A cruise to Spain on Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam showed us there are many contemporary reasons to consider the ancient city of Valencia as a top-notch vacation destination.

Since the 8th century, Valencia has seen Christian and Muslim conquerors come and go. Its history also includes being the birthplace of three European kings and two Popes. However, for the most part, Valencia played a quiet role in Spain’s colorful history – until the decade of the 1990s.

If Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry (1921-1991) had lived to see the creation of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences, top and below) by renowned Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, he might not have selected Marin County, California as the 2161 building site of the Starfleet Academy. Instead, he may have asked Señor Calatrava to design it for him in Valencia..

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