City of Arts and Sciences
The City of Arts and Sciences (Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències) occupies the former bed of the Turia River at the southern end of Valencia — a waterway diverted after a catastrophic flood in 1957, its original channel converted into a linear park in the 1980s. The complex of white neo-futurist structures was designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela. It opened in 1998 with the Hemisfèric planetarium, followed by the science museum, the opera house, Europe's largest aquarium, and finally the Àgora. In 2007 it was named one of the Twelve Treasures of Spain. Don't just photograph the skyline from outside: each white shell conceals engineering stories worth pausing for.
Spain · 32 The overlooked corners inside
The overlooked corners inside
Monteolivete Bridge
Slow down before you cross — this is actually two bridges joined into one, and the seam is visible once you know to look. The northern span is the older section: straight, flat, nearly unadorned, its grey concrete accented with touches of deep red and lined with small lamp posts on each side, purely functional. At the junction between the two spans, stairways on both sides descend directly to the old Turia riverbed. On the bridge stands a classical column marking the cross erected here when Pope Benedict XVI used the bridge as a pulpit during his 2006 visit to Valencia.
Sources: ca.wikipedia.org
Hemisfèric
Stand at the water's edge and take in the "eye" — this is the Hemisfèric, the first building in the City of Arts and Sciences to open, on 16 April 1998. Calatrava designed it in the image of a human eye: an egg-shaped shell over a hundred metres long, like a half-open eyelid enclosing a giant sphere, the whole structure mirrored in the pool below so that the eye seems to close and open again with the water's surface.
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía
The world's tallest opera house stands here: the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, completed in 2005, rises 75 metres across 14 above-ground and 3 underground floors. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, it is the only performing-arts venue in his City of Arts and Sciences complex. The building is clad in white trencadís (broken-tile mosaic), though within eight years of opening, tiles began falling from the façade on 26 December 2013. Investigation revealed systemic adhesion failures across the entire surface; all the tiles had to be stripped and reapplied. The restored cladding was unveiled in November 2015 and has remained intact since.
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
Museu de les Ciències Príncep Felip
The Museu de les Ciències Príncep Felip (Prince Philip Science Museum) opened on 14 November 2000 with 26,000 square metres of exhibition space across three floors. Named after the then-Crown Prince Felipe — now King Felipe VI — and designed by Calatrava, it puts hands-on interaction at its centre, combining permanent and temporary exhibitions with indoor and outdoor teaching halls and terraces for workshops. The first thing likely to stop you inside is a 15-metre-tall DNA double-helix sculpture, the landmark of the life-science wing.
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
Pont de l'Assut de l'Or
The Pont de l'Assut de l'Or is a cable-stayed bridge designed by Calatrava, completed in December 2008. Its 125-metre pylon — 127 metres including the lightning rod — is the highest point in the city of Valencia. The deck is 180 metres long and 34 metres wide, with a 155-metre span, linking the southern ring road to Calle Menorca. It was one of the last major elements of the City of Arts and Sciences to be built, slotted between the Science Museum and the Àgora. The bridge has collected several nicknames: the ham-slicer (el jamonero), the sail (la vela), and the harp bridge (puente del arpa) — all gesturing at the distinctive inclined white pylon.
