Spain VAlencia lladro and Marbella

My wife has a bad Lladro habit. She collects Lladro ducks. I bought
our tickets yesterday to fly from the US to MAdrid the second week of
April.

As soon as I mentioned to her that the tickets were purchased, she
proceeded to arrange for a Lladro factory tour near Valencia.

So.... My plan is to arrive at Barajas early morning (April 9), get my
Hertz car and proceed straight to Valencia and check into a Hotel
there bypassing MAdrid. She is trying to arrange for the 1.5 hour
factory tour the same afternoon or the next morning. We will then head
south west towards Marbella, where I have a time share waiting for us
at the MArriott for a week.

I believe the drive from BArajas to VAlencia is 3 to 3.5 hours. I need
information on the Valencia to MArbella journey.(It looks like a 6 to
7 hour drive). CAn I do this in one day? Or should I break up the trip
into two days? If two, where would be a logical place to stop? What
are the major do not miss attractions along the way?

This will be our fourth trip to Spain but only our first visit to
Valencia. We have been to Granada a couple of times, so I do not need
to see the Alhambra again!

One last question, please. Where is the best place to enjoy a Paella
Valenciana in Valencia?

"Jim Seltzer" escribió en el mensaje
om...

So.... My plan is to arrive at Barajas early morning (April 9), get my
Hertz car and proceed straight to Valencia and check into a Hotel
there bypassing MAdrid. She is trying to arrange for the 1.5 hour
factory tour the same afternoon or the next morning. We will then head
south west towards Marbella, where I have a time share waiting for us
at the MArriott for a week.

April 9 is Good Friday, national holiday in Spain. I am not sure if your
wife will be able to book a tour during those days, because the factory will
probably be closed.

Anyway...

I believe the drive from BArajas to VAlencia is 3 to 3.5 hours.

Yes, it is. It is a 200 miles drive so anything between 3 and 4 hours is
reasonable.

I need
information on the Valencia to MArbella journey.(It looks like a 6 to
7 hour drive).

666 kilometres (scary number, eh? :-) ) according to
http://www.viamichelin.com a route planner that I deeply recommend. That is
about 415 miles or about 6 hours of driving time (not including stops). All
the way is dual carriageway if you choose to use the Valencia-Alicante toll
road (A7), or all-but-15-miles dual carriageway if you choose the
N430+N344+N330 itinerary proposed by ViaMichelin.

CAn I do this in one day? Or should I break up the trip
into two days? If two, where would be a logical place to stop? What
are the major do not miss attractions along the way?

This will be our fourth trip to Spain but only our first visit to
Valencia. We have been to Granada a couple of times, so I do not need
to see the Alhambra again!

I am sure that it is doable in one day, especially considering the season
(long daylight). To be true, the main attraction in the way is Granada. If
you want to split the trip into two days, a second option is Murcia (215
kms. from Valencia). It has a nice cathedral, the Museo Salzillo (baroque
religious sculptures that your wife will probably like, and that are
processioned during Easter) and very tasty cuisine in the area with fresh
vegetables coming from the Segura riverside.

One last question, please. Where is the best place to enjoy a Paella
Valenciana in Valencia?

A place I know is outside the city, but easily reached by car. Take the El
Saler highway (it goes South parallel to the coast). About 2 miles out of
the city, take the detour to Pinedo, a small village between the highway and
the sea. That highway exit fastly turns into a Pinedo avenue. Immediately,
you will see in the left hand side a typical Valencian house called
'barraca' with straw-made, very steep roof. That is the restaurant, whose
specialties are all kind of rices Valencian-style, including paella of
course. Its name is La Genuina.