Another memory I have of my time as a student in Valencia was crossing the River Túria, which we called the dry river since it was pretty much just sand and dirt, the river having been diverted in the 1950s to prevent flooding. The riverbed wasn’t much to look at and wasn’t serving any useful purpose though the bridges across it were nice. Since I left, the city has transformed the riverbed into the Jardin(es) del Túria, or the gardens of Túria, a large urban park. It is 9 kilometers long and runs from a park near the zoo to the new, modern arts and sciences complex. The gardens have 5 kilometers of running trails (loved them, as do the locals as they were busy), exercise spaces, playgrounds for kids and adults, and sports courts and fields along with beautiful trees, flowers, water features, etc. The gardens are crossed by 18 bridges of varying historical times and many of the city’s major museums and monuments run alongside of the gardens.
Peckish Travels 