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
L'Umbracle
L'Umbracle is a long, narrow garden walkway under parallel arched ribs clad in Calatrava's… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
L'Oceanogràfic
L'Oceanogràfic is the largest aquarium by area in the European Union: 110,000 square metre… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
L'Àgora
L'Àgora is the last major building in the City of Arts and Sciences, inaugurated in Novemb… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
Sundial
The sundial beside the Science Museum is one of the few installations in the City of Arts… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: relojesdesol.info · relojesdesol.wordpress.com
Papilionari
The Papilionari is the corner of L'Oceanogràfic that has nothing to do with the sea: more… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: oceanografic.org
Astronomy Garden
The Astronomy Garden (Jardí d'Astronomia) sits at the far end of the L'Umbracle walkway an… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: cac.es · expocultur.com
Ikaria II
Ikaria II is a bronze sculpture by the Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj (1944–2014), one of 15… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · continiarte.com · valencialife.es
Ikaro Alato
Ikaro Alato ("Winged Icarus") is one of the 15 bronze works in Mitoraj's "Broken Dreams" s… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: valencialife.es · continiarte.com
Ikaro Screpolato
Ikaro Screpolato ("Cracked Icarus") is one of the bronze works in the "Broken Dreams" seri… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: valencialife.es · continiarte.com
Boca di Eros
Boca di Eros ("Mouth of Eros") is one of the 15 bronze works in Mitoraj's "Broken Dreams"… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: tripadvisor.com · valencialife.es
CaixaForum Valencia
CaixaForum Valencia opened on 22 June 2022 inside the Àgora, following a nearly two-year r… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: visitvalencia.com · visitvalencia.com
Sea Turtle Rescue Centre
The sea-turtle area at L'Oceanogràfic houses five species: Loggerhead, Green, Hawksbill, K… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: connectingvalencia.com · valencialife.es · fundacionoceanografic.org
Temperate Seas & Sharks
The Temperate Seas pavilion (Templados/Focas) represents marine ecosystems stretching from… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: connectingvalencia.com · spainvoyages.com
European Flamingos
The European flamingo enclosure sits in the outdoor wetland area beside the 26-metre-tall… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: connectingvalencia.com · spainvoyages.com
Living Lake Flamingos
The Living Lake section of L'Oceanogràfic hosts a free-ranging colony of flamingos in its… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: connectingvalencia.com
Crocodile Enclosure
The crocodile enclosure in the Living Lake area covers 450 square metres with 410 cubic me… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: oceanografic.org
Open Ocean & Shark Tunnel
The Open Ocean pavilion (Oceános/Tiburones) is the architectural centrepiece of L'Oceanogr… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: connectingvalencia.com · spainvoyages.com
Giant Tortoise Enclosure
The giant tortoise enclosure is home to Aldabra giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea)… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: oceanografic.org
Wetlands & Aviary
The Wetlands Aviary (Aiguamolls - Aviari) is one of the more distinctive ecological experi… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: connectingvalencia.com
Arctic Pavilion
The Arctic Pavilion (Àrtic) is centred on a 12-metre-tall igloo-shaped structure with view… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: oceanografic.org · connectingvalencia.com
Dolphinarium
The Dolphinarium (Delfinari) is Europe's largest dolphin performance facility: the main po… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: connectingvalencia.com · tickets-valencia.com
Mediterranean Pavilion
The Mediterranean Pavilion (Mediterrani) recreates the coastal ecosystems of the Mediterra… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: connectingvalencia.com
Sea Lion Area
The sea lion area (Lleons Marins) is part of the Islands (Illes) ecological zone, an outdo… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: oceanografic.org · oceanografic.org
Antarctic Pavilion
The Antarctic Pavilion (Antàrtic) recreates the Southern Ocean ecosystem at the bottom of… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: oceanografic.org
Umbracle
The Umbracle is a long, narrow garden set beneath a curved rib canopy, planted with native… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
Calatrava's Unbuilt Towers
The City of Arts and Sciences was originally planned to include a cluster of skyscrapers… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
Unbuilt Telecommunications Tower
The original centrepiece of the City of Arts and Sciences was to have been a 382-metre tel… 🔒 Unlock the full guide
Sources: es.wikipedia.org
FAQ
What overlooked corners are worth seeing inside City of Arts and Sciences?
Monteolivete Bridge, Hemisfèric, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía and more — 32 spots in all, each with sources and a guide in your language to read or listen to on the spot.
Is the City of Arts and Sciences guide free?
The first 5 spots are free to read; the other 27 unlock with a one-time purchase (not a subscription).