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Valencia Club de Fútbol (also known as Valencia or Los Che) is a Spanish professional football club based in Valencia. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish football.
Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, three UEFA Cups, one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, two UEFA Super Cups and two Spanish Super Cups. They have also reached two UEFA Champions League finals in a row, losing to La Liga rivals Real Madrid in 2000 and German club Bayern Munich in 2001. Valencia were also members of the G-14 group of leading European football clubs.
In the all-time La Liga table, Valencia is in 4th position behind Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao. In terms of international titles, Valencia is 3rd behind Real Madrid and Barcelona, these three being the only Spanish clubs to have won more than five international trophies.
Valencia were founded in 1919, and have played their home games at the 55,000-seater Estadio Mestalla since 1923. They are soon to move into the 75,000-seater Nou Mestalla in the north-west of the city in 2009. Valencia have a long-standing rivalry with Levante, also located in Valencia, and with another club in the Valencian Community region, Villarreal.
Valencia is the third most popular football team in Spain, only behind Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. It is also one of the biggest clubs in the world in terms of number of associates (registered paying supporters), with more than 50,000 season ticket holders and another 20,000+ season ticket holders on the waiting list, which will come into effect once the new 75,000-seater stadium is built.
Valencia Airport is situated 6 miles West of the city. Taxis are available for approximately €20 (£16) into the city, with a journey time of 30 minutes.
An Aero-Bus service operates every 20 minutes (6am – 10pm) from the airport into the city at a cost of €2.50 (£2.00p) each way with a journey time of 30 mins.
Metro to Valencia The brand new line 5 route to the airport has now been completed! It's the easiest and quickest way to get into town and also the cheapest at 1.70€. Line 5 connects the Port of Valencia to the airport and provides a direct link between Valencia’s seafront and Port, Airport and Renfe central station.
VALENCIA AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Anywhere within the centre of Valencia it is actually easier and faster to walk. But beyond the centre - here are your options: TaxisTaxis in Valencia are either yellow, white (city taxis), or company taxis. They are readily available, and reasonably priced. A short trip will cost around 3 Euro and a taxi from the airport into the city is just 14 Euro. To hail a cab, look for a taxi showing a yellow light on its roof. This indicates that it is free. Just wave your hand.BusValencia has a great bus network and it is the preferred way of getting around Valencia (if it's not easier to walk, that is). The tickets are 1.20€ and you can by travel cards for a number of trips that will work out cheaper the more you buy. Buses are very frequent and during the summer include three routes servicing Valencia's beautiful beaches. Routes arrive at Paseo Marítimo and Malvarossa (by the Port, with watersports and bars), La Patacona, Port Saplaya in the North and El Pinedo (good public access) or El Saler (beside La Albufera park and the golf course) in the South. Valencia's modern tram network also provides a great means of transport to the beach, arriving at the seafront paella restaurants of Las Arenas. The Metro Networkin Valencia is excellent, but not too helpful for small scale travel. It does not go anywhere in the centre, for example (that has to do with the consistency of the soil in the centre), and it tends to skip other important destinations, such as Canovas and the City of Arts and Sciences. So it is most useful when you need to cover a long distance. In particular, it is the best way to get to the beach.
City Centre To Estadio Mestalla From the city centre to ‘La Mestalla’ there are various bus routes (no’s 10,12,89 and 90). On arriving at the bus/train terminal you want to take the Via Circular bus to the bottom of the Avenida de Aragon. The stadium is then only a short walk from there. Alternatively, a taxi may get you from town to the ground quicker, costing around 5 euros (£3.30).
TOURIST OFFICES Plaza de la Reina, 19. Opening hours Monday-Saturday 09.00-19.00, Sunday and public holidays 10.00-14.00.
EMERGENCY SERVICES The national number for the Police is 091. All other emergency telephone services operate at a local level and their numbers are displayed in the local telephone directory and telephone boxes.
The Valencian Modern Art Institute (IVAM) One of Spains’ most important centres of modern Art.
Terra Mitica The biggest theme park on the Mediterranean coast, it is broken down into five mythological themes, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Iberia and the Islands.
Benlliure House/Museum A 19th century mansion where you can visit the painters house-studio and its romantic garden.
L’Hemisferic The only place in Spain where IMAX cinema, planetarium and laserium are available in one unique venue.
L’Oceanografic A spectacular underwater journey around the world’s sea habitats.
Beaches Valencia has over 2.8 km of beaches, all with excellent facilities and services.
