A Weekend in Valencia

Barselona ve Madrid gun gectikce pahalilasmaya ve en onemlisi de kalabaliklasmaya devam ediyor. Hem Ispanya'dan vazgecmeyeyim hem de artik yeni yerler kesfetme zamani diyorsaniz,  bu guzel ulkenin 3. buyuk sehri Valensiya sizler icin enfes bir haftasonu alternatifi. Ayrica okudugum kaynaklara gore Valensiya'nin gelismesinde, yeni hip cafelerin, sanat galerilerinin, butik hotellerinlerin ve butiklerin acilmasinda 2007 yilinda yapilan Amerika Kupasi'ninda etkisi oldugu soyleniyor. Bana sorarsaniz bu sehir;  artistler tarafindan yeni yeni restore edilen Barok ve Gotik binalariyla biraz Barcelona'dan, gorkemli Ayuntamiento'su (belediye binasi) ve Plaza de Toros'u ile de Madrid'den rol caliyor.

Sanirim Barselona'dan Valensiya'ya tasinan Japon artist Kaoru Katayama' ya katiliyorum; " Valensiya bir kosmopoilit ama ayni zamanda bir okada da naif ".

Madrid and Barcelona are becoming more expensive and crowded. If you think that it's time to discover other big cities without leaving Spain, Valencia, the third biggest city, is an excellent weekend alternative. As it's my first time here, I don't know how the city was before but many sources says that 2007 America's Cup helped Valencia to take attraction and develop by opening new hip boutique hotels, art galleries, pocket-size cafes and shops. But if you ask me, this city with its newly restorated Gothic and Baroque buildings remembers me Barcelona and with it's magnificent Ayuntamiento and Plaza del Toros Valencia is taking a role from Madrid. 

I think I agree the Japanese artist Kaoru Katayama who moved to Valencia from Barselona ;  " It's cosmopolitan but at the same time it's still naive". 

The view from the tower of Cathedral which combines Baroque, Romanesque and Gothic styles. It was a Roman temple that later became a mosque once occupied the site of the Cathedral of Valencia between Plaza de la Reina and Plaza de la Virgen, which was built in the 13th century.  

Another cathedral on our way 

Beautiful Plaza del Ayuntamiento 

Museo Nacional de Ceramica on my back

As much as Paella, Valencia is famous with Art Nouveau buildings. As Lonely Planet suggest us an walking tour of city's main modernistas, I wanted to show some of them to you. 

Estacion del Norte, with it's modernist booking area of dark wood and adjacent hall with its elaborate tile work. 

Casa Ortega; with it's ornate floral decoration and balcony, supported by a pair of handsome caryatids.

You know each Spanish city has at least one stylish mercado an I love grabbing some food for quick lunch from these spots. This time we planned to grab something from historical Mercado Central which has recently become a high-fashion party locale, hosting shindigs for Prada and Aston Martin, among others. Stylish boutiques are tucked behind the 15th-century late Gothic Lonja de la Seda silk exchange. But it was closed when we arrived ( yes, they love siesta ) so as you see on the picture we head off another modernista building Mercado de Colon. It's a chic stop for a drink or an easy lunch. 

Ok, The City of Arts and Science is not part of the modernistas but it defines contemporary Valencia.  With immense aquarium and scientific thesis, this place is heaven for kids and science lovers. In 2005, work was finished on Santiago Calatrava’s futuristic museum complex, the City of Arts and Sciences. The buildings’ curved, billowing facades resemble everything from the skeleton of a whale to the upper half of a giant eye completed by its mirror image in a reflecting pool.

L'Umbracle is somewhere you will be full up with palm trees. In summer Valencia's chicest people will sip cocktails here before dropping to the discoteca beneath.

The last stop is Playa de la Malvarossa where remembers me Santa Monica in LA and it's definitely different than Barcelonetta. Because while in Barcelona beach is part of the city center, in Valencia beaches are 45 min far from the city and it makes you feel like arrive a little fisherman town. Actually it's a fisherman area but what effects you is although it's so close to city at the same time it's isolated from it. 

As here is the birthplace of paella, it is a must to try. But don't look for a paella in the city center. There is not a good spot to taste. The only place you can taste many kind is little restaurants on seafront promenade. Our choice was Paella Valenciana but I still prefer the one with sea food. 

So, if you are not lucky enough to taste delicious paella of seaside, you still have chance to taste wonderful mediterranean tapas of Vuelve Carolina. 

And I finish with the impressive night view of Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

Zara jumpsuit / Repetto ballerinas / Miu Miu shades.