Maybe you already felt for the idea of a house swap with a partner in Valencia but just in case you are not quite there yet we are going to write about its most precious jewel. It is something that is linked to the name Valencia more than anything else, maybe even more than the word paella: the City of Arts and Sciences. Responsible for Valencia being linked to modernity and avant-garde, this city within a city will keep you on your toes from the moment you arrive until long after you return back home.

Here is the complex in short:

Hemisfèric: a high-tech 3-D, IMAX cinema and planetarium that hosts amazing shows and events.
Science Museum: more than just a museum, an experimentation ground where you can learn and have fun.
Oceanogràfic: Europe’s largest aquarium. Living underwater beauties and an underwater restaurant is a must.
Palau de les Arts: a venue to host performances from every art: theatre, music, dance…
Umbracle: an exhibition area from which you can admire the whole complex and its lakes and gardens.
Agora: a modern multi-event space, ready to receive important congresses, conventions, performances and even sport events.

Visiting the City of Arts and Sciences alone deserves a home swap. It seems you should get to your keyboards right away, there are nearly 200 Valencians waiting but probably not for long…

Image: Released to the public domain by Chamaeleon / Wikimedia Commons.

We started our special on Valencia with something that can conquer all: food, but this city has attractions and spots to entice people of all ages and preferences. Whether you share your home swap trip with children, teenagers, young adults or older adults, your companions will find a favourite place. If you are looking for adventure or you want discover ancient treasures, there is something for you. If you want to play sports and get energized that way or enjoy marvellous sunsets to power up your senses until your next vacation, in Valencia you will find your spot.

Beaches and dunes:
When you are ready to find your home exchange partner in Valencia, look for this beaches in the nearby attractions or description: Arenas, La Malvarrosa, Cabañal, or beaches in the Albufera Nature Reserve (El Saler or Col-Legi). La Malvarrosa lies in the city itself and has the infrastructure to receive many people in its miles of white sands. Arenas and Cabañal, in the southern part of the city, have golden sand and many interesting features like restaurants, bars, promenades and events.

Parks and sports:
As mentioned in the beach and dunes category, you can visit the Albufera Nature Reserve, and in the area you will find El Saler, a blue flag beach that looks like a dream! There are also entertainment parks, like Gulliver’s Park for children, the Botanical Gardens and the Bioparc, a modern zoo based on the concept of immersion. Regarding sports, you will find a place to move your body: hiking, golf, kayaking, sailing, horse riding, scuba diving, windsurfing, paragliding… Or an event for watching-enjoyment: Valencia FC, Formula 1 Racing or World Championship Motorcycle Racing.

Image: Hakilon / Wikimedia Commons.

Winter is here and since we are travelling along the Spanish portion of the Mediterranean coast, it would be good to remind you that there are great places in Spain to enjoy a winter house swap, specially if you like winter-sports. If you enjoy skiing, we have an interesting fact for you: Spain has 35 ski resorts of varied sizes and almost 1000 kilometres of ski slopes. Would that be enough for you?

The Spanish Pyrenees, besides beautiful, are the largest area for skiing and enjoying other winter-like activities, something always attractive to people of all ages. But today, since we were supposed to move west from Malaga to Almeria, we cannot but mention what is probably the second most important ski area of Spain and the one with the best view: the Nature Reserve of Sierra Nevada, in Andalusian territory.  Here is the deal you can get:  skiing in a designated UNESCO Reserve viewing the Mediterranean coast while you go downhill with the warm sun hitting your face. Sounds like a good deal!

We’ll mention more about Sierra Nevada’s surroundings in our next post, when we do arrive to Almeria, but if you would like to know more about your skiing in Spain, visit ATUDEM’s website (in Spanish).

Image: BY-YOUR-⌘ / Flickr.com

We leave Marbella behind and we now head on to another lovely destination in the Spanish Costa del Sol, it is time now to invite you to visit and discover Malaga.

An important detail that you should keep in mind when you look for home exchange opportunities in this area, is that between Marbella and Malaga there are other smaller but equally sunny and enjoyable cities, like Fuengirola, Benalmadena or Torremolinos. Our Map Search could be the key tool to find a great place for your next holidays, or alternatively, use the Search filters: select Spain and then Malaga (Region) and choose from the list of cities at the bottom of the page (see image). 

If you want beach, sun and entertainment, you can’t go wrong with the 300 Km (~190 miles) coastline in the Costa del Sol, and the city of Malaga is the area’s main hub. A unique attraction is the Malaga Picasso Museum in the Andalusian Renaissance style Buenavista Palace. A must for art lovers and anyone who wants to take a peek at the genius’ work.

We wrote more about Malaga in a previous post

In our second post of this tour along the European Mediterranean coast, we continue in Marbella because there is more to share about this city to entice the avid home swapper.

Beaches: Marbella has more than 25 different beaches along 30 Km, the most famous and most visited are in the area of Puerto Banus but since it is a city visited by the rich and famous, any beach has amenities nearby, good bathing conditions and sometimes even services right on the sand

Sports: There are many sports you can play in Marbella, not all related to the sea, but it is fair to say these are quite popular. You can golf, bowl, go trekking, rock climbing, horse riding or hiking in the near mountains (there are 4×4s available if you are not that into “actively” enjoying nature), and of course there are tennis courts and football fields as well.

