The Traveling IQ vault is packed with travel photos that have never seen the light of day. They’re lonely and want to say hello.
Here’s a little photo tour of Valencia, Spain, from my summer 2011 visit.
Spain’s third largest city beautifully blends the old and the new. On a short walk you can easily encounter 2,000 years of history and architecture.
To learn a bit more, read my article in the Washington Post or listen to the radio interview on Portland’s KPAM.
The world of travel moves fast! Let’s keep up–together. On Fridays, Traveling IQ curates the highlights from the past week:
*Prince Harry’s Hairies are boosting business in Las Vegas. Since pictures of his naked Royal Hiney made their way through the world wide web, inquiries for trips to Sin City are up 30% (via The Telegraph); and the city has launched a new tourism campaign under the slogan, “Keep Calm and Carry On Harry.” (via NBC News)
*A botched restoration puts a small town on the world’s travel radar and launches a new meme. Cecilia Gimenez’s amateur attempt at restoring the 19th century fresco “Ecce Homo” is drawing hundreds of travelers to the small town of Borja in northeast Spain. (via NY Daily News)
*Want to be a well-heeled traveler? Walk in a flight attendant’s shoes. (via NY Times)
*Sometimes one inch really does make a difference! JetBlue and Canada’s WestJet are cutting legroom for some nonpremium seats. (via CNN)
*Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue. And the dream of colorful crosswalks, really do come true. The West Hollywood City Council has voted to permanently keep this year’s Pride-month rainbow crosswalks in L.A.’s Boystown. (via Passport Magazine)
What did I miss? Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.
Filed under Gay, Travel News
The festivities are already under way for Valencia’s biggest street party, Las Fallas. This festival to honor St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, consumes Valencia from March 15 to 19, attracting more visitors than any other event.
Every March the city erupts into the concert of gunpowder known as mascletàs. During this time, the city proudly presents its fallas: gigantic, building-high, papier-mâché sculptures satirizing politicians, celebrities and local customs. The non-stop partying, parades and fireworks, climax at midnight on the 19th, with the public burning of all the papier-mâché participants stationed throughout the city, except for one small ninot chosen by popular vote (a life-sized figure sitting at the base of one of the colossal fallas). The spared sculpture will then join his brothers and sisters dating as far back as 1934, at their current safe haven, the Museo Fallero.
To learn more, visit the Valencia Tourism Website and read my full article published in The Washington Post.
The City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia
Following my article in The Washington Post, I was interviewed by Terry Travis of the Azumano Travel Show on Portland’s KPAM Radio Station.
Click below to listen to the interview on Valencia, Spain:
I’m a greedy tourist. When I travel, I want to experience it all: the old and the new, the quaint and the cosmopolitan, the historic and the contemporary. So when I heard about a city that flows with the ease of a small town while boasting beaches, museums and architectural masterpieces on par with those of the world’s great cultural centers, I took notice.
Read the full travel feature in The Washington Post by clicking on the picture below:
Filed under Europe, Publications
Showcasing architectural styles to accompany more than 2,000 years of history, Valencia thrives on the pairing of old and new. Why should its hotels be any different? Located in the popular Centro Historico neighborhood, the Vincci Palace Hotel combines classic style and contemporary design in Spain’s third largest city.
Enter through the immaculately restored historic façade and check into the modern elegance of this five-floor boutique hotel. Accents of purples and reds pop from a background of shiny lacquered walls and sheer drapes to create a lobby area that can effortlessly double as an evening lounge. Upstairs, all 76 rooms are equipped with the modern conveniences we have come to expect from a four-star hotel: satellite television, in-room internet, full mini-bar, and a pillow menu for a cushion-to-taste rest. In keeping with the design aesthetic, the bathrooms are sleek and sexy, each with deep soaking tubs, black granite counter tops, and modern chandeliers to stylishly light your routine toward cleanliness… or dirtiness.
In the morning, refuel at the complimentary breakfast buffet which includes eggs, meats, fruits, pastries, and even a glass of cava should you wish to toast last night’s adventures. When ready to explore, you are a five-minute walk from the Cathedral and Plaza de la Virgen, the epicenter of town, and just a few more steps to the nightlife options of Barrio del Carmen.
*Article originally published in Out Traveler
Filed under Europe, Hotels, Publications
Valencia, Spain
Ivan Quintanilla is featured as the travel expert on Toronto’s Proud FM “Your Morning With Richard & Chris.”
IQ talks about the beautiful Mediterranean city of Valencia, Spain.
Click below to listen to the interview:
Want to hear more? Listen to other Proud FM travel segments, discussing Pittsburgh, New York and Curaçao.
