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<\/p>\nMany Mediterranean cities in Spain are facing an unprecedented summer with heatwave after heatwave, as well as the threat of wildfires in nearby countryside.<\/p>\n
If you don’t have air-conditioning, living here can feel very difficult during these sizzling months. And if you’re a tourist in Valencia, you’ll no doubt want to avoid sightseeing which will see you struggle in the heat.<\/p>\n
Here is some inspiration for those who want to enjoy Spain’s third biggest city while keeping cool during the scorching summer months.<\/p>\n
Out<\/strong>door cinemas Hang out in the <\/strong>Jard\u00ed del T\u00faria\u00a0park Cool down in an horchata caf\u00e9 Visit an outdoor pool\u00a0 Escape into museums and art galleries Take a boat ride in the L’Albufera Natural Park Visit a cultural centre Hang out in a bookstore Go to the beaches Take a long, lazy men\u00fa de d\u00eda
\n<\/strong>If it\u2019s too hot outside during the day, then a great option is to head out in the evening instead. Valencia has several outdoor cinemas that you can enjoy at night whilst staying cool including the Filmoteca d’Estiu<\/a> and CCCCinema d\u2019Estiu<\/a>. Some of them show movies in Spanish, while others are in original version such as English with only subtitles in Spanish.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>One of the best things about Valencia is its winding T\u00faria park, located in a dry riverbed that twists its way throughout the city. Filled with shady areas, kids playgrounds, gardens, sports facilities and ponds, it’s ideal for a hot afternoon. Take a blanket, a picnic, some games or a book and make a day of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Valencia the horchata capital of Spain and sometimes all you want there is just to sit down in a air-conditioned cafe and drink this sweet tiger-nut milk. Some of the best in the city include Horchater\u00eda Santab\u00e1rbara, Els Sariers, Horchater\u00eda Vida and Horchater\u00eda Santa Catalina. Some of them may be a bit touristy, but you’ll always find ones the locals frequent too, chatting while they dip their fartons<\/em> (sweet bread) into the milky concoctions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Often just getting in the water is the best way to cool down on those hot sticky days. Luckily, Valencia has several that you can take advantage of.\u00a0Parque del Oeste<\/a> and Benicalap<\/a> are two of the best and the biggest, while Paterna Pool <\/a>and Parc Vedat Pool \u2013 Torrent <\/a>are particularly great for families with kids play areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Valencia may not have as many famous museums as Madrid or Barcelona, but it can definitely hold its own when it comes to cultural attractions and there are several excellent places to visit including the Hortensia Herrero Art Centre (CAHH)<\/a>, housed in the Palazzo Valeriola, the Science Museum<\/a> (part of the City of Arts and Sciences), the Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia<\/a>\u00a0and the Centre del Carme Cultura Contempor\u00e0nia<\/span><\/a>. What\u2019s more many of the city\u2019s museums are free during particular days and times \u2013 most of them on a Sunday \u2013 so you don\u2019t have to spend so much money to keep cool. The Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia and the Centre del Carme Cultura Contempor\u00e0nia<\/span> are free all the time, while the Valencia History Museum is free on Sundays, the Fallas Museum on Sunday mornings and the Natural Science Museum is free on Sunday afternoons.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Just half an hour from the city lies the Albufera Lagoon. Get a bit of breeze by taking a boat tour out on the lake, winding around the reed beds and quiet corners. Just remember a good hat or an umbrella to shade you as some of the boats don’t have a roof.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>There are several good cultural centres across the city, which hold events from talks and concerts to small-scale theatrical productions and exhibitions. What’s even better is that they’re great places to escape the heat. One of the most interesting is La F\u00e1brica de Hielo<\/a>, an independent cultural space located near Cabanyal Beach. It has comedy nights, literature events, live music and audiovisual performances among others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>There\u2019s nothing better than strolling around a cool air-conditioned book store browsing for inspiration for your next book to read or simply discovering something new. Valencia is full of some great book stores including Ram\u00f3n Llull<\/a>, which also has many events, meetings and exhibitions and Book Lovers Valencia<\/a>, selling English language books and also holding several events. There\u2019s Bartleby<\/a>, specialising in comics and graphic novels as well as are the special bookstores like La Batisfera<\/a>, combining books with a caf\u00e9 serving lots of vegetarian and vegan dishes, as well as live music performances or Ubik Caf\u00e9<\/a> with a great men\u00fa de d\u00eda<\/em>, brunches and a programme of events.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>OK, yes this is an obvious one, but the city has some great beaches and sometimes there\u2019s really nothing else to do except to go and cool down in the Mediterranean. The city itself has three kilometres of soft sand to enjoy and there are even more beaches both north and south of the city that you can reach by public transport. Take picnic lunch, games to play, books, and most importantly, don\u2019t forget a parasol and your sunscreen.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/strong>Do what the Spaniards do and make lunch last all afternoon, if you have the time. That way you can can stay in a cool air-conditioned restaurant for several hours and stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n