Don’t write off Valencia as just another coastal resort town. Yes, the city occupies prime real estate along Spain’s sun-kissed central Mediterranean coast. And a string of popular resorts lines Valencia’s edge. But it doesn’t rest on its pretty beaches. Instead, the city invests in cultural projects, like the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, a futuristic complex built by Valencia’s native son, renowned architect Santiago Calatrava. The Ciudad houses a planetarium, a science museum, an IMAX theater, a performance space, and Europe’s largest aquarium—all in buildings that are works of art themselves. The real beauty of it, though, is accessibility: For free, you can stroll along the 4.5-mile promenade that weaves between the Ciudad’s structures. It’s enticing enough to pull even the most die-hard resort lovers away from the sand.