VALENCIA CRONICA -- Holiday Substitute

For the next few weeks Bridget Baker is taking a well-deserved break. As a holiday substitute we invite you to peruse three recent articles about Valencia in major newspapers that we thought you might enjoy if not also find useful. First, April in the London Times. Then, this one from August in the New York Times (subscription site, but it is free to sign up). Finally, this article a couple weeks ago in the LA Times.

The opening few paragraphs from the NYT article, that gives you the flavor of all three:

August 7, 2005 Valencia
By ANDREW FERREN

Not since 1492, when Rodrigo Borgia, local archbishop and notorious influence peddler, was named Pope Alexander VI, has Valencia caused as much international buzz as it is generating at the moment. Perched at the edge of one of Spain's richest agricultural regions, on the eastern Mediterranean coast, Valencia has long been a nexus of maritime and mercantile enterprise. But after the brilliance of its golden age in the 15th century, the city never quite regained its luster.

Until now.

With the ever-increasing availability of inexpensive flights - EasyJet and Ryanair began direct service from London and other European cities in the past year - Valencia is rapidly becoming a popular weekend destination for European travelers. But there is more than just the weather (Valencia averages 300 sunny days a year) and wonderful food (the city is, after all, the birthplace of paella) that is drawing visitors here.

Since it was tapped a few years back to play host to the 2007 America's Cup, a new ripple of excitement is invigorating the city. Though the big race is still two years off, the regattas (known as acts), which will determine who will face defending Switzerland, attracted some 250,000 spectators last year. Those numbers will surely increase for the coming regattas in 2006 and 2007.

They may look more like spaceships than sailboats, but those other gleaming white forms on the horizon are the architectural marvels of the futuristic-looking City of Arts and Sciences, designed by Santiago Calatrava, a native son. The stunning complex, with a museum, theater, gardens and an aquarium, has put Valencia on the pilgrimage route for modern architecture's faithful.

Nice ink, and, well, good Times!