The Cuisine of Valencia

Fly from London Stansted then transfer from the airport to your hotel in Gandia.  If there is time, our tour manager will take us on an orientation walk in the vicinity of the hotel.  A pre-dinner welcome drink awaits us at our hotel, followed by dinner at the hotel.  

Our outing today takes us to historic Valencia.  A local guide will be telling us all about the history of the city, including visiting the Lonja de la Seda, which is the Gothic style silk exchange, the art-deco Mercat Central and the grand Placa de la Reina.  We will be paying special attention to the recently rediscovered and refurbished church of Saint Nicholas and its spectacular frescos on the ceiling.  We will have a lunch which is included and then some free time to discover the city at our own pace before we gather together again for a local delicacy, the refreshing "orxata".  In the afternoon we make our way back to our hotel.  We will have dinner at the hotel.

Today we take an excursion by ferry to the only inhabited island in the Spanish region of Valencia, Tabarca Island, located just off the Costa Blanca, along Alicante's coastline.  Upon arrival on the island, we take a stroll through its pricturesque streets while basking in its Mediterranean atmosphere.  There is free time for lunch and to discover the local cuisine.  Once we are back in Santa Pola we continue our excursion to the town of Jalon, an area with several wineries that boast the best wines in the region and we will have the opportunity to enjoy a visit through the vineyard and tasting a local wine with snacks.  We will have dinner at the hotel.

We head inland for a very special experience, a visit to a citrus farm.  The Valencia area produces citrus fruits, particularly oranges, that are then exported all over Europe, so it plays a very important role in the local economy.  Our host today is a local farmer who will be taking us on a walk around his citrus grove and telling us all about the fruit, from its birth to the moment it is ready for delivery.  This will be followed by a traditional Valencian lunch with the smell of oranges all around.  In the afternoon, we will visit the ceramic museum in Manisses, a town famous for this form of art, heavily influenced by the Moors before we return back to our hotel.  

The Albufera is a short drive from our hotel.  This lake combines fresh water with salt water and gives it a unique ecosystem.  Upon arrival, we will be taking a boat trip on the lake and listening to the information the local guide will be giving us about the particular history, economy and local rules of the lake.  This will be followed by a very special experience, a "paella" workshop.  The Albufera is the birthplace of the most international of Spanish dishes, so it is the ideal place for it.  We will be divided into teams and will have different tasks, including selecting the ingredients, preparing and cooking, very much hands on!  Then we will enjoy the final result.  The afternoon is free in the centre of Gandia so you can catch up on some shopping.

We will have free time in the morning and after lunch we will do our second excursion to Valencia.  First, our bus will take us on a panoramic tour which will bring us all the way down the bed of the River Turia, nowadays a beautiful park, until we reach the Musea Faller.  The Fallas is one of the most popular "fiestas" in Spain and in this dedicated museum we get to understand all about it.  By now, we will have arrived at the City of Arts and Science.  This is a conglomerate of ultra modern buildings designed by Santiago Calatrava, the world famous architect born in Valencia.  This area actually put Valencia on the map as a tourist destination and we will see why.  We will take a guided tour of the stunning Palau de les Arts, the extravagant concert and opera hall.  In the evening we are treated to a very special farewell celebration, a Flamenco show including dinner and all the trimmings.  

Today we have a leisure day to explore Gandia and to visit the local museum or to admire the beauty of the beaches from this area of Valencia.  We will have dinner at the hotel.