Valencia day 3: in the city

October 25, 2023

Our flight tomorrow morning leaves at 6 AM and the hotel desk translates this for us as meaning we should schedule our taxi pick-up for three. Groan.

With such an early stat to the day, we of course need to crash early tonight and be pretty much fully packed before we do. Plus, I still need to suitcase my bike (I did Rocky’s yesterday) and we have a late afternoon social engagement to show up for. Still, that leaves us the morning. Rachael takes off first, on foot for another walking tour of this striking city. Here’s some of what she saw on her two walks:

Video sound track: Fin del Munda, by Cordero

I haven’t really seen anything of Valencia other than the City of Arts and Sciences in our stay here, so today I plan on a photo cruise with the bike. Before going there though, let’s finally drop the photos from my walk over to the Arts and Sciences complex two nights back. It is such a visually striking place, worth returning to multiple times under different conditions. This time I was seeing at the end of the day when the light was lower and the crowds thinned out.

OK, on to the big ride. With a limited amount of time available I mapped out a short 12 mile route and time boxed myself with the intent to return to the room by around noon. Leaving not long before nine, that sounded like an abundance of time. Actually though, I biked 13 miles and didn’t return to the room until nearly one - for a robust average of roughly 3 mph. Rachael moves faster than that on foot.

In my defense though, there were many reasons to stop. If you back out the time stopped to either look at the sights or wait for the lights, I’m pretty sure I averaged closer to a more respectable 7 mph. A very impressive last ride for the tour.

I began my ride by riding the bike paths northwest through the city until reaching the upper end of Turia Park, an area that looked especially attractive from the photos Rachael brought back yesterday.

Valencia has a very impressive bike network, with well marked lanes taking you everywhere in the city. Many of them look like this though - tight quarters that feel stressful when they’re filled with oncoming or passing bikes and scooters.

Often though, especially within the long green ribbon park along the Turia River that splits the city you’ve got more breathing room.

Turia Park is fantastic, a remarkable resource to the city’s residents and guests. You can bike or walk for several miles through the heart of the city, surrounded by greenery, wetlands, art works and graceful architecture.

Nothing new, but nice. Clockwise, from the upper left: red crested pechard, eurasian moorhen, Eurasian collared dove, Eurasian magpie.

Afterwards I took the slow road back to the room, generally following Turia Park back to the City of Arts and Sciences, breaking away briefly to cut across the historical center. The center is worth more time of course, but we’ll be returning later in the day.