Valencia

Valencia is Spain's third-largest city and the birthplace of paella, sitting on the Mediterranean coast between Barcelona and Alicante with a climate and pace that feels notably more relaxed than either. It's known for the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences complex alongside a well-preserved old town, a mix of architecture that spans medieval to Santiago Calatrava's contemporary designs. Locals speak Valencian, a dialect of Catalan, alongside Spanish, a point of regional identity.

True paella valenciana is made with rabbit, chicken, and snails, not the seafood version served abroad, and is traditionally a lunch dish rather than dinner. Horchata, a sweet drink made from tiger nuts, is a local specialty best paired with fartons, long sugared pastries. Las Fallas, a March festival culminating in burning giant sculptures, shuts down much of the city for a week and is worth planning around, not just visiting during.