The Carrot Tops Allotment Blog!

Recently, (nearly two months ago now) I was lucky enough to visit Valencia in Spain and explore the lagoons of The Albufera.

A mere 6 miles (10 km) away and a bus ride from Valencia city center, The Albufera makes for a perfect day trip and a place to relax and escape the hustle and bustle. 

We went to El Palmar, which to me was Spanish food and outdoors heaven, because I got to experience paella as intended.

I’ve made paella here in the UK, but to be fair it’s not been very authentic, and so this made for a real culinary experience that I will carry with me into my own kitchen.

If you’re in the area, I can highly recommend Bon Aire Restaurant, not far from entering into the main seaside town.

I noticed that the pieces of fish in the paella were very small, and later on a colleague told me that a good paella can be eaten with just a spoon, and each spoonful should be a surprise, with the combination of ingredients.

Once we polished off a truly scrumptious paella and a couple of cold ones, came the boat ride, where we travelled in a handcrafted boat known as an albuferenc.

This was the perfect way to digest all that food!

The Albufera large freshwater lagoon spanning more than 2,800 hectares.  It provides shelter for up to 300 different species of birds throughout the year, especially the waterfowl that winter there, including flamingos. In fact, L’Albufera has been designated as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, and since 1994, as a Special Protection Area (ZEPA).  

https://www.visitvalencia.com/en/what-to-see-valencia/albufera-natural-park

If you’re travelling to Spain, I’d highly recommend visiting both the restaurant and the area and definitely go on a boat ride!