some tourism in Valencia... ruins, monasteries, Port Saplaya

The past couple of weekends, my friends and I visited some tourist attractions in Valencia that we had overlooked in the past but are definitely worth visiting. We started off at the Museo de la Ciudad where there was an exhibit on traditional Valencian dress and its evolution. Then there was the Archaeological Center which explained the 1st Roman Valencia.



Oh yeah, we also ran into Juan Carlos Ferrero, a pro tennis player who won the French Open. He had been jogging in the city center.


We climbed the Torres de Serrano, one of the two city gates that are still standing.


Also hit up the Palacio de la Duquesa de Dos Aguas and saw its overwhelming display of wealth and overly decorated Baroque rooms.


Yesterday I went with Diego and Hannah to Monasterio San Miguel de los Reyes. Started as a monastery, then was abandoned and turned into a prison (used in the 19th and 20th centuries), and is now an academic library. It's very beautiful and I feel a special connection to it because I feel like I "discovered" it while jogging in October.




Since we were kiiind of in the area, we rode our bikes further up to Port Saplaya, known for its colorful houses and canals.






SO, even though Valencia isn't as famous as some other tourist destinations in Spain, there is still a lot of history and so much left to see for me!