The Carnival holidays are coming to an end... and with them, that little taste of freedom that almost makes us look at the plane tickets before we’ve even emptied the suitcase. As the German saying goes, “Nach dem Urlaub ist vor dem Urlaub”: as soon as you get home, you’re already thinking about the next trip.
So why not take advantage of the Easter holidays to treat yourself to a sunny break? Paperjam suggests three European cities where you can stroll, eat well and breathe a little milder air - with the added bonus of a few extra degrees on the thermometer. This week, it’s off to Valencia.
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
A true architectural manifesto signed Santiago Calatrava (with Félix Candela for the Oceanogràfic), the Cité des Sciences et des Arts unfurls its futuristic lines in the heart of the dry bed of the Turia. The complex comprises several complementary spaces. The Hemisfèric, recognisable by its giant eye shape, offers Imax projections and immersive planetarium sessions, while the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía - Valencia’s opera house - hosts major opera productions, concerts and ballets in a spectacular architectural setting. Just a stone’s throw away, the Oceanogràfic, Europe’s largest aquarium, invites you on a world tour of marine ecosystems, from Mediterranean waters to the polar regions, with its impressive underwater tunnels. The CaixaForum completes the picture with a programme of ambitious temporary exhibitions, often devoted to art, photography or major scientific themes.
But what really deserves a visit is the Science Museum, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with a particularly ambitious programme. The immersive exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci. 500 Years of Genius” offers a fascinating dialogue between art, science and technology. There are life-size machines made by Italian craftsmen, pages from the Leicester Codex, 360° reconstructions and even a virtual reality experience to fly over Florence.
Another highlight is the temporary exhibition “Mars: The Conquest of a Dream”, which explores the age-old fascination with the Red Planet and the prospects for its future colonisation. Featuring a Martian meteorite, replicas of works by Copernicus and Kepler, interactive modules and a reception hologram simulating a visitors’ centre on Mars, the exhibition combines science, history and the collective imagination. The playful dimension is assumed - games, tests, sensory experiences - while remaining solidly documented.
Finally, the permanent “Chromosome Forest” area invites visitors to explore the 23 pairs of human chromosomes through monumental installations and over a hundred interactive devices. Here you can test your balance, relaxation and muscular strength, while discovering the mysteries of DNA and the human body. And that’s perhaps the best surprise of all: far from being a museum just for children, it’s a fascinating place for all ages. Interactive, immersive, educational without ever being heavy-handed, it intelligently stimulates curiosity. It’s easy to get hooked, thanks to a spectacular scenography that transforms each room into a real experience.
The museum included a temporary exhibition on the “ninots”, the statues created for the Fallas, allowing visitors to vote for their favourite. To find out more, head to the following museum.
Museo Fallero
Installed in a former 18th century convent, Valencia’s Museo Fallero preserves what the flames spared. Because here, tradition dictates that almost everything disappears in the fire. Every year, at the end of the Fallas, these ephemeral monuments with their often satirical silhouettes are burnt during the cremà. Only one ninot - sometimes two since the creation of the children’s category - is saved by popular vote: this is the indult del foc, or “forgiveness of the fire”. The museum therefore presents the “ninots” rescued from the flames, detailed explanations of the customs and origins of the Fallas and a large collection of posters.
The museum gives pride of place to this festival, which is listed as an intangible cultural heritage site by UNESCO. The ninots come in all shapes and sizes. Inspired by popular culture - films, cartoons, local or international folklore -, depicting scenes from everyday life or imaginary worlds, it’s impossible not to fall under their spell.
Valencian Fine Arts Museum
Valencia’s Fine Arts Museum is home to one of the richest pictorial collections in Spain, from Valencian Gothic to the great masters of the Golden Age - led by Ribera - through to modern and contemporary art. In 2026, the institution will continue to pursue this ambition by offering an exhibition spanning almost four centuries of artistic creation. Among the works that make a lasting impression on the visitor is José Benlliure’s immense canvas, “La visión del Coliseo. El último mártir” (1885), impresses as much for its size as for its dramatic intensity.
Beyond this masterpiece, the museum boasts a remarkable collection of religious sculptures and paintings, reflecting Valencian artistic wealth from the Gothic to the Baroque periods. Some works by Sorolla recall the painter’s attachment to his native land, but it is above all the vibrant canvases by Antonio Muñoz Degrain that captivate the eye. The whole is organised around a very elegant patio, bathed in light, which offers a welcome breath of fresh air between the museum’s various spaces.
Museo Nacional de Cerámica y Artes Suntuarias
Installed in the exuberant palace of the Marquis of Dos Aguas, a spectacularly decorated Baroque jewel, the National Ceramics Museum tells the story of both a place and a passion. Founded by Manuel González Martí, a great Valencian collector, the museum has been built up over time through donations, acquisitions and deposits that have gradually enriched its collections. As well as ceramics, the historic heart of the institution, the tour also explores the evolution of the building itself and the decisive role played by its founder in safeguarding the local artistic heritage.
From the outside, the palace is simply sublime: its Baroque façade, teeming with detail, immediately catches the eye and sets the tone. Inside, the museum is surprising. Less well known than other Valencian institutions, it does not limit itself - far from it - to ceramics alone. There are also some very fine pieces of furniture, refined decorative objects, an elegant collection of textiles, several sculptures and paintings, including some remarkable portraits. Taken as a whole, it makes up an almost discreet place, a little off the beaten track, but well worth a diversion and even a second visit to appreciate all its nuances.
Real Colegio Seminario del Corpus Christi
A stone’s throw from Valencia Cathedral - often considered a little expensive and overrun with visitors - the Real Colegio Seminario de Corpus Christi offers a much more peaceful alternative. Founded by Juan de Ribera, Archbishop of Valencia and deeply influenced by the reforming spirit of the Council of Trent, the complex impresses first and foremost with its magnificent cloister (see photo, above), elegantly sober, and the finesse of its sculptures. Since 1959, part of the former students’ rooms has housed the Patriarch’s Museum, where the works collected by the prelate and added to over the centuries are on display. On display is a remarkable collection of Spanish paintings, from the Gothic to the 19th century, as well as Italian and Flemish, with such prestigious names as Caravaggio, El Greco and Ribalta, not to mention precious pieces of silverware and old books.
The chapel alone is well worth a visit: its walls adorned with sumptuous tapestries envelop the space in a solemn, hushed atmosphere, almost out of time. A discreet, confidential place, where you can savour masterpieces far from the crowds.
(Next week, off to Italy)
