The City of Arts and Sciences, a magnificent place in Valencia

Hello everyone! Today we are going to talk about la City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia, One most famous and impressive areas in all of Spain.

Many tourists from all over the world come here to see this futuristic place.

But… What is the City of Arts and Sciences?

This is a cultural complex is located in the city of Valencia, Spain. It is made up of several futuristic and avant-garde buildings, whose objective is promote culture, scientific education and entertainment.

¿Who built the City of Arts and Sciences? It was designed by Santiago Calatrava and the engineer Félix Candela. 

The works of this mammoth architectural work began in 1994. The year of its completion and inauguration came in 1998.

Santiago Calatrava is a Spanish architect who has created museums, bridges and other infrastructures throughout Spain and around the world.

La address of the City of Arts and Sciences It was carried out by Antonio Torres, a politician who held the position of Director General of Relations in the Valencian Parliament.

The works of architect of the City of Arts and Sciences are very recognizable, since their particular avant-garde style with neutral colors and impossible curved lines it is unique.

In fact, the City of Arts and Sciences is such a striking space that it has served as a setting for Hollywood movies and series high level, like Tomorrowland (2015) o Westworld (2016) 

Do you know that the nine series of Star Wars is it filming here too? 👌

What to see in the City of Arts and Sciences? Well many things. The truth. In fact, coming to visit her is something you have to do at least once in your life. 

To convince you of this, in this article we are going to describe the buildings of the City of Arts and Sciences and what you will find inside them. These buildings are:

• Oceanogràfic
• Hemisfèric
• science Museum
• Umbracle
• Queen Sofia Palace of the Arts
• Agora – Caixaforum Valencia
• Assut de l'Or bridge

In addition, we also tell you everything about the price of the Tickets of these spaces, how to get there and the best restaurants in the city of Arts and Sciences.

If you are wondering How much did the City of Arts and Sciences cost?, was really expensive: 1.282 million euros. Many Valencians think that it was a waste of money and that it was not worth the expense.

We are going to try to convince you to come and see for yourself if it is worth it or not. 😉

Let's see in detail all these buildings!

Oceanogràfic

We start with the Oceanographic of Valencia. En the City of Arts and Sciences the Oceanogràfic It's something you can't miss.

This is the Europe's largest aquarium 😯

It houses more than 45.000 animals of 500 species y 42 million liters of water. As you can imagine, the Aquarium of the City of Arts and Sciences It is also one of the largest in the world.

Through its large fish tanks you will be able to observe marine animals of all kinds, such as sharks, jellyfish, rays, turtles, sea lions, walruses, belugas and many types of fish. There is also a penguin area and dolphin shows.

The aquarium is divided into different thematic zones that represent the main marine ecosystems of the world, such as the Mediterranean, coral reefs, the Arctic and Antarctic or the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

El Oceanogràfic of the City of Arts and Sciences It is not only an aquarium for observing marine fauna, it also actively participates in programs for conserve the oceans and marine life. 

He does activities and educational programs for all ages and participates in various research projects and helps save the endangered species.

Hemisfèric

El Hemispheric of Valencia It is one of the most emblematic buildings of the City of Arts and Sciences (it is the name of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencian).

its characteristic eye shape It attracts the eyes of all the tourists. Everyone who steps on Valencia poses in front of it to take a picture and take home a nice souvenir of this iconic location. 

¿What's inside tasks in the Hemisfèric of the City of Arts and Sciences?

It has a 900 square meter concave screen who projects videos in IMAX in high definition and surround sound.

Visitors experience 3D movies, documentaries, shows and concerts in a completely different way and immersive.

Some of the most recurring videos that are projected in this cinema of the City of Arts and Sciences they are about the universe and science. 

The Hemisfèric has a strong educational commitment to disseminate scientific knowledge of Space and other topics. For this reason, it is also known as the planetarium of the City of Arts and Sciences.

Sounds interesting, right? You can see the schedule of the current screenings of the Hemisfèric on its website.

You can also see all the programming of the City of Arts and Sciences clicking on this link. 

One last thing to note about the Hemisfèric is its location. This gigantic metallic eye is floating on a extensive pool the color blue. 

This is not the only pool. All the Calatrava City of Arts and Sciences it is surrounded by these pools. 

This, plus the white color and the design of its monuments, make this place look very modern and neat.

In these pools you will see the famous boats of the City of Arts and Sciences. 

Are you coming to take a boat ride in a place that looks like something out of a science fiction movie? We're in!

Science Museum of Valencia

Among the main activities in the City of Arts and Sciences what you can do, one of the most interesting is to visit the Prince Felipe Museum of Science.

El Museum of Sciences Prince Felipe, in Valencian, is a museum whose theme revolves around the science and technology. 

