The architectural oddities we find in every city end up being the greatest attractions for tourism.

Some examples are the narrowest street in the world, Spreuerhofstraße, in the German town of Reutlingen, is only 31 centimetres in the narrowest part and 50 centimetres in the widest. In Spain, the narrowest street in Hervás, a town by the north of Extremadura; a little alley in the old Jewish neighbourhood that is barely 50 centimetres wide at the widest part. Another attraction for tourists is in San Francisco, Lombard street is a winding street, not longer than 120 meters, with up to eight turns on the way.

Besides the building at Singel street, number 7, in Amsterdam, a building in Valencia is considered the narrowest in the world. The difference is that in the famous building in Amsterdam, even the front is only one meter wide; the interior is a little bit wider. So, if we want to be precise, it’s the building with the narrowest façade in the world.

The building in Valencia is so narrow that it has only one room per floor. In order to make it liveable, rooms have being distributed high rather than across, as usual.

It’s located in the city centre of Valencia, at Lope de Vega square, number 6, right behind Santa Catalina’s church. In this case, Guinness World Records certificate is the widest in Europe.

Not long ago, cities were built across because there was enough space. But there was a time when cities started being overcrowded and new buildings were built high, because of it. That’s what happened at the world capital city for paella, apparently. We are not so sure, though, if it was build like this because there was not enough space or just to fill in an empty spot, but is clear that they were not pretending to build a skyscraper like those from Chicago school, not at all.

Anyway, less than a meter wide is the reason why hundreds of people take photos in front of this building every day and why this building became one of those unique architectonic attractions, catching the attention of everyone. With time, the building has become a remarkable landmark in the map, a place to go for tourists as much as other classic monumental buildings in Valencia, like the cathedral, or the modern Arts Palace. After years being unnoticed, the owner restored the building and even put a funny sign on it, which informs of the exact wide: 105 centimetres.

It’s strange that not many locals noticed the building. Maybe because it’s right in the middle between two bigger buildings and neither its 5 meters high nor the bright red colour were enough to catch their attention. Despite the building by the canals of Amsterdam or even some narrower houses in Japan, who could imagine that Valencia was part of the competition the be the narrowest building of the world?

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Punt de Sabor is a store where they distribute, grow and sell fruit, vegetables and other produce grown using environmentally-friendly and locally-based agriculture of excellent quality and at reasonable prices.

Its goal is to encourage a return to the use of local produce and educate our children and their parents about the need to eat in a more enriching way by steadily introducing healthier foods into our diet while at the same time avoiding leaving any chemical waste in the soil.

A project by La Unío de Agricultores y Ganaderos de Valencia. Home deliveries are available but you can also visit in person at 16 Calle Sant Vicent, Valencia.

Opening times:
Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 21:00 and Saturdays from 09:30 to 15:00

Somewhere well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

No other Spanish dish has spread throughout the world like the Valencian paella. Along with toros and sangria, these are the very first words all tourist learn when they step on these lands. Likewise, when they get to Spain, they are flooded with posters of "typical spanish" or "spanish paella" to end up having any low quality mixture of rice or directly frozen, nothing to do with the original recipe.

No other course shows as much controversy in its preparation and ingredients required like it. As it happens with other traditional dishes such as the fabada in Asturiana or the Andalusian gazpacho, when the valencians speak about paella they light up watching the original recipe distorted.

Imagine that there is even a wikipaella to protect and defend the original paella where the basic rules of the Valencian paella are manifested. Such as:"The original paella has its origin in the Valencian community", "The best paellas are cooked with firewood and rice from the Valencian community" or "authentic paellas are made according the tradition of each area of the Valencian community ".

In general, there is consensus that the authentic Valencian paella uses other ingredients besides rice, the garrofón -big beans-, chicken, rabbit, ripe tomato, ferradura beans - flat green beans- olive oil, salt, water and saffron. And in some cases they also add snails, rosemary or paprika.

Some will say that the best paella is the one they eat at home - and they are probably right-but if you go to Valencia and want to eat some of the best paellas in the world, you can find some of the winners and finalists of the Sueca’s International Paella Competition , a prestigious international competition that rewards those cooks who prepare the best Valencian paella of the world.

Restaurant Ampar (third winner of the 2014 edition)
Navarro Reverter Avenue, 14, 46004 Valencia

The Ampar restaurant, located on the ground floor of the Hotel Hospes Palau de la Mar, in the historic center of Valencia, won the third prize in the 2014 Sueca’s International Paella Competition .The first prize went to the Miguel y Juani restaurant –from the chefs Julian Garcia and Mercedes Vacas – from Alcudia (Mallorca), where 35 of the best paella cooks were brought together.

Casa Picanterra, from Cullera (second prize of the 2013 edition)
Calle den picanterra nº3, 46400 Cullera

In 2013, the Picanterra chefs won the second prize of the contest.

El Redolí, from El Palmar (finalistas edición 2013)
Calle del Arzobispo Aliaga, 0, 46012 Palmar, Valencia

Other restaurants in Valencia where paella is prepared according to the original recipe:

La Pepica
Passeig de Neptú, 6, 46011 València

Casa Ripoll
Playa de la Malvarrosa, Paseo Marítimo, Módulo 7, 46011 València

Casa Roberto
Carrer del Mestre Gozalbo, 19, 46005 València

La Riuà
Carrer del Mar, 27, 46003 València

Casa Carmela
Calle Isabel de Villena, 155, 46011 València

Restaurante la Herradura
Paseo Marítimo, módulo 2 (Malvarrossa), 46011 Valencia

El Racó de la Paella
Carrer de Mossèn Rausell, 17, 46015 València

Picture from Jan Harenburg

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It’s possible the name La Malvarrosa will ring a bell as it is the plant which inhabited this part of Valencia five years ago.

Located on the east of the city and next to La Alboraya, the Malvarrosa is an area which gives its name to a beach, or vice versa. It is one of those places which still invokes the charm given to it by fishermen and the Valencian bourgeoisie who moved there.

Today one can stroll along its esplanade and enjoy the landscape immortalised years ago by the painter Joaquín Sorolla.

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