The Arenas and Malvarrosa beaches are just minutes from the city centre and easily reached via bus, by bicycle using the cycle path, on the metro, by car, or on foot.
Valencia Zoo With 150 species of mammals, reptiles and birds, the VALENCIA ZOO is not to be missed. El Acuario (The Aquarium) displays fresh and saltwater ecosystems; the Animales de la Noche (Animals of the Night) exhibition brings us closer to the nocturnal creatures and the Toca-Toca introduces us to the world of tropical insects, snakes and iguanas. All this offers us an ideal way to get close to Mother nature. Our youngest visitors can also enjoy recreational activities such as story telling, workshops, guided visits and participate in animal protection campaigns.
BARS
Finnegan's, Plaça/Plaza de la Reina 19, Valencia. This big Irish bar has plenty of foreign beers on tap, and classics like Shepherd's Pie on the lunch menu. But, despite this, it's not a tourist ghetto, and plenty of young Valencianos enjoy it too. It's a hugely popular meeting point for foreigners and locals.
Mala Luna, C/Estamiñería Vieja 9, Valencia. Sleek, red-painted bar, very close to the Plaça Negret, where you can sip a cocktail at the curved bar and enjoy some mellow soul, jazz and chill-out electronica.
Radio City, C/Santa Teresa 19, Valencia. It's hard to know how to categorize Radio City: a bar, which is also a gallery, offers live music (including excellent flamenco on Tuesday nights – get there early for a seat close to the stage) and doubles as a (free) disco at weekends. It's another good meeting point for foreigners and locals and the friendly staff are a good source of info on the best clubs.
Sol i Lluna, C/del Mar 29, Valencia. Another great, relaxed bar in the Carme neigbourhood with a spacious terrace for those hot summer nights and a good restaurant attached.
Xino Xano, C/Alt/Alta 28. Valencia. The bar in the Carme, run by local DJ Xino, is a great place to relax. Friendly staff, a mellow atmosphere, reggae music, poetry nights and changing art exhibitions.
Beer, C/Salamanca 4, Valencia. This calls itself 'el museo de la cerveza' with a range of local, Spanish and imported beers. A lively, studenty hang out with a popular summer terrace and a series of special offers: Thursday night is the día de la cerveza when a litre will cost you a mere E 3.
Gran Café Canovas, Gran Vía Marqués del Túria 76. Valencia. The Gran Café – a big, airy space with mosaics and wooden, Modernista-style fittings – is a popular stopping point for local office workers on their way home during the week. But at weekends, it brings in drag acts and Djs to spice things up and keep them going until late.
Q-Art, C/Guillem de Castro 78-80, Valencia. A mellow cocktail bar and restaurant (serving good Mediterranean food), Q-Art also manages to pack in a bewildering number of activities including theatre, comedy nights, art exhibitions and classical music at weekends. El Puntazo, C/Mediterraneo 32, Valencia. This friendly bar does tapas to go with the cocktails and Agua de Valencia (a killer champagne, orange juice and vodka concoction) on offer. It's got a breezy terrace and is a very popular spot in summer.
RESTAURANTS AND CAFES Civera, C/ Lerida, 11 Valencia Very popular seafood restaurant frequented mainly by Valencianos attracted by excellent quality cuisine. Probably the city's top seafood spot. The fish baked in salt (a la sal) comes highly recommended. It closes on Sunday nights and Mondays, at Easter and in August.
Gargantua Navarro Reverter, 18 Valencia Valencian restaurant offering imaginitive regional specialities such as grilled cod with green peppers. Quaint setting in a 1910 townhouse. Closed Sundays, Easter and August. No dinner on Sundays.
El Plat, C/ Ciscar, 3 Valencia Locally renowned as the King of Paellas, this moderately priced restaurant offers a variation on the classic paella valenciana. It is closed on Mondays and there is no dinner on Sundays.
La Riua, C/ del Mar, 27 Valencia This great value restaurant is the place to head for to enjoy authentic Valencian rice dishes. The paella valenciana is obviously the most popular dish amongst visitors, but also worth a mention are the fideuá (paella with noodles instead of rice) and the fresh fish dishes cooked with garlic and pepper (all i pebre). Closed Mondays, at Easter and in August.
El Paso, Calle Conde de Altea 53 This Wild West theme restaurant offers a great selection of dishes which include typical Spanish tapas, delicious Tex Mex meals and a selection of sandwiches. Staff speak English and French.