Stage 4: Discovering Valencia — the birthplace of Paella
Laura Casas | 22. May 2025
Paella is one of Spain’s most famous dishes, but did you know the authentic version isn’t the one you probably ate? Join us on this stage to discover the traditional recipe and explore the beautiful and cultural city of Valencia!
Our journey begins at Cabecera Park, the green lung of the city located at the head of the old Turia riverbed as it enters Valencia. Over 167,869 square meters filled with beautiful gardens, some charming buildings and spots to relax (or to put our biking skills to the test! 🚴).
We continued strolling through this relaxed pedestrian area until we reach the most iconic site of this city: the City of Arts and Sciences. This futuristic architectural complex designed by Santiago Calatrava includes museums, interactive exhibits and the Oceanogràfic, Europe’s largest aquarium.
Plus, if you book in advance, you can even have lunch or dinner while watching sharks, turtles or manta rays pass by you!
Next up, we headed south to the village of Pinedo, where we made a short stop before our next visit: TCI cutting, a world-renowned manufacturer of laser and waterjet cutting technology, customized and scalable intelligent automation systems, as well as intelligent production management software.
We had the chance to look around their showroom, full of state-of-the-art solutions, and gave us a tour of some of their machines, some equipped with our e-chains. Its mission? To ensure reliable and durable cable and hose guidance that helps the company achieve its goal: supporting customers on their journey toward a Smart Factory through digitalization and plant optimization.
Once our inspiring visit came to an end, we headed to the best place in the world to eat Paella: Albufera. When we got there, we realized the bike was covered in dust and our riders didn’t think twice: time for a quick dip! 🛀
With the bike clean, it was finally time for the star of the day: the REAL Paella! And here’s the twist: as you can see in the picture, the original Valencian Paella doesn’t have seafood — it’s all about rabbit, chicken, and veggies. Sorry, shrimp lovers!
Our riders:
Adrián Martínez
“I’m Adrián, and I’ve been part of the Sales Department since 2023. Originally from Valencia, I pursued my studies in Mechanical Engineering in Castellón before completing my degree in Valencia. I’m passionate about playing padel, climbing and travelling. I also enjoy meeting new people and getting to know their stories.”
Manuel González
“I’m Manuel González, working at igus since april 2006 as the responsible of the North, Northwest, South, and later on Levante. Actually, I’m also Port Cranes and OPS Industry Manager for Spain.
I’m originally from San Fernando (Cádiz), but I’ve been living in Valencia for 15 years.
My passion are endurance sports: swimming, cycling in all its variants, running with sandals… all triathlon distances. In my free time, I enjoy training with my wife —we do functional training and crossfit— and travelling with my family (a 15 year-old boy and a 13 year-old girl).
I am very customer-focused and my blood is igus orange.”
Map of the tour
