Valencia as innovative space Contributed by Ramón Marrades Few cities embody the engagement of Urban process with globalisation and European integration better than the Mediterranean city of Valencia. Valencia is Spain s third-largest city (after Madrid and Barcelona) with more than 1.5 million residents within the Metropolitan Area. This traditionally agrarian and provincial city has become the capital of the Spanish Autonomous Region, the Comunitat Valenciana, Mediterranean cultural and economic centre, and a major destination for foreign visitors. Indeed, the University of Valencia is now the second most popular destination for European exchange students. This metamorphosis is seen in the city s changing landscape, embodied in the monumental cultural entertainment complex Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of the Arts and Sciences), a new conference centre, the growing container port, gentrification and immigration in the city centre, and the newly renovated harbour Valencia, a city fascinated by great transformations, relied on the abstract notion of positioning itself on the map, turning its back to its genuine virtues of an entrepreneurship based on what it did best: reinventing itself, listening and learning from its masters to later challenge then. As in many other cities of southern Europe, the economic crisis, the interaction of a human scale beyond the bursting of the housing bubble, public policies have made us turn our eyes to the city built, forgetting to order unnecessary growth. It is between its existing bricks and many are centuries old where spontaneous dynamics take over the urban spaces where an innovative energy transforms the historic centres (and this city has a few) in factories of the present. Valencia, as evidenced by surveys from the Economics Research Unit of the University of Valencia, is more than a one-day city: visitor satisfaction increases with the days they spend here. Valencia is a city for a stable relationship. 1
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Transport FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE HOTEL OLYMPIA UNIVERSIDADES C/ Doctor Vicente Zaragozà, 13. Valencia. To Olympia Universidades Hotel. - 1 metro card + 3,90 trip = 4,90 - Take the train from line 3. - Get off the train at benimaclet stop. - The hotel is ten meters from the benimaclet stop. FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE CITY CENTER To City Center - 1 metro card + 3,90 trip = 4,90 - Take the train from line 3. 3
Transport FROM THE HOTEL OLYMPIA UNIVERSIDADES TO THE NAU. 5th March La Nau C. de la Universitat, 2, 46003 Valencia To La NAU centre cultural. 1 Metro Valencia. 1.50 trip - Take the train from line 3 to Av. Del Cid or Aeroport. - Get off the train at Colon stop. 2- Walk to la NAU. 4 min. Colon to C/ Juan de Austria Juan de Austria to Dr. Romagosa Dr Romagosa to C. Universitat (LA NAU) FROM LA NAU TO THE CENTRE DEL CARME Carrer del Museu, 2, 46003 Valencia Walk to the Centre del Carme. 4
FROM CENTRE DEL CARME TO THE CIM BENIMACLET Calle del Barón de San Petrillo, 14, 46020 Valencia 1- Walk to Pont de Fusta Stop 2- Tram. (works with the same payment system as the metro) 1,50 trip. - Take the tram from line 4 to R. Lluch or Taronchers. - Get off the tram at Benimaclet Stop. 3 Walk to CIM Benimaclet Transport 6th March FROM THE HOTEL OLYMPIA UNIVERSIDADES TO VELES E VENTS (HARBOUR OF VALENCIA.) Harbour of Valencia (Moll de Ponent, 46024 Valencia) Tram. (works with the same payment system as the metro) 1.50 trip. - It usually takes 15 minutes. - Take the tram from line 6 to Maritim Serreria. - Get off the train at Grau Canyamelar Stop. - Walk to veles e vents building 5
FROM THE VELES E VENTS TO CABANYAL LA HORTA (Calle Granero, 4, 46011 Valencia) Walk to Cabanyal La Horta DINNER AT EL CUBO DEL TROS AL PLAT (C/ Marina Real Juan Carlos I, 331, València) FROM THE HARBOUR OF VALENCIA TO THE HOTEL OLYMPIA UNIVER- SIDADES To the Harbour of Valencia. Tram. 1.50 trip - It usually takes 15 minutes. - Take the tram from line 6 to Tossal del Rei. - Get off the train at Benimaclet Stop. 6
Transport 7th March FROM THE HOTEL OLYMPIA UNIVERSIDADES TO THE NAU. La Nau C. de la Universitat, 2, 46003 Valencia To La NAU centre cultural. 1 Metro Valencia. 1.50 trip - Take the train from line 3 to Av. Del Cid or Aeroport. - Get off the train at Colon stop. 2- Walk to la NAU. 4 min. Colon to C/ Juan de Austria Juan de Austria to Dr. Romagosa Dr Romagosa to C. Universitat (LA NAU) FROM THE LA NAU TO CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCIES Av. del Professor López Piñero, 7, 46013 València We take a private bus 7
Transport 8th March FROM THE HOTEL OLYMPIA UNIVERSIDADES TO THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS OF THE UV. Av. de los Naranjos, S/N, 46022 Valencia Tram. - It usually takes 15 minutes. - Buy the trip of the meter in the machine. 1.50 trip - Take the tram from line 4 or line 6 to Dr. Lluch, Maritim Serreria or Tarongers. - Get off the tram at Tarongers stop. FROM THE HARBOUR OF VALENCIA TO THE HOTEL OLYMPIA UNIVERSIDADES Tram. (1,5 ). Take the tram from line 4 or line 6 to Mas del Rosari, Vicent Andrés Estellés or Tossal del Rei. - Get off the tram at Benimaclet stop. 8
Practical information VISIT LANGUAGE There are two o cial languages in Valencia: "Valenciano", used in the Valencian Community, and Spanish, Spain's o cial language. TIME ZONE People generally eat later than in other European countries: breakfast (7:30 and 10:00 a.m.) is similar to the continental style. Restaurants serve lunch between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., and dinner from 8:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. TIPPING Tips are included in all prices and bills, so tipping is not considered obligatory. However, if the service received is considered satisfactory, especially in bars and restaurants, a tip is often left. BANKS Most banks are open from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Only a few branches open on Saturday mornings. There are 24-hour automatic tellers around the city, and most (Servired, 4B, etc.) o er international services. CREDIT CARDS Most hotels, restaurants and shops in Valencia accept the main credit cards such as American Express, VISA, Mastercard, 4B, Access y Diners Club. ELECTRICITY Standard electrical voltage in Valencia is 220-240 V AC, 50 Hz. A transformer and an adapter are necessary to use North American electrical appliances whose plugs have two square pins. Adapters are available in most hardware stores. 9
Weather Valencia and its metropolitan area have a Subtropical Mediterranean climate with very mild winters and long warm to hot summers. According to Troll-Paffen climate classification, Valencia has a warm-temperate subtropical climate and according to Siegmund/ Frankenberg climate classification, Valencia has subtropical climate. In March the average temperature is around 20 C (68 F) during the day and 10 C (50 F) at night. Transport price Bus rides --- 1,50 euros Metro / Tram Metro card 1 euros From the Airport to the city --- 3,90 euros Inside the city (zone A) 1 trip---- 1,50 euros 10 trips ---- 7,20 euros Taxi 10