Valencia is the place to be for fans of opera at the moment, with a celebrated work by Sergei Prokofiev about to open at the city’s Palau de les Arts.

The Russian composer’s Betrothal in a Monastery will be performed in Valencia from January 26th until February 10th, following its appearance at the famous Glyndebourne opera festival in Sussex, England, Comunitat Valencia reports.

Written by Prokofiev and Mira Mendelson, Betrothal in a Monastery tells the story of Louisa, who is engaged to marry a rich merchant against her will. Defying the wishes of her father, she elopes with her true love Antonio.

The opera was first staged in St Petersburg in 1946 and has delighted opera lovers around the world ever since. Dmitri Jurowski provides the musical direction for the Valencia production, while stage direction is handled by Daniel Salter.

Last week, Valencia’s Palau de la Musica hosted the city’s annual flamenco festival, with many of the top flamenco performers in Spain appearing over a four-day period.

A British writer who published a book about her move to the Turia Valley in Valencia province recently discussed her experiences in an interview with a property website.

Speaking to Homes Worldwide, Angela Love said that the “sunshine and easygoing pace of life” were the main things that first attracted her to Spain and led her to move to Valencia with her husband in 2004.

Ms Love explained that she was particularly attracted to the Valencia region because of its “lush orange groves and pine-covered hills”, as well as the tradition for paella - the quintessential Spanish dish originated in Valencia and is still a major part of daily life in the area.

“The scent of orange blossom carried by the breeze knocks me out every time,” she said of her life in the Turia Valley area.

Speaking more generally about Spain, Ms Love revealed that the country’s high standard of healthcare and education, relatively low cost of living and “strong community spirit” all played a part in persuading her to relocate from the UK.

Her book about life in Valencia is entitled Orange Blossom Beginnings.

Towns such as Betera and San Antonio de Benageber are located in Camp de Turia, a comarca of Valencia province.

A travel website has listed its top reasons for people to visit Valencia in 2008, as the region prepares for what could be its most successful year yet.

While the Valencia football team may be enduring a difficult season in La Liga, the rest of the city is going from strength to strength and continues to offer many attractions for tourists and property buyers from around the world, Easier Travel reports.

Indeed, sport is still one of main reasons to visit Spain’s third-largest city, with a new formula one track set to be launched in Valencia this summer. Similar in style to the famous circuit at Monaco, the new course will see star drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso race around the city streets in August.

Major sporting events are also a theme elsewhere in the region, with the port at nearby Alicante due to host the start of the Volvo Ocean Race, a round-the-world sailing competition, in October.

In addition, the region boasts 24 championship golf courses, catering for those who prefer sporting activity of the more sedate variety.

As the home of paella, Valencia also has plenty to offer food-lovers, with several Michelin-starred restaurants found in the region and traditional Spanish cuisine available on every street.

Valencia was recently named as one of Spain’s “property hotspots” for 2008 by Homes Worldwide.

The exciting development of the Valencia region is set to continue unabated, with the local government unveiling a new homebuilding initiative for the area.

Regional planning and environment chief Jose Ramon Garcia Anton has revealed plans to build new subsidised properties in the area, which will be available at below-market prices for lower earners.

According to Costa Blanca News, the official has received the backing of nine councils in the region to free up 2.2 million square metres of land for construction. About 14,300 ‘public protected’ homes are expected to be built in this area.

In addition, Garcia Anton told a meeting in Alicante province this week that a new study of the demand for subsidised housing in Alicante, Castellon and Valencia will be completed in January.

He said: “This will allow us to know the housing necessities and the exact situation of offer and demand for each municipality.

“In this way, the town halls and the regional government can accurately allocate land for building to satisfy the demand which exists.”

With the region already boasting a large expat community and much top-end property, the new housing would help to strengthen the infrastructure of the Valencia region.

A new inland road route for the Costa Blanca, which would take the strain off coastal highways, was recently proposed by the regional government in Callosa.