Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler - Fall '19

SPAIN TRAVELER Cosmopolitan

Fall Edition | September - October 2019

CAMINO DEL CID

VALENCIA CITY

PARADOR EL SALER

Journey into medieval and natural Spain on an epic voyage that traverses Castille-Leon to Valencia.

One of Spain’s most important cities, Valencia’s culture-rich history is reflected in the architecture and atmosphere.

Set between a natural lagoon and the sea, this luxury 4-star hotel is a must for nature lovers and golf lovers alike.

www.cosmopolitanspaintraveler.com

Fall Edition | September - October 2019

Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

The Tourist Offices of Spain form part of a network of 33 worldwide offices of TURESPAÑA, Spain’s government tourism promotion authority based in Madrid. Four branch offices in the USA (Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Miami) promote leisure and convention travel to consumers, press, and travel professionals in their respective geographic jurisdiction.

CONTENTS

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL OFFICE

LOS ANGELES (West Coast USA) losangeles@tourspain.es

CHICAGO (Midwest USA) chicago@tourspain.es

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Valencia City Visit Valencia to experience first-hand how centuries-old traditions coexist with modernity. Way of El Cid Have you heard of “The Song of El Cid”? Follow the adventures of an 11th centrury knght.

NEWYORK (North-East USA) nuevayork@tourspain.es

MIAMI (South-East USA) oetmiami@tourspain.es

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Paradors of Spain: El Saler Enjoy world-class golf in a unique setting, between the Albufera lagoon and the sea.

CONNECTWITH US

ON THE COVER

The Hemesfèric Centerpiece of the City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia, Spain . Image by Joanjo Puertos Muñoz from Pixabay . More on pg. 6.

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NIPO: 115-19-030-8 Design and Layout: Tom Milanovic

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Letter from the Director

In this issue, learn more about the Way of El Cid, a tourist-cultural route that crosses through modern-day Castile and Leon to the Mediterranean Coast. We present Valencia, one of Spain’s most important cities full of history, traditions and culture. Finally, read about Parador El Saler and its legendary golf course. Experience a different way of traveling through Spain by taking the Way of El Cid, a journey through the Middle Ages, where you will visit castles, Romanesque chapels, Gothic cathedrals, and Arab baths, all while learning more about Spain’s medieval history, enjoying its traditional festivals, tast- ing the diversity of Spanish food and crossing more than 70 natural spaces. The main route is inspired by “The Poem of the Cid” ( El Cantar de Mío Cid ) a medieval epic poem written at the end of the 12th century that tells of the adventures of El Cid. Travelers on this route will come across most of the scenes mentioned in the poem. Located on Spain’s eastern coast, on the shores of the Mediterranean sea, Valencia is easy to get to from Madrid (via the high-speed train), Barcelona by car, and, being the gateway of the Balearic Islands, by ship. Valencia also offers you a great cultural agenda: an extensive network of theatres, mu- seums, monuments and interesting spaces, hosting some of the best music festivals, from independent music to opera. Valencia also provides an ex- quisite gastronomy alongside its very well-known dish, la paella. You can’t miss The Fallas, a festival on the streets to celebrate the arrival of spring. Each year, around 800 monuments made mainly of wood, are exhibited on the streets as if they were authentic museums, and delight locals and visi- tors alike. Valencia is also the guardian of the Holy Chalice. Don´t miss the opportunity to witness the Holy Grail in St. Mary’s Cathedral.

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Way of El Cid

T he Way of El Cid runs across Spain, crossing through Castile and reaching the Mediterra- nean coast. The entire route is over 1,200 miles and is divided into 11 thematic routes. All routes are marked and you may choose to travel by car, mountain bike, road bike, or on foot along trails and paths. The hiking route is mostly certified as a Gran Recorrido (GR-160) route which means that the trails are blazed with characteristic marks consisting of a white stripe above a red stripe that appear regularly along the route, especially at places like forks or crossroads. A recently-launched website ( www.caminodelcid.org ) contains information about the Way of El Cid and the best way to travel along the route. It also offers specific information for each of the thematic routes, including information relating to the tourist sites, history, arts and environment of the places through which the route runs. You can download route tracks, route guides on PDF, accommodation options and tourist office info. The History and Legend of El Cid details information about El Cid and El Cantar de Mío Cid (The Poem of the Cid), which has been written by the world’s top experts on this historical figure: Alberto Montaner, who is a full professor at the Universidad de Zaragoza, and the members of his research group. Travel Information is a treasure-trove of up-to-date information to help you prepare for the route. Informa- tion ranges from the different kinds of signposting you will encounter along the route to useful information for foreigners travelling along the Way of El Cid.

Way of

El Cid A journey through the Middle Ages The Way of El Cid is a tourist and cultural route following the footsteps of the medieval knight El Cid, one of the most popular Spanish heroes. The source of inspiration for the route is the late 12th- century epic poem El Cantar de Mío Cid , which deals with the exile of El Cid from Burgos and the conquest of Valencia.

The Way of El Cid is part of the Cultural Routes of Spain program.

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Way of El Cid

STATUE OF EL CID IN VALENCIA (Plaza de España, Valencia) The statue was created by Juan de Ávalos, though the original statue is the work of famed American sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington, which stands on the grounds of the Hispanic Society of America, in New York City. Copies of Huntington’s statue exist in many cities, including Buenos Aires, San Francisco, San Diego, and Seville. Photo by Alberto Luque Cortina @luqueco

For more information on the Way of El Cid, visit: www.caminodelcid.org

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Valencia City

VALENCIA CITY Valencian Community, Spain

Bask in the city’s pleasant climate, stroll along its cobble- stone streets, catch a glimpse of its past, sample the local cuisine and discover the richness of its culture.

