Gandia area information

Gandia Tourist informationGandia in the district of La Safor, in the province of Valencia. Located 65 km. south of Valencia and 116 km. north of Alicante, Gandia lies on a privileged site between the mountains and the sea. It's a city with a rich historical heritage, which is reflected in its monumental buildings and in the spirit of the local people. This is just one of the major attractions of this modern city fully prepared to satisfy the demands of even the most sophisticated of visitors.
The scenery of contrast. Gandia is a centre of contrasting landscapes, accompanied by a mild climate that will enable you to enjoy a pleasant stay at any time of the year. Feel free to discover the enchantment of its broad, majestic beaches to the north, its rugged hills and mountains overlooking the sea, such as Mount Montduver with an altitude of 841m., Or El Barrane de L'Infern and the cirque of La Safor, or the fertile orchard lowlands extending to the banks of the Rio Serpis.

Sports for everyone

Gandia offers extensive sports facilities for practically all tastes. Water sports are of course at the top of the list: sailing, windsurfing and scuba diving. But the mountains and local terrain also offer activities such as speleology, bicycle tours and mountaineering. With an Olympic-size athletics field, a covered sports pavilion, and covered swimming pools, football fields, basketball courts, hockey fields and more.

Fiestas galore

Festive occasions arc an important part of life in the La Safor district. And they offer an opportunity for visitors to participate and discover the true hospitality of local people. Fallas (16-19 March). Holy Week, declared as a national tourist attraction (March/April). Sailors' Celebration in honour of the Virgen del Carmen (16 July). Saint John's Night (24 June). Gandia Fair and Fiesta.GandiaHoliday Week honouring patron-saint San Francisco de Borja (29 September to 3 October).

Original gastronomy Gastronomically speaking, Gandia and us area of influence are true to their geographical surroundings. Both the Mediterranean and the local orchards provide a cornucopia of natural ingredients for a magnificent cuisine. A stay InGandia wouldn' be complete without tasting the typical fideua - a kind of paella done with noodles instead of rice, including an array of savoury seafood. Fresh fish and seafood straight from the coastal waters are thoroughly recommended, as are the eels and gamba amb bleda (shrimp with chard) served in the inland towns of the marsh.Local sausages and cold meats, rice dishes of all kinds, figatells (meatballs made from liver) and coques de dacsa (a kind of maize pizza) are interesting treats throughout the Inland area. And to top it off, there's a wide variety of typical desserts andsweetmeats, a heritage of the ancient sugarcane plantations which once thrived in the region.

Cultural tradition

Gandia's heritage includes the cultural traditions forged by the Court of the Borgias, the 15th-century writer Martorell, the poet The old town centre of Gandia has a number of monumental buildings worth discovering, a sampling of the city's historical importance: Ia Colegiata (Collegiate Church), the Convent of Santa Clara, the Duke's Palace, the Hermitage of Santa Ana, the Town Hall building and the Archaeological Museum. If this awakens your interest, ask for information on programmed activities at the Tourist information Office. Ausias March and the musician Corella. Today, the city's cultural tradition is still kept alive through activities such as annual literary awards celebrations, the Universitat d'Estiu (Summer University), the International Classical Music Festival, art exhibitions, etc.

Mediterranean Nights Enjoying the nightlife in Gandia is wonderfully simple. There's a wide variety of entertainment for all tastes, especially in summer: discos, pubs, beach terraces, live entertainment, fireworks and folklore and dances... And if you want, the non-stop magic of the night continues right until dawn.

What to do

Get a good tan on one of the city's broad, white beaches and then cool off in the refreshing Mediterranean.
Visit the Palace of the Borgias, an outstanding example of 14th-century architecture.
Sail along the La Safor coastline and discover a continuous panorama of sand dunes. The Gandia Nautical Club provides all the facilities for seafarers.
See a game joc de pilota at one of the city's numerous trinquetes.
Try a fabulous fideua on a restaurant terrace facing the sea.
Make a visit to the Monastery of Sant Jeroni de Cotalba, located on a promontory overlooking the road to the town of Albaida. Admire the Colegiata, a Gothic church constructed over an ancient Moorish mosque.
Enjoy the hubbub of the city's nightlife along the beach.
Reach back into the past at the Archaeological Museum of Gandia, with its rich collection of prehistoric silex and bone utensils and engraved stone plaques.
Take in a mid-afternoon auction at the fish market in the port

Where to go

See the splendid scenery at Ia Llacuna (the Lagoon), el Barrane de L'infern (Hell's Ravine) and el Raco del Duc (the Duke's Retreat).
Take an excursion around the La Safor cirque, the mountains of Aitana and Mariola, or the peaks of Font Roja and Benicadell.
Beautiful mountain scenery contrasting with flat, sandy beaches across an orchard plain near the sea.
Relax on the long, sandy beaches of Oliva, bordered by orange trees. In the cool of the evening, visit the Archpriest's Church of Santa Maria or the Temple of Sant Roc, constructed on the foundations of an ancient Moorish mosque.
Discover the Monastery of Simat de Valldigna, a Cistercian monument in a breathtaking mountain valley.
Order an arms amb costra (oven-baked rice dish with crusty egg topping) or an Oliva-style espardenya (eel dish in chicken sauce) at one of the local restaurants.
Take the mountain route to Xativa and visit the old town centre, where you'll find ancient manorial homes, palaces and museums.
Join in on the patron-saint festivities in any of the 30 different towns making up the La Safor district.
Drive over to Ia Drova, from which you can climb the Montduver mountain (841 m.) and enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding area.

Travel Transport Links
International airports of Valencia (at 75 km.) and Alicante (125 km.). A-7 motorway from the European motorway network (exits 60 and 61), connecting to the national route N-332 linking all towns along the coast. Local route C-320 from Gandia to Albaida and continuing to the national route to Madrid. Railway services with national and international connections. Municipal Tourist Bureau Gandia
-Patronat Municipal de Thurisme
C/. Hermana Carmelita Rita, 2
46700 Gandia
Tel. (34) 96 295 94 90
Fax (34) 96 295 94 87
E-mail.- touristinfo-gandia@turisme.gva.es
Tel Fax: (34) 96 287 77 88

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