Jardín del Turia (Western Section)

The western section of the Turia Gardens is where the great green belt of Valencia begins, and it is quieter and wilder than the central part of the park that most visitors know. The Jardín del Turia fills the old bed of the river, which was diverted south of the city after a disastrous flood in 1957. The park starts at the western end, at the Parque de Cabecera, the headwaters park, and then runs east for kilometres toward the City of Arts and Sciences. The western part has larger spaces, more trees and more room for sport and play than the more formal gardens nearer the old town.

The Parque de Cabecera is the focus of this area. It centres on a large lake with a small island, around which paths wind between lawns, reeds and groves of pine and other trees. Pedal boats can be rented on the water, and in the early morning and evening people run, cycle and walk their dogs along the shore. Near the park stands the Bioparc, a zoo designed on the principle of immersion, with no obvious cages and large landscaped enclosures that imitate African habitats, which is popular with families.

Heading east, the riverbed passes under a series of bridges, and the park opens into sports fields, playgrounds and tracks for jogging and cycling. Orange trees, palms, pines and Mediterranean shrubs give shade, and the old riverbed walls rise on both sides, so that the city seems to sit above you. Near the Alameda metro stop, the Palau de la Música, a concert hall built in the 1980s, stands beside the gardens, and a white bridge by the architect Santiago Calatrava crosses the riverbed at the Alameda. Farther on, the park joins the central section, with the fountains and the giant figure of Gulliver in the Parque Gulliver, a playground where children climb over the sculpture.

The gardens offer a flat, safe route for families, cyclists and runners, and they connect many of the city's sights. You can cycle from the western end all the way to the City of Arts and Sciences without leaving the park, a ride that takes an hour or so at an easy pace. The Turia and Alameda metro stops provide easy access, and the park is open at all hours.

The western section suits anyone who wants a long, easy walk, a morning run or a day out with children. Shade is limited in places, so bring water and sun protection in summer. It makes a calm start to a visit that continues eastward toward the old town, the Lonja de la Seda and the Mercado Central.