One Girl's Wanderlust: Spain

When you think of major Spanish cities the first ones to spring to mind are Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga and Granada but no one ever really thinks of Valencia. Before I went there this summer, I knew little of what it had to offer but soon after arriving there I knew I was in for a treat.

Situated on the Eastern coast of Spain Valencia offers the best of both worlds, the city and the sea. I was based just outside the city centre for the week meaning I could easily escape the bustling crowds to relax a little but I wasn't too far away to feel isolated. Everything in this city is within an easy reach of each other allowing you to pick and choose exactly what you want to do without worrying too much about getting there and back.

There appears to be two parts to Valencia city, the ultra modern ciudad de las artes y de las ciencias and then the older traditional area where the cathedral and the churches are situated. The city is so diverse and has so much to offer that it makes it almost impossible to know where to start. I will begin to tell you the top 5 places to go which are: L'Oceanográfic, The Cathedral, The Central Market of Valencia, The harbour (home to the F1 track) and Flash Flash.

L'Oceanográfic is home to 45 000 different animals and over 500 different species making it the largest aquarium in Europe. It is situated in the modern area of ciudad de las artes y de las ciencias near to the bustling city centre but whilst you are there you forget all about the rest of the world as you are totally overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the aquarium. One of the main attractions which you must not miss at L'Oceanográfic is the amazing dolphin show which takes place out in the open allowing you to see the dolphins perform their tricks and believe me...these dolphins can really dance. Another thing the aquarium has to offer is a night sleeping with the sharks. It sounds a lot scarier than it really is but all you have to do is bring a sleeping bag along and sleep in one of the glass tunnels under the shark tank. Great idea for a children's party!!

If you want to go for something more cultural then there is always the Cathedral, a true architectural masterpiece. Constructed in 1238 by the first bishop of Valencia after the Reconquista, it is built in a Gothic style but contains elements of Baroque, Renaissance and Neo-Classical architecture. It is safe to say that this is one of the most beautiful buildings Valencia has to offer and a view from the Micalet (bell tower) is not to be missed.

Moving on from the Cathedral which is a real feast for the eyes, it is important you visit the Central Market which provides a feast for the belly. Built at the start of the 20th century in a true Valencian style with lots of ceramics and mosaics, this market offers an insight into daily life in Valencia. It is important to walk all the way around the market so that you appreciate all the stalls the market has to offer. All the sounds and smells of this market mixed with the busy hustle and bustle really makes you feel alive. Occasionally some vendors will let you try some fresh produce while you walk around and believe me, you will have never tasted food any fresher unless you have grown and picked it yourself.

Valencia is also home to the F1 racing track along the city's port and harbour. It is possible to walk where F1 giants such as Vettel have driven their racing cars as the road is also used as a normal city road which takes you to a lovely strip of restaurents along the sea front. Whilst I was there in July, they had a small firework display on the beach one night. It was unlike anything I have ever seen before. The bangs were so loud that each one made me jump a foot in the air and the explosions were so colourful I almost needed sunglasses. I was such an unforgettable experience.

Last but not least, I was taken for lunch after a long morning shopping at Flash Flash, a restaurant specialising in Spanish Tortillas. Unlike any other restaurant I have seen before, Flash Flash is completely white and minimalist with black stickers of paparazzi stuck onto the walls. The food was delicious and the staff were so so friendly. I would definitely return.

Flash Flash

There is so much Valencia has to offer that I would be writing all year if I wrote about them all. I hope however, that I have given you an insight into the wonders of the city and inspired you to travel to it yourself.

It isn't everyday that you end up on holiday in the same town as Michelle Obama let alone being followed place by place by her but this is what happened to me this summer when I was in Andalucia.
My family and I had decided to take a day trip from where we were staying in Málaga to a town called Ronda to see the famous bullring and the massive gorge that has made the town so popular. It had taken us a fair amount of time to drive to Ronda so when we arrived we decided to have some coffee and churros in a small café just down the road from the bullring itself. Little did we know of the large crowd that had gathered just down the road from us all waiting for the First Lady of America to pay a visit to the magnificent plaza de toros.

Once we had finished the coffee, we strolled down to the main street and found the whole road had be shut off, police men on patrol of the whole street and nearly every inch of pavement had been taken up by the huge gaggle of people standing and waiting for Michelle Obama. Unsure of when she would be arriving and how much we will be seeing of her when she does arrive, we joined the crowd and managed to get to the very front of the crowd. After waiting for nearly 2 hours the fleet of cars from Washington DC had arrived, transporting Michelle Obama and her daughter Sasha along with hundreds of security guards.

Michelle Obama was visiting Ronda on a private summer holiday to see what the town had to offer. Whilst we were waiting for her to appear, she had lunch in the restaurant just next door to the bullring which offered spectacular views of the gorge. Later she appeared for a brief second before disappearing again into the bullring. Despite the fleeting glimpse of her, it was a fun few hours spent talking with the locals and also with the security guards from Washington DC who told us lots of stories of her trip to Andalucia so far.

Check out the photos of this day in my next post....