Contemporary Architecture Walk (Self Guided), Valencia

With one foot in the past and the other one in the future, it is hard to find a European city more architecturally intriguing than Valencia. Among the multitude of styles, Valencia particularly excels at the cutting-edge contemporary architecture. She owes it to her own born and bred architect, Santiago Calatrava, renowned for his hyper-modern-surreal designs.

In the course of nearly two decades, from 1991 to 2009, Calatrava produced an ensemble of futuristic buildings and bridges that make up the famous City of Arts and Sciences complex. If only for one reason, it is thanks to these works that Valencia has put itself on the map as a city well worth visiting. Calatrava’s celebration of art and science in Valencia is indeed a must-visit place for architecture buffs, and includes:

Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia (Queen Sofía Palace of the Arts) – an opera house & performing arts center; home to Plácido Domingo's singers training program.

L'Umbracle – an outdoor art gallery with sculptures from contemporary artists and a landscaped garden featuring plant species indigenous to Valencia.

L'Hemisfèric – also known as the "eye of knowledge", the building, shaped as a giant eye, houses an IMAX Cinema, planetarium and laserium.

Prince Philip Science Museum – housed in an edifice resembling skeleton of a whale.

Assut de l'Or – the “Dam of the Gold”, a white single-pylon cable-stayed bridge crossing over the Túria Gardens.

L'Àgora (The Agora) – a multi-functional space resembling a pointed ellipse.

L'Oceanogràfic – an oceanarium, divided into ten areas, featuring different marine habitats.

If you ever wondered how something so contrasting as the sci-fi compound like this can coexist in the same urban setting with the sunny, paella-scented streets of Valencia, take this self-guided walk and find out!