¡Vamos a la Playa! A Weekend Getaway in Valencia

In true Spanish fashion, we escaped to the Mediterranean city, Valencia. At around 12:30 pm after class, we set off to the east of Spain! The students were so excited to explore a new Spanish city. When we arrived, we had a tour of the ancient city. We learned about the Roman and Arabic influence, the second language of Valencia: Valenciano, and the importance of the orange trees. After a long day, we ate at a local restaurant, Muerde la Pasta, an Italian buffet. It was the perfect treat after a long day. Many students concluded that it was their favorite meal in Spain thus far. 

On Saturday, we started the day off at the beach. We took advantage of the heat by enjoying the waters of the Mediterranean. The perfect mid-day activity in the July heat. After the beach, we took off to the Parc de la Albufera. We couldn't stay in Valencia without eating paella, it is the city where the famous Spanish dish derives from. We went to Casa Angel, and had some typical tapas before the main event, the paella. The students enjoyed patatas bravas y aioli (potatoes with a red and white dip), puntillas (fried baby squid), and then the chicken and rabbit paella. After our meal, we enjoyed a relaxing boat ride through the rice fields in parc de la Albufera! After a long day of exploration, we rested and had free time for dinner before going to bed for our last day!

Finally, the last morning in Valencia. After exploring the outdoor activities in Valencia, we went to see two famous museums in the city. First, we explored museo falleros. We learned about the holiday and its symbolism. We learned how they celebrate the start of spring and renewal by burning down the sculptures on the last day of the festival. We saw some cool sculptures that were based on political and social commentary in Spain at the time. After learning about las Fallas, the students enjoyed the last stop of the trip: Museo de las ciencias. This interactive science museum is like nothing else, the students did interactive space activities, learned about the science of memory, saw baby chicks, and participated in different activities relating to anatomy. It is the perfect activity for any age group, old or young!

We had a packed and exciting weekend filled with new memories that we will hold forever. Ask your student about their favorite part!