Luxury Real Estate

Courtesy of Michel Cruz of Rimontgo

Every year the popular travel guide, Lonely Planet names its Top 10s of places to visit during the following year. Previous recipients of an acknowledgement from the Lonely Planet experts have witnessed a definite increase in visitor numbers, so the announcement of next year’s likely hotspots is always a key moment for tourist boards.

This year the city of Valencia has been named as one of the Top 10 cities to visit, along with New York (USA), Tangier (Morocco), Tel Aviv (Israel), Wellington (New Zealand), Iquitos (Peru), Ghent (Belgium), New Delhi (India), Newcastle (Australia) and Chiang Mai (Thailand).

This announcement shows that Valencia has not only improved its international status but is now considered on a par with Madrid and Barcelona.

Lonely Planet’s website described the city thus: “Valencia sits coquettishly and again confidently along Spain’s Mediterranean coast. For centuries, it was overshadowed by larger Spanish cities – hard-nosed, commercially-minded Barcelona and Madrid, the nation’s capital. Not any more. While retaining its provincial charm, Spain’s third city now mixes with the international crowd. Host of a couple of America’s Cup yachting jamborees and an annual street circuit Formula 1 motor race, it’s also European Capital of Sport for 2011 and a favourite destination for conferences and congresses. Valencia enjoyed its golden age two full centuries before the rest of Spain.”

The Lonely Planet writers have also been at pains to understand the city’s unique relationship with the rest of the country, describing it as being, “both of Spain and distinct from Spain.” Naming its chief attractions as the fallas, it is praised for its lovingly preserved history and its plans for the future.

Both ancient and spectacularly modern, we have been telling the world that Valencia is one of Spain’s top attractions for years. It’s good to know that the experts at Lonely Planet agree with us.

www.rimontgo.com