City of Arts and Sciences
The City of Arts and Sciences: the back story
Neighbourhood guide
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout The City of Arts and Sciences: the back story
The City of Arts and Sciences stretches for almost two kilometres along the old bed of the Turia. Santiago Calatrava designed the Palau de les Arts, the Hemisfèric, the Science Museum, the Umbracle and the Àgora; Félix Candela the roofs of the Oceanogràfic (cac.es).
The buildings
The Hemisfèric opened in 1998, the Science Museum and the Umbracle in 2000, the Oceanogràfic in 2003 and the Palau de les Arts in 2005.
The aquarium
The Oceanogràfic, under Candela’s roofs.
Come at dusk, when the buildings are lit.
The opera
The Palau de les Arts stages opera and concerts; CaixaForum occupies the Àgora.
Our advice: buy tickets on cac.es and oceanografic.org only.
Why it's on our list
- The buildings
- The aquarium
- The opera
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The City of Arts and Sciences: the back story before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from The City of Arts and Sciences: the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest metro and tram stops
- Ciutat Arts i Ciències - JustíciaTram 10350 m4 min walk
- OceanogràficTram 10600 m8 min walk
- Quatre CarreresTram 10750 m9 min walk
Key sights
- Oceanogràfic550 mWalk 7 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Mercado de Colón2.0 kmWalk 25 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Valencia Cathedral2.9 kmWalk 37 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Mercado Central3.0 kmWalk 38 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 12 min
- La Lonja3.0 kmWalk 38 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Museu de Belles Arts3.1 kmWalk 38 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 12 min
- Torres de Serranos3.3 kmWalk 41 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 13 min
- Malvarrosa beach3.6 kmWalk 45 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Valencia Airport12 kmCar or taxi 36 min
Main railway stations
- Estació del Nord2.5 kmWalk 31 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Valencia Joaquín Sorolla2.5 kmWalk 31 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 11 min