Playa, Fallas, and Paella in Valencia

We brought our third week in Spain to a close with a fun-filled weekend in Valencia.  

Our bus left shortly after classes let out on Friday. Unfortunately, we experienced a slight delay on our way into Valencia due to traffic, which meant we were unable to go to the beach that afternoon. Despite this news, students made the most of the time on the bus by singing along to some favorite songs and taking turns talking over the bus microphone.

Once we arrived, we headed over to Pizzería Toni for dinner where students were able to choose between a variety of pizza and pasta dishes. For dessert, helado was served. After dinner we headed over to our hostal to get some rest and prepare for the next day.

Saturday started out with a quick breakfast at the hostal and then a walking tour of the historic part of Valencia capital. The tour was an opportunity for students to see and learn about:

• Las fallas (a festival celebrated in Valencia every March)
• Valencian language
• Mercat Central (a local market)
• Valencia’s Cathedral
• Several plazas

After the walking tour, we headed over to la playa de la Malvarrosa to cool down in the Mediterranean Sea. Students got to swim, play frisbee, play futból, and soak up some sun before we headed over to El Palmar (a restaurant) where we ate paella.

Many students had already tried paella either in their cooking class the previous week or with their host families, but they were excited to try paella in the place it originated: Valencia. For dessert, we had a turrón ice cream (an almond based dish), which is another local specialty.

As a post-lunch treat, we went on a boat ride through el Parque Natural La Albufera. The water was calm, and we were able to enjoy some amazing views before heading back to the hostal.

On Sunday, we visited two museums:

• Museo Fallero
• Museo de ciencias

Students especially enjoyed the architecture of the Museo de ciencias, which is surrounded by several pools and resembles the skeleton of a whale.

Visiting the museums was an opportunity for students to further learn about Valencian culture and participate in some hands-on science learning. After visiting the museums, we headed over to a nearby shopping center for lunch before heading back to Madrid.