The fun thing about this museum is that almost all of its works are interactive. In this way, access to science is made more dynamic and easy to understand, especially for children.

The idea of ​​learning while we play is very effective, and it is something that we in Hispania, escuela de español we always try to do in our Spanish classes.

The playful component encourages learning to develop better.

El Museum of the City of Arts and Sciences It has a wide variety of interactive rooms and exhibits, covering topics such as energy, biology, physics, astronomy and others. 

Some most outstanding permanent exhibitions we have:

• Zero gravity: 

If you like the universe and astronomy, this is your room. You can see original pieces of the famous telescope Hubble or let yourself be carried away by spectacular images of space in motion. You can also take a walk to the International Space Station following the instructions of astronaut Pedro Duque.   

• Eddy pendulum:

This enigmatic pendulum hanging from the ceiling moves 24 hours a day, always forwards and backwards. Show that the earth rotates on its own axis.

• Chromosome Forest:

This is the room dedicated to the human body. Through more than 100 interactive works you will learn how our body and cells work. There are also some curious tests of balance and muscle strength.

These are just some of the examples of exhibitions that you can find. There are many more and from time to time new ones are made. Temporary exhibitions that are being renewed

One of the most popular was, for example, the exhibition of the Lego City of Arts and Sciences a few years ago, in which more than a million Lego pieces were brought to recreate important events in history such as the discovery of America or the Titanic.

Although this is one of curiosities of the City of Arts and Sciences are exhibitions that are done, not only inside the museum, but on the main esplanade, in the open air.

These movies are exhibitions are completely free and very enjoyable if it comes out on a good day, which, as we are in Valencia, is usually the case 😁

In this great esplanade they also make music festivals and concerts, such as the Festival de Les Arts in summer, one of the events in the City of Arts and Sciences most popular that attracts thousands of people every year.

By the way, if you're wondering, the capacity of the City of Arts and Sciences is 20.000 people.

Umbracle

El Umbracle of Valencia, L'Umbracle in Valencian, it's a garden which serves several purposes.

The first is to offer a nice walk through a garden that houses own vegetation from the Mediterranean region, from the Valencian Community and other tropical countries.

It is also a place where the main sculptures of the City of Arts and Sciences. 

These sculptures are renewed periodically and you can see them for free in the so-called Art Walk.

Another point to keep in mind is that from the terrace of the Umbracle we have the best panoramic views of all the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia. It is located right in front of the museum, but we can see the rest of the buildings and pools that make it up.

Finally, on summer nights, Umbracle becomes a magnificent discotheque which offers a prodigious location. 

Can you imagine how pretty it must be Valencia with the City of Arts and Sciences at night? Well, if you go out to party in Umbracle in summer, you will be able to see it with your own eyes, without having to resort to images of the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia 😉

So yes, there is one nightclub in the City of Arts and Sciences, and it is one of the best in the city 🕺🏻

Also, did you know that you can also walk at night through this futuristic and illuminated environment? there is not a schedule in the City of Arts and Sciences.

You can go there whenever you want, it is an open and public space. What does have a schedule are the buildings inside. Each one has its own opening and closing hours, which is usually between ten in the morning and six in the evening.

Queen Sofia Palace of the Arts

El Queen Sofia Palace of the Arts, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia In Valencian, it is considered the auditorium of the City of Arts and Sciences. 

Within this monumental building, artistic events are held, especially related to the music and dance. 

Above all, you will find many concerts by traditional music Valencian and Spanish. There is also a lot of emphasis on the Opera. 

Almost every concert of the City of Arts and Sciences takes place in the living room of the Palace of the Arts. 

The building has a surface area of ​​37.000 square meters and is over 70 meters high. Inside there are four large rooms. 

The main room is a true marvel. Its spaciousness and its strange architecture will leave you speechless for a long time. 

There is no doubt that this is the building dedicated to the music lovers in all the site of the City of Arts and Sciences.

outside, the facade from the Palace of Arts is also spectacular. It is said that its shape is a metaphor for a ship stranded in the bed of the Turia River. You have to come see it!

Ágora

El Agora of the City of Arts and Sciences It is one of the newest buildings in the area, it was inaugurated in 2009. It is located between the Assut de l'Or bridge and the Oceanogràfic.

It has an area of ​​more than Sqm 5.000 and a capacity to house more than 6.000 people. 

This bluish building follows the same design futuristic from its neighboring buildings. It has a glass and steel canopy supported by two inclined arches reaching skyward, giving the building a spiky, streamlined appearance.

Until now, the Ágora had been a space with many functions in which different events such as concerts, exhibitions or fairs were held.

