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1.		Fabregas, Cesc
2.		Handanovic, Samir
3.		Messi, Lionel
4.		Baptista, Julio
5.		Robben, Arjen
6.		Walcott, Theo
7.		Gourcuff, Yoann
8.		Crespo, Hernan
9.		Gallas, William
10.		Higuain, Gonzalo

Valencia

Getting around…

Valencia has a very cheap and efficient transport system which is very handy for visitors. The bus system, the EMT, runs across the city and multiple ride tickets can be bought from various shops. Also, Valencia has a metro system, both underground trains and over ground trams and trolley buses. Like with the buses, the metro is very cheap and useful for getting around the city. On the over ground tram, most locals hop on and off without acquiring a ticket as there are very rarely tickets inspections. To go a little farther a field, trains and buses are astonishingly cheap and efficient. Buses that go across the whole of the region can be caught at the Estacion del Autobus, a short taxi ride from the centre. Alternatively, you can get trains to almost anywhere from the train station, perfectly situated next to the bullring in the city centre.

Eating, drinking and nightlife…

Perhaps one of the finest aspects of Valencia is its fine cuisine and buzzing nightlife. The best place for nightclubs and popular venues is the cheep and cheerful Barrio Del Carmen, just behind the old town, where the majority of night activity is to be found. Bars and tapas bars here are relatively easy going on the wallet and are of reasonable quality, but it is the people of whom go to the Barrio that make it such an experience.

The music scene in Valencia is pretty strong, and there are many venues in the city which have played host to big name international acts as well as rising local bands, namely places like The Black Note Club, attracting top jazz musicians, Wah Wah (popular with the city’s student population as entry is free) and Roxy Club, whose recent acts include Ocean Colour Scene, Supergrass and Paul Weller.

The region is famed for being the homeland of Spain’s most famous dish, Paella. Coming to Valencia and not having paella is just plain stupid. For the best experience of this brilliant rice-based food, head down towards the coast and avoid the expensive city centre. The seaside towns are the best place to get a taste for authentic paella, as small restaurants will use traditional recipes, with the best ingredients and if you order seafood paella, the ingredients have more than likely been caught just a few hours earlier. Prices in villages just outside the city are half the price of the city centre yet twice the quality. There are many varieties of Paella that differ slightly from the original dish such as Arroz al Horno (rice in the oven) and Arroz a Banda (rice with fish).

However, if you do want to eat in the city, there are many great places to eat, whether you want light tapas or a full 3-course meal, but you have to be willing to pay high prices.

If money is tight, try heading out into the suburbs on the bus or metro and find a place that has a Menu del Dia (menu of the day: there are many bars and restaurants in residential areas which does this). With this, you can get 2 main courses, drink, bread, desert and coffee all for between 8 and 15 euros, all served with a smile.

Wine is also of the highest quality in Valencia. Try the white wine from Alto Turia or the Serrania, and red wine from Requena or Campo de Lira.

Another alcoholic concoction of Valencia is the Agua de Valencia (water of Valencia). Don’t be fooled by the seemingly innocent title; the drink consists of cava or champagne, gin, vodka and orange juice and is served in giant pitchers of a few litres or so.

Festivals…

Valencia has perhaps the most colourful and spectacular festival in the whole of Spain, Las Fallas. Carried out between 15-19 March (though festivities occur throughout the month), Las Fallas is a crazy period of fire, fun and festivities. Throughout the year, the people of each neighbourhood spend hours of hard graft preparing a Ninot, a huge statue or model made of of wood, plaster and wax that is usually based around a theme; a depiction of a character or event that are usually extremely lifelike and most of the time are satirical. At the end of Las Fallas, these constructions are burnt to the ground in a matter of minutes, throughout Valencia, in a spectacular show of fire and sound. Also, the Valencian people dress for the occasion in traditional outfits, there are Mascaletas – breath taking firework displays which occur daily – parades, beauty pageants, giant paella dishes and a whole host of other goings on which make Las Fallas the best time to visit Valencia.

(next to Football in Valencia)