##At the top of the Turia Gardens of Valencia, ‘Parque de Cabecera’ offers over 167, 000 square metres of greenspace, a boating lake and bar to enjoy drinks and food in the sun! The lakeside hill offers unmatched views of the city and is located just before the Bioparc.

At the restaurant you will find friendly staff who are happy to chat and speak wonderful English. The menu is typical Spanish tapas, sandwiches and salads. The main highlight is taking the selection of colourful, cartoonish boats onto the lake. At 13 euros, for half an hour, with up to 4 per boat it is an excellent price.

The boats are pedal-controlled and easy enough to get moving; the steering is a little trickier and might take a few minutes to become accustomed to. The lake is large enough to do a few laps and within your time, passing water feature fountains, wildlife and crowned with stupendous varieties of foliage. Baby ducks and geese can be found on the banks, fish can be seen within the water and if you are lucky, you might even spot a turtle bathing on the edge of the water.

The boats are a fun, quick activity for all ages and party sizes. As there were five of us we decided to hire two, a bright pink flamingo and dragon which we decided was now the Loch Ness Monster in honour of our Scottish friend.

We had non-stop laughs and soaked up the last of the day’s sunshine. Pro-tip, avoid midday heat and the sun reflects off the water… making it feel so much warmer!

Report & photos by Elizabeth Williams

Article & photos copyright Elizabeth Williams / 24/7 Valencia

Read more about Valencia’s Turia Gardens: https://247valencia.com/el-jardin-del-turia-of-valencia-introduction