However, in this last year Ágora became CaixaForum Valencia, a space dedicated to culture and art through exhibitions, art galleries, film screenings or conferences that are updated every month.

For example, right now you can see the exhibition Apollo 11, which demonstrates with images and text how was the arrival of man on the Moon. 

Seeing such an exhibition in such an impressive and modern building must be an interesting experience, don't you think?

Assut de l'Or bridge

L'Assut de l'Or is the bridge of the City of Arts and Sciences.

It was inaugurated in 2008 and is one of the most beautiful bridges of all Valencia.

It has a Height of 125 meters that rises over the Jardín del Turia. Its design resembles a giant harp, with a canted central mast and several cables extending from it to support the bridge deck.

The bridge is white in color and is made of concrete and steel. The bridge platform has a longitud of 180 meters and it has two lanes for vehicles and a pedestrian lane.

Without a doubt, it is a bridge that can be recognized from kilometers away and it is worth crossing.

This has been the last great architectural work of Calatrava in Valencia. Now you know how to visit the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia and what you can see in each building.

Do you already have your tickets for the City of Arts and Sciences? Don't know how to get them? We help you😉

City of Arts and Sciences tickets

The tickets to the City of Arts and Sciences they are very easy to get. We tell you everything you need to know about prices, discounts and others in each of its buildings.

All tickets can be purchased online or at the box office.

Oceanographic tickets

La general entry for the Oceanográfico it costs 36 Euros. For children from four to twelve years old, the price is reduced to 26 euros. This price is the same for retirees, pensioners, people over 65 or people with functional diversity.

If you want a guide to take you around the aquarium and give you information about the different animals, you can buy ticket with tour for 48 euros. Also the entrance with tour is reduced to 38,80 for children, pensioners, etc.

There are also Oceanogràfic packs plus other events They would be more expensive if you bought them separately.

For example, one of the most popular is the aquarium + The sea in your hands. In this interactive experience you will learn about the biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea, learning more about sea turtles. This package costs 43 euros for general admission and 33 euros for reduced price.

You can also buy the ticket Oceanogràfic + Science Museum, which has a price of 38,20 in general and 28,70 in reduced.

As you can see, it is much more profitable to buy this pack than the simple entrance to the aquarium, since for only 2,80 euros more it includes the entrance to the museum.

These same prices are repeated in the pack of the Oceanogràfic + Hemisfèric.

You can also buy the complete pack: Oceanogràfic + Science Museum + Hemisfèric. This one has a general price of 44,20 euros general and 34,70 reduced.

Without a doubt, they are the best discounts from the City of Arts and Sciences. If you intend to enter multiple buildings, check them out!

Hemisferic tickets

The IMAX and 3D projections of the Hemisfèric cinema cost 8,70 euros each. The price for children, adults, retirees or people with functional diversity is 6,70 Euros.

Príncipe Felipe Science Museum tickets

The price of tickets to the Science Museum It is exactly the same as the Hemisfèric: 8,70 general admission and 6,70 reduced price admission.

Caixaforum Valencia tickets

The hours to access CaixaForum Valencia are from 10.00:20.00 in the morning to XNUMX:XNUMX in the afternoon.

General admission is worth 6 Euros. With this entry you can see all exhibitions, both permanent and temporary.

And you know what? If you are a CaixaBank customer, admission is completely free. This is one of the few cases where you can find free tickets to the City of Arts and Sciences.

In CaixaForum there is also reduced prices for groups of more than 10 people.

Tickets to concerts are usually sold at 10 or 15 euros.

Queen Sofia Palace of Arts tickets

The prices of the shows at the Reina Sofía Palace of the Arts vary according to the concert y according to the area where you buy the ticket.

To give you an idea, in the main room there are 6 zones. Here are the majority of concerts and opera sessions. 

The zones go from farthest to closest. Route 6, which is the furthest away, can cost between 8 and 16 euros. 

From here, the price goes up. Zone 1, which is located right in front of the stage, can cost between 40 and 145 euros.

Right now there is an offer called «Youth Flat Rate». This rate offers 5 shows for only 50 euros for people who are up to 28 years old. 

These shows include an opera, a symphonic music concert and a theater, among others.

If you want to see more than one concert in the City of Arts and Sciences quality, this rate may be appropriate.

Are you over 28 years old? It's okay, there is also an offer for you, although you will have to shell out a little more money. If you are under 36 years old, you can enjoy the same 5 shows for 100 euros.

As you can see, in the City of Arts and Sciences there are offers very good 👌🏻

Access to the City of Arts and Sciences

Now you have an idea of ​​the budget of the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia that you need to enter their enclosures.

Perhaps you are wondering: How can you access the City of Sciences? whatWhat is the best means of transportation to go?

