Plans for a new terminal promise to make sure more cruisers can enjoy Valencia’s attractions
By
Jacqui Griffiths |
This article was first published in the Itinerary Planning Special Report 2017. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Valencia’s cruise port is set to grow as plans for a new €15 million (US$17.6 million) cruise terminal get underway. A public-private partnership model will see the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) providing €7.5 million (US$8.8 million) of the investment, with the other half coming from the winner of a tender to construct and operate the new terminal.
Valencia currently offers one terminal with two cruise quays of 395 and 379 metres. The port expects 204 cruise calls in 2017, bringing 430,000 guests. The new terminal will have the capacity to serve two ships simultaneously and will be designed to meet the needs of its future operator. PAV directors were set to approve the tender for construction at the end of July.
Developed jointly by PAV and Valencia Tourism, the city’s tourist offer includes tours of the historical city centre, the City of Arts and Sciences and the Albufera natural park. Several new routes have also been introduced this year. The Religious Art Route takes visitors to the cathedral and other churches such as the recently restored San Nicolás or San Juan del Hospital. The Silk Route explores the legacy of Valencia’s silk industry with visits to the Silk Market, the recently restored Silk Museum and the ancient neighbourhood of Velluters, where silk workers used to produce true artworks. And the Route Valencia and Fallas takes tourists to key points of the city’s biggest festival, which was recently recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.