Turia Gardens Valencia: Gulliver Park, Cycling, and the Riverbed Park That Changed the City

The Accidental Master Plan

In 1957, the Turia River flooded Valencia catastrophically — 81 people died and the city was badly damaged. The government's response was to divert the river south of the city entirely. The old riverbed, a channel running through the urban core, was now empty.

What happened next is one of the more remarkable urban planning stories in modern Spain. Rather than build a motorway through the empty channel (which was the original plan), Valencians protested and campaigned for decades. In 1986, the city converted the entire 8km riverbed into a linear park.

Today, Jardí del Túria — Turia Gardens — is Valencia's green artery. It runs from the edge of the old town all the way to the City of Arts and Sciences. It is completely car-free. It is the best thing about Valencia for anyone who lives here, and one of the best things about Valencia for anyone visiting.