Valencia is in Spain, a city located about halfway between Madrid and Barcelona.  It is in fact, Spain’s third largest city.  It has a typical Mediterranean climate, dry in the summer and fairly mild but humid in the winter.  If you’re considering taking a short weekend break, Valencia is perfect for that city getaway.

It’s always a good idea to have one or two places in mind or things you want to do before you go, so here’s a few pointers:

Bus Tour - Make sure you take the open top bus tour (weather permitting of course!) to get the gist of the city and to take in the sights

Oceanografic centre - this is a great way to spend an afternoon, wandering through the centre, seeing whales, walruses, penguins and dolphins.  However, wear your walking shoes because it is huge and quite spread out

Food - eat at one of the local restaurants and sample the local delicacies, such as the Valencian Paella, their bakery products or sweetmeats

Souvenirs - Valencia has a rich history of crafts so pick up a unique gift for yourself, friends or family.  Choose from pottery, glassware, woodcraft or any of the arts and if you head to Manises and Tavernes Blanques you can probably bag yourself a bargain

Shopping - for a more modern shopping experience, try Valencia’s main street the calle Colon.  It’s far more commercial and has an atmospheric feel of a carnival with all the hustle and bustle.  Close to the Campanar Metro Station is the Nuevo Centro, a three storey shopping centre with all you could need including food.

Weekend breaks to Valencia needn’t cost the earth and are only a few short hours with flights from most UK airports.