Fiestas galore Festive occasions are 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. Gandia Holiday Week honoring patron-saint San Francisco de Borja (29 September to 3 October).

Original gastronomy Gastronomically speaking, Gandia and it's 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 In Gandia wouldn't  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 and sweetmeats, 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 Ausias March and the musician Corella. Today, the city's cultural tradition is still kept alive through activities such as the annual literary awards celebrations, the Universitat d'Estiu (Summer University), the International Classical Music Festival, art exhibitions, etc. 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.

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 La 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 La Drova, from which you can climb the Montduver mountain (841m) and enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding area.

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 provides support services for making your stay or meeting easier to programme (organisation services for congresses, incentive trips, group tours, sporting events, shopping outings, etc.)
Ask for information at:
-Patronat Municipal de Thurisme
C/. Hermana Carmelita Rita, 2
46700 Gandia
Tel. (34) 96 295 94 90
Fax (34) 96 295 94 87
Email.- touristinfo,gandia@turisme.gva.es

Tourist Information, Tourist information gratis, sales of tourist publications. There are numerous Tourist Information offices in the Land of Valencia. In Gandia, contact:
Marques de Campo, s/n 46700 Gandia
Tel.-Fax:(34) 96 287 77 88 or Gandia Beach:
Paseo Neptuno, s/n. 46730 Gandia
Tel. (34) 96 284 24 07