Kayla Dummer is an ISA Site Specialist for Spain. Kayla works with students studying abroad in Santander, Sevilla and Valencia.
Wondering why Valencia is the ideal place to study abroad? Here are 5 reasons for why this beautiful city proves to be a Spanish paradise!
1. Valencia is an Ideal location for travel throughout the Mediterranean, Spain, and the rest of Europe. Approximately 200 miles south of Barcelona, 200 miles east of Madrid, and just a short ferry ride away from the Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, and Formentera, make it the perfect starting point for any Mediterranean adventure.
2. La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (The City of Arts and Sciences) – History blends gracefully with the exciting attractions of the modern city. La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias is the apex of entertainment, popular with both students and locals. With contemporary architecture that curves and glows like the shine of a shell under the brilliant Mediterranean sun, the City of Arts and Sciences is a city within a city, consisting of an IMAX cinema, an interactive science center, a cultural center/opera house, an aquarium, and much more.
3. Las Fallas (spring semester) – This March celebration is like nothing you’ve seen before. People construct large puppet-like sculptures (made of wood, wax, paper maché, etc.), parade them around the city, and then burn them at the end! It’s a great experience to see different sections of the city work together, and the burning at the end of the celebrations (midnight on March 19th every year) is a spectacle that you won’t want to miss.
4. Paella – Spain already has delicious cuisine, but Valencia is specifically known for its paella. This rice-based dish originated in Valencia and while there’s debate regarding what kinds of meat should be added to an “authentic” paella, no one can argue that Valencia definitely knows how to do it best .
5. Beaches – The city center of Valencia is just minutes away from the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean that continuously seduce students and traveler alike. Hopping on a bus after class and heading to the beach really makes for hard living in this timeless city of sunrises and good times.
