Valencia's Botanical Garden and the city's best cake

I am always keen on finding the greenest areas in the city where I live, to breathe the freshest air and to get away from the cars and noises. Recently, I have found in Valencia the best space to get lost while enjoying more than 4500 different species of plants. In this **fascinating Botanical Garden **(owned by the University of Valencia), there are plenty of colors, smells, and sounds that change throughout the year. I honestly think it is a beautiful space to enjoy, located by the Valencia neighborhood called El Carmen, where you can also find great street art! 

Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden is like a** living museum** located in the **historical center of the city, **which aims to let people connect with the plant world by fostering its conservation, as well as its sustainable use. The Garden maintains a scientific collection of plants and includes monumental trees and historical buildings. It is responsible for maintaining the tradition of botanical gardens in Valencia, which date back to the 16th Century when the university created a physics garden to teach medicine.

In the Botanical Garden, visitors can travel to each of the continents, imagining exotic or far-off places, or seeing close-up the plants that inhabit our Mediterranean countryside. All of them serve to remind us of the great biodiversity housed on the Earth, which we need to take good care of. The entrance is only 2€, and I think it is totally worth visiting it to feel at ease and breathe the nicest air. Some of my favorite plants were the cactus and the huge palm trees! 

You should also know that it is** not a very popular place**, which, in my opinion, makes it even more peaceful. I 100% recommend you take a book with you and sit in one of the many benches to read and enjoy the atmosphere.  On top of this, you will probably be surrounded by** adorable cats** that are more than happy to have your company and be petted! There are also fish in most of the different ponds you find there!

Dulce de Leche coffee shop

If you have a sweet tooth and want to** warm up** a little after visiting the** Botanical Garden**, follow my advice and visit one of the cutest coffee shops in Valencia – its name is** Dulce de Leche**. It is the perfect place to spend an** autumnal afternoon**, while you get to try the best cakes in Valencia. There are a few of these coffee shops, but my favorite one is located in **Ruzafa**, the hipster area of Valencia, in the city center.

Dulce de Leche offers a wide range of different cakes, tarts, and pies, as well as amazing coffee, teas, and homemade smoothies. There is a great atmosphere, and it is the perfect place for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or just a simple snack in the middle of the afternoon. They also serve salty pastries and amazing 'bocadillos and baguettes.' Some people even take their laptops to work in Dulce de Leche, since it is a very cozy place with free Wi-Fi (but laptops are not allowed during the weekends). If you want to feel the Christmas spirit and vibes, Dulce de Leche serves some Christmassy cakes and delicious Chai Latte.

Visit the** Botanical Garden** in the** historical part of Valencia** and enjoy the colors, shapes, the smells of its incredible plants, and its cute, friendly cats. Finish off your afternoon in one of the greatest coffee shops and try the sweetest and best-looking cakes in Dulce de Leche!