A stroll through the beautiful gardens of the Turia in Valencia

The gardens, which stretch from the Parc de Cabecera to the Cité des Arts et des Sciences, are a popular spot for runners, cyclists, families and nature lovers. It was created after the great flood of 14 October 1957, which destroyed a large part of the city. The bed of the River Turia was diverted to prevent a recurrence of the disaster, leaving a large strip of empty land on the site of the old riverbed.

The city authorities then decided to create a large green space, which was inaugurated in 1986. Numerous town planners and landscape architects were busy developing the section of the bed. The result is a unique pathway populated by palm trees, orange trees, springs, pine trees, aromatic plants, ponds, sports tracks and rose bushes.

If the Turia gardens are full of places of interest, we suggest you and your children stop off at Gulliver Park, located between the Ángel Custodio and Reino bridges. Named after the figure of the giant, this park has a gigantic figure of Gulliver lying motionless on the ground, almost seventy metres long and nine metres high.

A large number of ladders, ramps and slides have been incorporated into the body of the fallen giant, and children enjoy moving around it like little Lilliputians. The area is ideal for picnics in Valencia's greenest and most pleasant setting. It is complemented by fun benches with suggestive shapes, where you can imitate Gulliver and lie down, as well as an area with vending machines.

As you stroll through the gardens, you may notice the large number of bridges - 18 in all - dating from different eras, as evidenced by the variety of architectural styles. Historic bridges such as the 17th-century San José Bridge, the 16th-century Serranos Bridge and the 15th-century Trinidad Bridge, as well as the 16th-century Royal Bridge and the 16th-century Sea Bridge, are all very different. So do more recent bridges such as the Exhibition Bridge, the 9 October Bridge, the Flower Bridge and the Assault on Gold Bridge (designed by Santiago Calatrava).

The route is dotted with numerous bars and cafeterias with spacious terraces where you can recharge your batteries. We recommend stopping off at Llit del Turia, a cultural bar nestling next to the Palau de la Musica.

A publication shared by Llit del Turia (@llitdelturia)