The city became the seat of the Nasrid kingdom in 1238， when the Moors retreated during the Christian reconquest of Spain. The kingdom of Granada linked the commercialcommercial adj.商业的， 贸易的 routes from Europe to Africa crossing the Sahara. The nation constantly shrunk， and by 1492， it was only a small nation on the southeastern coast. This was the most converted area in the country， in fact， Granada has been described as the first MuslimMuslim n.穆斯林， 穆罕默德信徒 nation to be completely Muslim - though the description can only have been approximately true， since a Jewish population remained in the city throughout the Moorish era.
On the 2nd of January 1492， the Moors surrendered to the Spanish， and the kingdom was incorporated into Castile. The fall of Granada holds an important place among the many significantsignificant adj.有意义的， 重大的， 重要的 events that mark the latter half of the 15th century. It ended， after an existence of eight hundred years， the Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula， and thus formed an offset to the progress of the Muslim power in Eastern Europe and the loss to the Christian world of Constantinople. It advanced Spain to the first rank among the nations of Europe， and gave her arms a prestige that secured for her position， influence， and deferencedeference n.顺从， 尊重 long after the decline of her power had commenced.
Valencia
海滨明珠——巴伦西亚
巴伦西亚城是西班牙第三大城市，因其极优越的地理位置被誉为“地中海的明珠”，历史上曾作为地中海帝国财政首都而极度辉煌，并拥有自己独特的传统和语言，巴伦西亚人则以他们的个人主义、感性主义和创造力闻名天下。今天的巴伦西亚人虽然没有巴斯克和加泰罗尼亚人那么强烈的分裂意识，但在当地还是可以见到不同于西班牙内陆的许多标记，甚至在通往马德里的高速公路上还写着英文“SPA IN”的方向指示牌。
13世纪，海梅与巴伦西亚当地土着摩尔人交战失败，就率队逃到了蝙蝠崖的一个山洞中。摩尔人追到了蝙蝠崖，却被成千上万只蝙蝠吓退，这给了海梅重整旗鼓的机会。他后来成为了巴伦西亚的第一位征服者。为了感谢蝙蝠对他的庇护，他把蝙蝠列为他的保护神。从此，蝙蝠与巴伦西亚有了不解之缘。
Valencia is a mediumsized port city (the third largest city in Spain) and industrial area on the east coast of Spain. It is the capital of the Land of Valencia and of province of Valencia.
Valencia has enjoyed strong economic growth over the last decadedecade n.十年， 十， much of it spurred by tourism and construction. However， this model of development has led to a great deal of building on rural land. Furthermore， the Valencia government，s implementationimplementation n.执行 of the LRAU (law regulating urban activity) has been extremely controversial since it involves the expropriation of the homes of both Spanish nationals and foreign residents without compensation. The matter was the subject of a scathingscathing adj.严厉的 documentarydocumentary n.纪录片 adj.文件的 纪录片 纪录片，文献片， broadcast by Spain，s second national channel (TVE2) in 2005.
Critics argue that this legislation (which was theoretically designed to protect rural land) is being misused for large urban and industrial developments. The European Union，s Committee of Petitions reported on the issue in 2004， finding that the Valencian government was breaching basic European rights. The ambassadors of EU Member States have protested to the Spanish authorities on behalf of their citizens and the issue has been referred to the European Court of Human Rights. Wide media coverage of the case abroad threatensthreaten vt.恐吓， 威胁， 预示(危险)， 似有发生或来临的可能， 可能来临 the local “residential tourism” industry.
Visit the City
Valencia is the agricultural centre of Spain. Rice paddiespaddy n.稻， 谷， （俚）爱尔兰人， 警察， （英口）狂怒， 大怒， orange groves and charming scenery， will greet your arrival. Overlooking the Gulf of Valencia it is skirted by mountains and rolling plains and offers plenty to see and do. Wonderful beaches， deliciousdelicious adj.美味的 cuisinecuisine n.厨房烹调法， 烹饪， 烹调风格， good shopping， outrageousoutrageous adj.蛮横的， 残暴的， 无耻的， 可恶的， 令人不可容忍的 festivities， and all night parties are some of the many things on offer.
Popular for national and international trade fairs， congresses， seminars and business encountersencounter v.遭遇， 遇到， 相遇 n.遭遇， 遭遇战 it，s one town you need to book accommodation well in advance for， no matter what the season. Famous for food and revelry you can，t going wrong selecting it as your next holiday destination choice.
Valencia is a good choice for a visit in this country. If you are a newcomer to the area or haven，t visited for a while， the information provided on this and related pages will prove invaluable in assisting you to make your holiday or business venture here， as simple as a stroll down your local street back home.
Valencia is both an area as well as a town and as a whole offer an amazing varietyvariety n.变化， 多样性， 种种， 品种， 种类 of things to see and do for the visitor. Overlooking the spacious Gulf of Valencia， opposite the Balearic Islands it is skirted at the back by a group of mountains and rolling plains leading to the lands of Aragon and CastileLa Mancha.
Valencia，s main tourist attractions are to be found in its cultural wealth， a soundsound n.声音， 语音， 噪音， 吵闹， 海峡， 听力范围 adj.健全的， 可靠的， 合理的， 有效彻底的， 絔档口 adv.彻底地， 充分地 vi.发出声音， 回响， 测深， 听起来 vt.使发声， 宣告， 听诊， 测……深， 试探 infrastructure for business trips， a network of accommodation situated on clean beaches， its range of nature reserves and rich cuisine. Just about everyone has probably heard of Valencia oranges - in fact， citruscitrus n.柑橘类的植物 and other crops grown in the region make it the agricultural centre of Spain.
Famous for food and revelry Valencia is the home of paella and Las Fallas， a weeklong fiesta in March that climaxesclimax n.高潮， 顶点 with the burning of hundreds of enormous papiermache figures.
Sightseeing around the city begins in the old quarter， which until the midnineteenth century， was defended by a wall. Still standing as proof， are the gracefulgraceful adj.优美的 Torres de Serranos， the spacious Torres de Quart and some remains of the apron wall in the basement of the Valencia institute of Modern Arts. The most outstanding artistic heritage is to be found in the districts of Seu and Xerea， where the marks left by the Romans lie hidden beneath Arab ruins and modern churches and palaces.
Ancient buildings aren，t the only thing of interest here however and there is a dearth of activities， museums， galleries and parks to experience and discover too.