Valencia Jardin del Turia

Do you still think of cars when you hear the word “highway”? In Valencia, Spain’s third largest city, cyclists and pedestrians enjoy a 100-hectare garden in the middle of the city with two cycle paths on each side of the park – a green highway! Turia Gardens have an exciting history. They were created at the end of the twentieth century after a catastrophic flooding of the Turia River. Instead of building a highway, the city decided to create a park with beautiful architecture and green spaces. The length of Turia Gardens is perfect for runners, because of its paved areas as well as areas of solid ground. These paths are surrounded by gardens, fountains and pine forests. 5,731 meters are covered with a special surface to soften the impacts caused by the running. When you’re not wandering around the park, Valencia’s well-developed public transport system ensures that residents and tourists can move efficiently around the city.