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Valencia City

How to get here »

2018 winner of the annual Fallas celebration. On the final night, these fallas are burned as huge bonfires. This is known as La Cremà (the Burning), the climax of the event. Photo By Rafa Esteve La falla Convent Jerusalem-Matemàtic Marzal - Valencia, Spain

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Valencia City

Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

V alencia is located on Spain’s eastern coast, at the mouth of the Turia River, right in the center of the Gulf of Valencia. It is situated on the shores of the Mediter- ranean, a stretch of water which has gradually forged the city’s character over the centuries. Valencia’s geo- graphical location makes it an excel- lent operational base from which to explore the rest of Spain. At just an hour and a half from Madrid by high- speed train, three hours from Barce- lona by car, and with daily departures to the Balearic Islands, the capital of the Valencian Community is well worth a visit. Here are a few highlights: The expansion of Islam in the Medi- terranean was responsible for the introduction of silk into the Iberian Peninsula in the 13th century. Soon business involving this material become the main economic activity in the city, resulting in high levels of trade, which led to the Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange) being built in 1483. This centerpiece, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the most important civil Gothic building in the city. Silk City

La Lonja Silk Exchange

Image courtesy of Valencia Tourism

The Holy Chalice of Valencia arouses feelings of admiration and scepticism at the same time. The visitor feels captivated by the beauty of the Grail, its perfect and exceptional shape, the details in gold, the pearls and the precious gems.

street art museums to celebrate the arrival of spring. Around 800 monu- ments made of wood, cartón piedra (literally “stone cardboard”, similar to paper mache) and other materials fill the streets. Music, gunpowder and traditional clothing are all essential ingredients, making the Fallas a unique festival. In fact, its creative values and practical rituals have re- sulted in the festival being declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Holy Chalice

Since 1916, the Chapel of the Santo Caliz within the Valencia Cathedral has carefully safegarded one of the most revered and prized relics within the Catholic Church: the Holy Grail. Two Popes have corroborated its authenticity have made use of it in two masses. This venerated artifact can be viewed through a glass case in which it is housed. Take a look for yourself during your trip to Valencia.

The Fallas

For several weeks in March (1-19), this festival converts the towns of the Valencian Community into momentary

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Valencia City

Paella Valenciana Hardline paella gatekeepers insist that only ten ingredients are allowed: olive oil, chicken, rabbit, ferraura (green beans), garrofó (a tipical white bean from Valencia), tomato, water, salt, saffron and rice from Valencia. Also, it must be cooked over a wood-burning fire. Anything else is “rice with fill-in- the-blank”.

the authentic and traditional Valencian Paella as the Valencians enjoy at home with family and friends. Paella Cooking Class and Boat Trip on the Albufera Lake Enjoy the pleasure of the authentic Va- lencian paella as experienced by Valen- cians, in a typical country house sur- rounded by orange trees and rice fields. Restaurante Levante Authentic paella off the beaten path and located in in the outskirts of Valencia, the famous Levante Restaurant just celebrated its 50th year.

PAELLA IS A DISH EATEN WITH A CERTAIN RITUAL AND IS ALWAYS SHARED WITH SOMEBODY. ”

Wikipaella - en.wikipaella.org

No trip to Valencia would be complete without enjoying this dish:

Valencia’s School of Rice and Paella At this school you cook, step-by-step,

More info: www.visitvalencia.com

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Parador El Saler

Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Parador de El Saler El Saler, Valencia P A R A D O R S O F S P A I N

Enjoy the coast and nature while you golf - this Parador is the perfect complement to the surrounding dunes and pine wood of the Albufera Nature Reserve.

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Parador El Saler

Image courtesy of Paradores de Turismo

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Parador El Saler

T he Parador de El Saler golf course is considered by professionals, enthusiasts, institutions and golf press as one of the best golf courses in the world. Built in 1968 by Javier Arana, a great Spanish golf architect with international acclaim, it is located in the El Saler Natural Park, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Understandably, it is an element of pride for this region. The course’s design is integrated into the protected landscape, and it runs through differentiated zones, from beach links, similar to famous Scottish golf courses, to areas with typical Mediterranean forests. Its total length is 6,607 yards, split into 18 holes, with a par of 72. The full-service club has a golf school, practice grounds, 3 putting greens, 2 approach greens, a pro-shop, club hire, electric trolleys and carts as well as a snack-bar and restaurant.

The Parador de El Saler golf course is ranked as one of the top 60 courses in the world and top 3 in Europe.

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

Parador El Saler

Getting here:

The Parador El Saler is approximately 10 miles from Valencia City (Joaquín Sorolla station if traveling by AVE high- speed train) and 15 miles from Valencia Airport (VLC).

Address Avda. de los Pinares, 151 46012 El Saler Valencia Telephone +34 961 611 186 Email saler@parador.es

Fact Sheet Parador de El Saler (PDF)

More Information: www.parador.es

Image courtesy of Paradores de Turismo

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Cosmopolitan Spain Traveler

View from Parador de Las Cañadas del Teide - Tenerife, Spain

One’s destination is never a place, but a newway of seeing things.

— Henry Miller American author

Image by Tom Milanovic

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SPAIN TRAVELER Cosmopolitan

About Us TURESPAÑA is the government tourism agency responsible for marketing Spain around the world, creating value in its tourism industry, and driving the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of Spanish destinations. Its mission is to break new strategic ground in Spanish tourism, coordinating and leading public and private actors. All our activities form part of our tourism brand España Global . Our network of 33 Tourist Offices abroad act both as centers of knowledge and marketing, and as business platforms for the tourism sector. Their role abroad is essential for the execution of our international tourism promotion strategy.

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