Valencia-The Real Spain

The province of Valencia, which has been chosen to host the 2007 Americas Cup, is the largest of the three which go to make up the Valencian community. It is situated in the centre of the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. It overlooks the spacious Gulf of Valencia and is skirted at the back by a group of medium-high mountains and rolling plains leading to the lands of Aragon and Castile-La Mancha.

It is opposite the Balearic islands and equidistant from the countrys two major decision-taking centres: Madrid and Barcelona. Valencia is identified with the Mediterranean Sea because the culture deriving from the old Mare Nostrum is manifest in its patterns of social behaviour.

It is the administrative capital of the Valencian community and the centre of the region of LHorta. It is the most densely populated town in the Valencian community as it is encircled by a wide belt of medium-sized municipal districts which form an unbroken built-up area with an average density of 1,600 inhabitants per square kilometre.


Nightlife & Dining Out

It is claimed that the Valencian people know how to work and more importantly, how to play.Travellers have a wide range of bars, restaurants and clubs to keep them up at night, with most Valencian nightouts not venturing out until at mid-night. The Avenida de Aragon, the Plaza de Canovas, the area around the Plaza de Honduras and Xuquer, Jean llorens Street are some of the places where you can find bars, pubs, restaurants, movida and meet people ready to have a good time.

The outstanding dish is Paella, which originates from the area. However, you must also try the "Arroz Banda"(with fish) or "Arroz Negro"(with squid in ink).

The excellent Valencian wines usually accompany all these dishes, with white wines from the "Alto Turia" and "Serrenia" regions or reds from "Campo de Lliria".

Sports

Valencia has some of the best sporting venues in Europe with everything fom the world famous football team, championship golf courses and incredible watersports venues.

El Saler Golf Club was voted the 29th best golf course in the world but there are many other equally challenging and picturesque courses in the area, including El Bosque, Oliva Nove Golf Course, LEscorpion and Villamartin.

There are a total of over 3,700 mooring points for sea lovers, with nautical sports centres being located at the following places, Canet dEn Berenguer, Pobla de Farnals, Port Saplaya Estate, Royal Sailing Club, La Albufera and Cullera, Gandia and Oliva.

Americas Cup 2007

The thirty-second edition of the most important sailing competition in the world, the Americas Cup, will be held in Valencia in 2007.The Nautical Society of Geneva, the club that the Alinghi team, who won this event on behalf of New Zealand in March 2003, belongs to, is reponsible for organising the next event, which will be held in spring/summer of 2007.

Seventy five cities applied to host this important sporting event with only eight passing the first selection stage.various factors influenced the final decision, with the Valencian Gulf considered to be one of the best areas for regattas in Europe, with an all year round breeze. Additionally, the Port Of Valencia is one of the busiest and most important in the Med. with a complete and modern infrastructure.