Downtown Valencia bars
Catamaran trip, Denia
Valencia market Jamon in the local Valencia market
its unique cultural scene.
It’ s truly an innovative place, with accomplishments such as diverting the city’ s river to the outskirts and using the riverbed as a swathe of green for the denizens to enjoy typical of their‘ outside the box’ mindset.
The futuristic Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias dominates one part of this green space and is symbolic of the fresh, contemporary vibe that permeates the region. It is liberally festooned with eye-catching buildings, from Modernista designs to old-town structures that resemble classic paintings – and a stroll around the old quarter with its museums, cathedrals, local markets such as the huge Mercado Central and palette pleasing eateries might make you forget about taking on the links for a while.
On the top of the list of these establishments is the magnificent, Michelin-starred Riff restaurant –
where course after course flows seamlessly, each one accompanied by a glass of the appropriate wine for the delicate, individual flavours of each dish prepared by head chef Bernd Knoller – a gastronomic wizard if ever there was one- and his team. It’ s a real treat dining here, and it’ s as if the your meal is part of some grand dramatic culinary experience, in the best meaning of those words, rather than just being something to sate your appetite.
Before you head towards some of the magnificent courses in the region, it is certainly worthwhile taking the chance to see the aforementioned Holy Grail – yes, the real one- in the gothic masterpiece that is Valencia Cathedral.
The official papal chalice of many popes – most recently used by Pope Benedict XV1 in 2006 – it is revered almost worldwide as the true grail. Adorned by Arabic inscriptions and dating from early first
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