Members of the Irish travel trade, Cork Airport and media joined Visit Valencia at the beautiful Aye in Cork city yesterday for a Paella Cooking Demonstration with Irish chef Rob Curley. Rob made the final 10 in the World Paella Day Cup in 2021, out of 36 chefs from 20 countries and his expertise was second to none!
The evening started with welcome drinks of the iconic Agua De Valencia – a delicious cocktail of orange juice, cava and vodka. Eva Fernandez of Visit Valencia was joined by Ruben Lopez and Berta Casalinas Piera from the Spanish Tourist Office in Dublin, Barry Holland from Cork Airport, as well as Susan Craddock and Colm McDonnell from Travel Media/ Travel Trade Representation.
Once everyone had arrived, proceedings kicked off with a welcome speech from Ruben who joyfully remarked that his family have a holiday home in the beautiful city of Valencia, and his family eagerly await their annual visits! Eva Fernandez welcomed chef Rob Curley to say a few words about his experience in the World Paella Day Cup and he spoke passionately about the delicious ingredients used in an authentic paella which originated in Valencia.
Eva proceeded to tell members of the travel trade and Cork media about the myriads of experiences that await them in Valencia, including the historic centre of Valencia, which plays home to Valencia Cathedral where the Holy Grail can be viewed, as well as the UNESCO Silk Exchange. No trip to the historic centre is complete without a trip to the Central Market, which is the largest market with fresh produce in Europe.
Outside the historic centre, visitors can enjoy a leisurely walk in the Turia Gardens – a diverted riverbed spanning 9kms, which locals petitioned to be turned into a public park, offering a peaceful oasis in the centre of Valencia. This successful petition demonstrates Valencia’s commitment to sustainability, and it is no wonder Valencia was awarded the European Green Capital in 2024! The Turia Gardens also includes the City of Arts & Sciences which is a lively space comprising of numerous activities and experiences such as the Oceanogràfic (aquarium), an interactive Science Museum, an Opera House, an IMAX cinema, a planetarium and laserium, to name a few.
Just north of the city lies the stunning Cabanyal Beach, also known as Playa de las Arenas, which is a mere 3km from the Turia Gardens and is dotted with hotels, apartments, bars and restaurants. The beaches are easily accessible by public transport and visitors to Valencia can avail of the Tourist Card, which is sold in 24, 48 or 72-hour durations and allows visitors to travel on urban and metropolitan buses, metro, tram and commuter trains as well as admission to museums and monuments and offers discounts on Valencia’s main tourist attractions.
Just 10km south of the city lies the beautiful Albufera Natural Park, a protected natural area which has a freshwater lake surrounded by paddy fields. A sunset boat ride around the lake is the perfect way to finish off a day of exploring Valencia!
Visitors to Valencia can enjoy a lively city, history, nature, culture and some of the best beaches in the world! Valencia is a dynamic haven that offers the perfect holiday destination for families, couples, groups and solos travellers and with direct flights from Cork, Dublin and Belfast, getting to Valencia has never been easier.
After the presentation, guests had the opportunity to paint their masterpiece on Wafer Paper made from potatoes using edible ingredients such as orange aioli, olive pesto, almond flakes and bomba rice, which went down a storm. Rob then gave an enthusiastic demonstration on how to make the perfect, authentic Paella, made with rabbit, chicken, passata, ferradura green beans, garrafón (butter beans), saffron and rosemary, which was served to everyone, with many coming back for seconds and thirds!
For more information on Valencia, head to the Visit Valencia website which is a wealth of information or check out the article from the exclusive ITTN and Visit Valencia FAM trip in May 2023.
