Valencia was host to the 2007 America's Cup. This fact, along with the construction
of the "City of Arts and Science" by renowned architect and Valencian Santiago Calatrava have made Valencia a city
in transition. Massive construction and transformation over the last 10 years have turned a once little-considered
medium city into a meatier and more interesting destination.
Despite being on the Mediterranean Sea, even residents say that "Valencia has always lived with its back to the
sea", meaning that the spirit and the core of the city is not necessarily integrated with its beach. The city
center and the most visited neighborhoods are not particularly close to the beach.
