València: A Fashionable Destination for Cruise Passengers

[By: València Port]

València has positioned itself as a fashionable destination for all visitors this year who are thinking of visiting a unique place that combines culture, heritage, gastronomy, museums with sustainability, nature and a privileged climate. The city and its surroundings have been chosen by different international media and consultants as a highly recommended destination for tourists to visit in the coming years. In addition, in 2022, Valencia is the World Design Capital and the European Capital of Smart Tourism.

A special place for all those who are planning to take a cruise and want to get to know this destination through its gateway by sea: the Port of Valencia, an enclosure that offers a quality and efficient service for touring the city and its surroundings.

Cruise ship tourism in Valencia was able to adapt to the "new reality" caused by the pandemic thanks to the work of the Port Authority of Valencia and tourism promotion entities. This is a varied and fabulous offer that cater to a wide range of interests, ages and budgets!

Valencia has expanded it excursions offers, adding outdoor alternatives like sports activities or trekking. Also, there are sustainable options such as bike or skateboard tours to discover more personal and exclusive experiences.

Some of these alternatives are: the ‘Horchata’ route, where visitors can sample the traditional vegan milk in Alboraya, the town where the famous drink originated. On the other hand, there is also the trip to the Albufera, a 20,000 hectares natural park with virgin dune beaches, forests, rice fields and a large lake where you can take a boat ride. A true movie experience! Another popular location is “between vineyards”, where cruise passengers have the opportunity to go to a winery and take part in a wine tasting that will allow them to discover the different local graves varieties.

Furthermore, we can continue with visits to the historic center, the City of Arts and Sciences and “Fallas”, a festival declared by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, are just a few of the activities available in Valencia

In short, Valencia has reinvented itself and has adapted to the needs demanded by cruise ship tourism, offering unforgettable experiences. Excursions to the city or to the countryside allow for more mobility and prevent venues from becoming overcrowded. Therefore, offering our guests a wide range of possibilities to choose from.

Valenciaport, more attractive and suggestive than ever

“This year head for a few hours to the Spain's southeastern coastline to the port city of Valencia, World Design Capital 2022. Home to a population of around 800,000, it's Spain's third-largest city and it aims to be an emission-neutral destination by 2025”, notes the CNN text. The City of Arts and Sciences, the nine-kilometer-long Turia Garden, built on the former bed of the Turia River or Las Fallas Festival” are other of the city's charms. “Valencia is the birthplace of paella, and you'll find the iconic Spanish dish for sale everywhere. “For fine dining, local chef Ricard Camarena's eponymous restaurant has been awarded two Michelin stars, one of which is a green star for sustainability -- the first eatery in the city to be awarded the honor”, says CNN.

Valencia is, for the second year running, the healthiest city in the world, according to financial products consultancy Money.co.uk, which ranks it as the city that "takes the best care of the health of its citizens and visitors". The study took into account key factors that contribute to a healthy lifestyle such as: obesity levels, life expectancy, pollution levels, health care, safety, crime rates and hours of sunlight. “Boasting possibly the best paella in the world and some glorious weather, the city also has low pollution rates and very good healthcare. Life expectancy is high at 83.5, giving residents a long life to enjoy all the offerings Valencia holds. The musical and cultural heritage of the city is rich, and residents there put a strong emphasis on social connection, leading to a very healthy work-life balance”, indica el portal Money.

A destination that has already been recognised in the past by the New York Times which tells that the city “with a sprawling, mazelike center filled with Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. All styles were combined in Valencia’s Cathedral, built between the 13th and 18th centuries; architectural purists should not miss the 15th-century Silk Exchange, a Unesco World Heritage Site and a stunning reminder of the city’s mercantile importance”. A newspaper that also recognises “For 21st-century Valencians, beaches are not a battlefield but a way of life to be savored. The port built for the America’s Cup races in 2007 and 2009 led an upscale revival that continues today”.

A place that had also attracted the attention of the popular British newspaper, The Guardian. According to the review written by its journalists, the City of Arts and Sciences, Fallas and the Veles e Vents have been the main winning ingredients. In addition, in the words of the newspaper itself, Valencia offers a truly remarkable cultural, gastronomic and leisure services.