Turia Gardens

The Turia flooded Valencia catastrophically in 1957, killing dozens, and the response was to divert the river around the south of the city, leaving nine kilometres of dry bed running through the centre. The government planned a motorway in it; a sustained public campaign under the slogan el llit del Turia es nostre, the riverbed is ours, defeated the plan, and from 1986 the bed was laid out as a park instead. It now runs from the Parque de Cabecera in the west to the City of Arts and Sciences in the east, passing under the city's historic bridges, with sports pitches, palm groves, ponds, cycle paths, a rose garden and the Gulliver playground, a giant reclining figure children climb over on slides and ropes.

What you actually see

• The riverbed park - nine kilometres of garden below street level.
• The historic bridges - the city's old crossings passing overhead.
• The Gulliver playground - a giant figure climbed on by children.
• The cycle route - a continuous path from one end of the city to the other.

When to go

Spring and autumn for comfort; Valencia summers are hot and shade in the park is patchy in sections. Early morning and evening are when residents use it most. It is free and open at all hours.

Honest expectations

The park is long and covering it means walking or cycling several kilometres. Some sections are sports facilities and car parks rather than garden. Shade varies considerably along its length.

Nearby

The City of Arts and Sciences is at the eastern end; the old town and cathedral are alongside.