The Westcott House in Springfield, Ohio

We recently took a tour of the Westcott House, where we learned about its troubled history and gawked at its meticulous interior design.

An array of futuristic buildings occupying the eastern end of the Turia Riverbed Park, the City of Arts and Sciences is easily Valencia's most distinctive feature. When people think "Valencia," the sharp white lines, shallow blue pools and tile-covered curves of Santiago Calatrava's creations are generally what spring to mind.