'll find an excellent dose of cultural and theatrical entertainment at any time of the year you drop in. Major Spanish touring shows and international productions stop by here. But if it's a classical production you're in the mood for, the Teatro Talia, located at the old historical center, has an array of productions and performances for you.
Cinemas in Valencia are aplenty, mostly showing dubbed films but you get a sprinkling of Hollywood showing, too. The queen of Valencia cinemas, however, sits in a hemispheric building in the City of Arts and Sciences. Designed by Santiago Calatrava himself, this IMAX cinema and planetarium is a fantastic display of modern architecture. What a way to enjoy a good film!
Whatever your mood for entertainment is, Valencia offers you the best. Whether you fancy a taste of the classy, upscale Spanish experience or like to move around with the locals, the blend of history and modernity is apparent, even in the selection of lodging and accommodation. Although Valencia's hotels easily rank among the best in the world, holiday apartments are a thriving business these days. Charming Spanish villas rented for extended holidays provide guests with more privacy and a better, grass-roots access to local flavors.
So watch the Valencia CF in action on a weekend night. Hop in to a local joint and join the flamenco dance. Be awed by the sheer architectural genius of the City of Arts and Sciences and try the IMAX experience. Even if you get all wet and sandy enjoying the strip of beach at the gulf after sailing, if you rent a holiday apartment while in Valencia, you have more to spend for entertainment and amusement.
