Travel
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Travel
Albufera - The Birthplace Of Paella
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| Barraca in Albufera |
Though many see paella as Spain's national dish, the truth is that paella was first cooked in the orchards near Lake Albufera, a freshwater lagoon 11km south of Valencia. Nowadays paella has become the symbol of the Valencian Community and accompanies all social events, festivities and family gatherings.
Albufera is the birthplace of paella, but besides its culinary traditions, this quiet piece of heaven is also great for bird and nature watching all year long. Local flora and fauna thrive in the wildest state thanks to the strict protection against human activities. The rice fields of Valencia are also to be found here. They purify the water of the lake and host plant and animal species that have disappeared from the lake itself.
A boat ride on the lake is a must. The boats come in all shapes and sizes, but if you are lucky enough to find a rowing one, don't hesitate as this is one of the few opportunities you will probably be given in this life to listen to the nature whispering in your ear. From the boat you can also enjoy some of the few remaining original "barracas" houses. Constructed from adobe and finished with straw roofs, many are lacking electricity and running water and are the best example of sustainable architecture. The best time to take a boat ride is at sunset, the most romantic part of the day in Albufera.
The village of El Palmar is full of wonderful restaurants famous for having the best paella in Valencia. Many of them are run by former fishermen. The village also hosts the oldest existing “barraca”, which dates from more than 100 years ago. Apart from eating paella there isn't much to do here though. The village looks melancholic as any respectable Spanish village. At lunch time for about two hours El Palmar's population grows a few times in size. You might be surprised to find the streets deserted and the restaurants packed with hungry locals and tourist alike. This is the best place to eat paella and it shows.
Albufera Nature Reserve can be easily accessed from Valencia city centre, either by taking the tourist bus or the regular bus from Autocares Herca. The ride can take anything from 40min to 2hours as the traffic gets crazy during high season.
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| Paella Valenciana |
Paella originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near Lake Albufera, but the custom of eating rice in Spain has Moorish influences. Marsh rat was one of the main ingredients of early paellas, along with eel and butter beans. Valencian novelist Vicente Blasco Ibáñez described how fishermen peasants near lake Albufera used to live and their culinary preferences in his book Reeds and Mud
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.As living standards rose at the end of the 19th century, the ingredients used for paella changed as well, the new ones being rabbit, chicken, duck, seafood and sometimes snails. One of the key ingredients of paella is the saffron that gives the rice its yellowish color. Nowadays 1kg of saffron costs somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000euro. If you see it like this, 9euro for a plate of paella is good value.
Later the seafood paella and the mixed paella wore born. There are other varieties of paella too, like the one using black rice, while the original recipe uses bomba rice.
Valencian chefs love to cook huge paellas. The largest paella up to date as in Guinness Book was made by Valencian restaurateur Juan Galbis in 1992 and fed about 100,000 people.
- 15 Traditional Spanish Foods You Must Eat In Spain
This article was written in partnership with Expedia Spanish cuisine is rich and varied and each region contributes unique flavors. This incredible culinary diversity relies on the proximity to the sea, the abundance of locally produced fruits and vegetables...
- Spanish Traditions: Marzipan Fruits For Lovers Day
Even before Valentine's Day was made popular in Spain, in Valencia, the Lovers Day was celebrated on the 9th of October. Nowadays, San Dionisio, the patron saint of lovers, is a relatively low-key tradition, shadowed by the Day of the Autonomous Community...
- 5 Things To Do At Las Fallas Festival In Valencia
With over 3 million people attending every year, Las Fallas Festival from Valencia is considered to be the biggest street party in Europe. Las Fallas is celebrated from the 1st to the 19th of March, though to be honest, the most important and more fun...
- Las Fallas Festival, Valencia: Fallas & Ninots
Las Fallas or the Festival of Fire is held in Valencia, Spain every year from the 1st to the 19th of March. People hit the streets dressed up in traditional costumes, build a huge statue of Virgin Mary out of flowers and enormous fallas...
- Las Fallas In Short
Falla being installed in front of the Town Hall, Valencia 2010 Festivals are a great way to discover how the locals have fun and the traditions that form the core of a community. Las Fallas is very much such a festival, full of symbolism and with...