Below we count one by one all forms of transport so you can choose the one that suits you best.

Parking City of Arts and Sciences

Possible park in the City of Arts and Sciences. There is a fair car park under the Umbracle. 

El price of parking in the City of Arts and Sciences for cars and buses is 2,30 euros an hour. The maximum rate is 24 euros per day.

If you go to the City of Arts and Sciences with tickets to enter any of its infrastructures, the price of the car park will be €7 per day, being able to leave the car until the closing of the buildings.

There are free parking inside the City of Arts and Sciences? 

Unfortunately not. If you don't want to pay money, you can also try to park in the vicinity of the City of Sciences. 

It is possible to find parking in the nearest streets, if you are a little patient and don't mind walking a bit more.

Metro City of Arts and Sciences

There are metro stop in the City of Arts and Sciences? Yes, the stop Ciutat Arts and Sciences – Justice. 

It can be a good option if you don't have a car or don't feel like driving. 

The drawback is that this metro stop can only be reached from a single point. that point is line 10, which comes from the Alicante stop, very close to the North Station.

Therefore, unless you live in the heart of Valencia, getting to the City of Sciences by metro will mean transfer y long commute time, from 40 to 60 minutes.

Buses to the City of Arts and Sciences

You also have the possibility to go bus to the City of Arts and Sciences.

In fact, eWe like this option more than the subway because you have hot lines that take you and you will save a lot of time, without having to be so aware of when to get off to change.

The EMT lines (this is the name of the red urban buses in Valencia) that go to the City of Arts and Sciences are: 1, 13, 15, 19, 24, 25, 35, 40, 94, 95 and 99.

Restaurants in City of Arts and Sciences

For City of Arts and Sciences visiting time estimate can be a whole morning or all dayIt depends on the number of activities you want to do.

If you are going to be a long day, it is normal that at some point you get hungry and want to eat. 

There are good restaurants for eat inside the City of Arts and Sciences? Of course there are. Within the complex you will find several restaurants. We tell you the most popular.

• Counterpoint Restaurant

This restaurant is inside the Palacio de Les Arts. 

If you feel like eating in a striking place, with seafood and curious tapas, this is a good place. 

Also, you can eat in a terrace of the City of Arts and Sciences to soak up the sun and enjoy incredible views. 

If you prefer, you can also go to this restaurant to dinner in the City of Arts and Sciences and observe this beautiful futuristic landscape with its pools and illuminated monuments.

• Museum Ristorante Trattoria

This restaurant is inside the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum. 

It is Italian food and here you will find typical dishes of this cuisine.

• Restaurants at the Oceanogràfic

In the aquarium is where you will find more restaurants. If you want something cheap you can eat a hamburger in the Dolphinarium Hamburger or a meat dish with potatoes in the restaurant Oceans.

If you prefer high-end food in a fancy place, try going to the restaurant Submarino. 

Have you never eaten with large fish tanks of marine animals around you? well in this restaurant of the City of Arts and Sciences you can do it

These are the restaurants inside the City of Sciences. However, near this there are neighborhoods where you will find restaurants of all kinds. 

These restaurants are concentrated in the neighborhood Penya – Red, who is less than 5 minutes walking, or, in the Saler Shopping Center, which is right next to the City of Arts and Sciences by Santiago Calatrava.

By the way, if you wish, you can also stay in hotels near the City of Arts and Sciences. There are many, here are some:

• NH Valencia Les Artes Hotel.
• NH Valencia Las Ciencias Hotel.
• Hotel Primus Valencia.
• Sercotel Valencia Alameda 41.

In some of these hotels you can find hotel offers + tickets for the City of Arts and Sciences at a good price.

The City of Arts and Sciences is one of the most emblematic places of Valencia that you can't miss. But, that yes, to be able to fully enjoy all its cultural attractions that it offers, which are not few, you need to have a base of the Spanish language.

If you think you should improve it, we will always welcome you with open arms in Hispania, escuela de español. We are also in Valencia! 😉

We provide face-to-face Spanish courses y online Spanish courses in which you will learn to understand and speak Spanish in a very short time.

Now you know everything you need about the City of Arts and Sciences. Let's quickly review everything we've learned about this beautiful part of Valencia.

• How is the architecture of the City of Arts and Sciences.
• What are the buildings that make it up.
• What's in the City of Arts and Sciences inside.
• El price of tickets to the City of Arts and Sciences and with discount in its different spaces.
• El parking in the City of Arts and Sciences and other ways to get here.
• The main restaurants.

Of all the buildings we have seen, if you had to choose just one of the buildings, what would it be? 

Leave us a comment with your reasons and we'll talk 🙌🏻

Article written by Carlos Martínez for Hispania, escuela de español.