The Green Route

A sustainable journey through Valencia— Spain’s third largest city

- WORDS VEIDEHI GITE

As I step onto the cobblestones of Valencia's historic centre on a sunny May morning, the city is already buzzing with life. Café owners arrange their outdoor tables, market vendors prepare their stalls, and locals rush to work with their customary brisk pace. Yet, unlike Barcelona or Madrid, there are no overwhelming crowds, and there is no need to jostle for space or book tickets weeks in advance. Valencia, Spain's third-largest city, offers authenticity without compromise.

I've arrived when the city is celebrating the 550th anniversary of modern chess, a game whose European rules were formalised here in 1475 with the publication of "Scachs d'amor" (Chess of Love), the first text documenting what would become today's standard chess moves. While chess enthusiasts are gathering at special exhibitions and tournaments across the city, I'm embarking on a different kind of exploration: Valencia's celebrated 'Green Route,' a network of eco-friendly trails promoting cycling, walking, and sustainable tourism. Part of Spain's Vías Verdes initiative, it repurposes disused railway lines into scenic paths. Key trails include the 160 km Vía Verde de Ojos Negros, the farmland-rich Vía Xurra, the 7 km Green Route of Safor, and the 9 km Turia Gardens.

Green Steps Through History