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Ducal City
Gandia 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. 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 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
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
E-mail.- touristinfo,gandia@turisme.gva.es
TOURIST INFO
Tel Fax: (34) 96 287 77 88
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
Gandia Beach:
Paseo Neptuno, s/n. 46730 Gandia
Tel. (34) 96 284 24 07
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