Strolling through a grove of chromosomes, playing with Batman and Superman, travelling back to the beginnings of the earth, walking among giant sculptures and tiny butterflies, diving in the Arctic and around coral reefs, watching the acrobatics of dolphins... all this, and more, is possible at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. Here, you don't need to be young to be a child, you just need imagination, and the centre offers a perfect day out for children of all ages. A great way to start the day is with a bike ride along the dry riverbed of the Turia to the spectacular complex created by Santiago Calatrava. Here a fascinating lesson in science and nature awaits the whole family - a lesson experienced through play and fantasy. High points of the visit will include:

L’Hemisferic: This eye-shaped building has a three-dimensional IMAX screen where science and nature videos are shown. It's worth checking the schedule for the shows which begin each day about 10.30am and end around 9.00pm.

Science Museum: With the slogan "learning through play", it's little wonder this science museum is an amusement park in its own right. Each month, there are hands-on activities, including workshops, exhibitions and conferences.

L’Oceanografic: This is the largest aquarium in Europe, offering the complete underwater world from the five continents in an area of 110,000 square metres and 42 million litres of water.

L’Umbracle: This botanical garden with its host of different species including palm trees and orange trees, is home to the Sculpture Walk, an outdoor museum with works by major contemporary artists.