Weekend in Valencia

June 06 2013

by Stéphane Jaladis / TETU

Friday night
It takes only 30 minutes to get from the airport to downtown Valencia by metro, and the Hotel Chill Art Jardín Botánico (Àngel Guimerà station) located near the Barrio del Carmen (El Carme in Valencian), the city's lively and very gay-friendly neighborhood. This boutique hotel has 16 comfortable design rooms, 4 of which have a gigantic bed...

In a few minutes on foot, we reach the Plaza de la Virgen, the emblematic place of the city, surrounded by the Basilica of the Virgen de los Desemparados, the Cathedral of Santa María and, a little further on, the Palace of the Region. In the distance, the Miguelete, the monument symbol of Valencia.

With your belly hollowed out by the journey, opt for Lalola, a gay restaurant with a pop décor. Continue with a first stroll to find your way around the historic district, still lit up. Your steps will lead you to the Café de la Seu, a bar with a warm atmosphere and a gay clientele of all ages. Spaniards talk loudly while sipping cocktails, brought by a cute little waiter.

A few streets away, ADN is the ideal place to dance and drink a couple of cervezas. In this night bar, a few minutes are enough to get in touch with the local fauna...

Saturday morning
It is very easy to get around by bike in Valencia thanks to the ValenbiSi, the equivalent of the Parisian Vélib'. However, the best thing to do is to rent a solid two-wheeler delivered directly to the hotel. Start the day at the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (Ivam) to discover the Spanish artistic avant-garde.

Oceanogràfic © Stéphane Jaladis

Continue to the Turia gardens, built in the old river bed, diverted after the terrible flood of 1957. This park, which winds through the city, is very popular with Valencians: they walk, run and even dredge for gays near the Paseo de la Alameda. Its alleys lead to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, designed by the local architect Santiago Calatrava.

You can also go to the Oceanogràfic (photo above) to admire the beluga whale ballet and the dolphin show. But also to taste a delicious paella, the local specialty, at the Submarino, the design restaurant built in the depths of the water park. You will be captivated by the thousands of tropical fish in a never-ending race in the huge circular aquarium surrounding the hall.

Saturday afternoon
To digest and take a nap as you should here, pedal to the beach of las Arenas located near the royal marina that hosted the 2007 America's Cup. Lined with palm trees and restaurants, the huge strip of sand, crowded in summer, is best enjoyed in the early and late seasons when it becomes possible to lay down your towel and jump into the water in peace. Some beautiful Spaniards are basking in the sun, the gays having their habits after the first aid station n° 3.

On the way back, the bicycle paths of the Turia Gardens will take you to either the Fine Arts Museum or the Magnus Sauna. to each his own: the magnificence of the Spanish classical painting or the heat of the hammam for some nice meetings...

Saturday night
The festivities start at the Q Art, a bar-restaurant located near the hotel and the Torres de Quart gate, a testimony of the old city walls. Some drag-queens regularly perform there!

Valencia has excellent restaurants, try Seu Xerea whose inventive cuisine features Mediterranean products: rock fish, monkfish, cicadas... Around midnight, head for Deseo 54. A haven for trendy young people, this institution is far from welcoming an exclusively gay clientele.

Due to the crisis, the gay scene has declined a bit lately with the closure of places like the club La Goulue or the gay café La Cueva del Oso. Another option to dance like a madman is Venial, a club full of very stylish guys. To continue the evening, go to Openboy, a bar-club with thematic meetings (leather, dark...). Finally, a must if you're looking for the ultimate thrill, the Nuncadigono ("I never say no"): bar, slings, showers, backrooms, glory holes, cabins, labyrinths with nooks and crannies, everything is there for a night of pleasure!

Sunday morning
The day begins with a visit of the historical center where the architectural styles are intermingled. The cathedral alone is a mixture of three eras with its Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque doors. As you leave the treasure room where the Holy Grail has been exposed since 1437 in an agate cup, don't miss the two gigantic paintings by Goya, one of which represents an incredible exorcism scene.

The stroll continues with the Ceramic Museum housed in an amazing alabaster palace with a rococo porch. Then take another leap in time with the Lonja (Llotja in Valencian), a 15th century Gothic splendor, the golden age of Valencia. Just cross the street to enter the huge central market, an explosion of colors and scents from its 1,200 stalls! It's time to stock up on Agua de Valencia (orange juice, local champagne, vodka, gin), olive oil or bellota ham.

Once you've worked up an appetite, all that's left to do is run to taste the refined cuisine of chef Quique Barella of Alto de Colón. His chic restaurant has the distinction of being located in the old Colón market, with its 1917 mosaic architecture influenced by the style of Gaudí.

Sunday afternoon
After lunch, we go for a walk on the coast south of Valencia. It is here that we find two gay beaches, Playa de Pinedo and, further, Devesa del Saler. Beware, they are far from the city center. Before returning to the airport, take a break under the golds and mosaics of the old El Siglo decor to sip a horchata, a local specialty made from a fruit close to the almond, the souchet.

Also try the crema de horchata, a treat. Across the street is the Horchatería Santa Catalina, El Siglo's great rival. Here, try the fartons (brioche rolls) that are dipped in the horchata, granita or not. Yum, yum.