For nights and rainy days: There are literally hundreds of bars, pubs and nightclubs in Marbella, so you won’t have problems finding things to do with your nights during your house swap. But also, you can attend flamenco shows or a show in a bullring (not only bullfights) which are a patrimony of Spain.

Image: bk images / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last week we gave you two recommendations, one in the USA and the other in Spain, and this week we came up with a completely different menu: Christmas in Brussels.

Plaisirs d’Hiver (Winter Wonders)
What: Music, lights, a big wheel, several Christmas markets and an ice rink to enjoy all the pleasures of the Winter in the magical Brussels.
Where: Place Sainte-Catherine, Grand Place, Marché aux Poissons and different areas around Brussels, Belgium.
When: From November 25th till New Year’s Day.

Christmas Carols
What: A show to accompany a delightful meal with the traditional White Christmas, Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Jingle bells and many more!
Where: Vaudeville Theatre, Brussels.
When: 3 times a day on these dates in December: 11, 12, 18 and 19. Not many dates so you better make your reservation with anticipation. For more details, please click here.

Brussels would be a destination to consider to have a very joyful season. Of course this beautiful city as many more things to discover, our suggestions are just a way to entice to plan your house swap to Brussels.

Image: Flikkesteph / Flickr.

We’ll probably return to London for part three, but right now it’s time to explore the options elsewhere so everyone can start making plans for next holiday season. A varied selection today, with two music festivals, different continents and in two very different cities.

Chickasha Festival of Light
What: A festival that gets national attention within the USA and receives over 300,000 people each year. Lights (millions of them), displays, holiday music, a musically-choreographed light show, rides…
Where: Shannon Springs Park, Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA.
When: November 22nd to December 31st.
If you would like to know more about this festival, you can visit http://www.chickashafestivaloflight.com/

Via Magna Festival
What: Vocal music in the incomparable setting of Madrid. Different styles, different places and different artists for everyone to get a little bit of Christmas spirit. Carols, gospel, pop, flamenco and classics with renowned interpreters and new rising talents.
Where: Different locations in Madrid, Spain.
When: Activities everyday from December 10th to the 20th.
You can download a PDF file with the program at http://www.festivalviamagna.com/

Image: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It is time to continue with our suggestions for next Christmas in London. Today, we have some music events that might not be 100% Christmassy, but still very joyful. Check them out:

Rihanna at The O2
What: A live performance of one of the most popular artists these days, presenting her tour Loud.
Where: The O2, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX.
When: Dates near Christmas are 20-22 December, 2011

Thriller – Live
What: A tribute to Michael Jackson, where you will be able to enjoy two hours of his most popular songs and choreographies.
Where: Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, St James, London W1D 7ES.
When: Several dates near Christmas, from Tuesday to Sunday, highlighting dates on December 24th and 26th.

Christmas with the Rat Pack
What: This one is today’s Christmassy event, with season’s classics as they became famous in the voices of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. Just like if you were in Las Vegas.
Where: Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DA.
When: Dates starting December 20th, from Tuesday to Saturday.

We hope you find time during your next house swap to add some music to your trip with any of these fabulous shows.

Image: Public domain image taken from Wikimedia Commons.

We were going to continue with our suggestions for next Christmas in London today but we will leave it for the next post instead because we have an interesting tip to share with you to check out another feature available in HomeForHome that can help you find house swap partners or interesting destinations:

In our home page, we have an area in the right-hand side panel to show “Opinions on Home Exchanges” where there are usually two or three of our users’ comments about their last home swaps. But, if you want to see all the opinions, you can use the “See more opinions” link below these comments.

Every user that has accepted a home exchange proposal will be asked to share their opinion about the experience. Opinions and ratings are very important because they become part of the presentation letter of your exchange partner.

Since we do not want to leave you festival-free today, we have a reminder:

Oktoberfest 2011
What: A lot of fun!
Where: Munich, Germany.
When: Now, until October 3rd.

If you are near Munich, it could be worth a visit

What does London has to offer for Christmas 2011? A lot! Here are some ideas if you are planning to swap houses with someone in London during the holiday season:

Christmas at Westminster Abbey
What: A series of live performances, with classic choral pieces, carols and concerts.
Where: 20 Deans Yard, London, SW1P 3PA.
When: Starts November 29th and ends on Christmas Day with the Sung Eucharist.

Raymond Gubbay Barbican Christmas Festival
What: Varied performances, like Mozart by Candlelight, ballet with artists from the Russian State Ballet of Siberia, the traditional New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Galas, seasonal favourites, Lee Mead and apparently a special appearance of Santa Claus.
Where: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS.
When: Activities during one month from December 2nd, 2011 till January 2nd, 2012.

Royal Albert Hall Christmas Festival
What: Christmas carols, sing-alongs and festive songs with performances from the London Philharmonic Choir, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the King’s College Choir.
Where: Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP.
When: December 2011, from the 12th till the 24th.

We have more events to help you plan your swap’s fun activities and we’ll keep sharing them. If you have ideas, let us know!

Image: Lokal_Profil photo taken from Wikimedia Commons.