Travel Tips Valencia – Two decades of bold development have given Spain’s third-largest city some of the country’s most striking architecture, with elegant Art Nouveau buildings lining the streets, as well as a wealth of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance monuments.
Being close to the sea and surrounded by extensive market gardens makes Valencia one of the top places to eat in Spain, with a thriving restaurant scene and gastronomic events throughout the year.
Travel Tips Valencia
In March, one of Spain’s biggest festivals, giant figures appear on street corners all over the city for the fallas festival, before being ceremoniously burned.
Tips For Valencia
Although the city has some of the best museums in the country, you rarely have to wait in line because the level of tourists is much lower than in Madrid or Barcelona.
Mild temperatures for most of the year mean you can make the most of the city’s beaches, whether strolling or cycling, or enjoying a long alfresco meal. A lively nightlife scene for all ages and great shops – did I mention shoes and bags? – Valencia is bursting with Mediterranean enthusiasm.
Start with freshly squeezed orange juice outside the Art Nouveau Central Market (Plaza del Mercado; 00 34 963 829100), where fantastic local produce shines in all its attractive glory under domes decorated with stained glass and mosaics. Grab some Ibérico ham or olive oil as a gift, then find an extra stool at the central bar (stalls 105-131), run by Michelin-starred chef Ricard Camarena, and order one of the baguettes – canalla with morcilla sausage and scrambled eggs, or gooey cheese, pepper and veggie with romesco sauce.
Across the square is La Lonja (Calle de la Lonja 2; 00 34 962 084153), a stunning 15th-century silk exchange that is one of the best examples of Gothic civic architecture in Europe and has World Heritage status.
Exciting Things To Do In Valencia, Spain
In the Central Market, exquisite local products shine under domes decorated with stained glass and mosaics Credit : (C) Stefano Politi Markovina/ AWL Images Ltd (C) Stefano Politi Markovina/ AWL Images Ltd (Photographer) – [None ]/ Stefano Politi Markovina
To reach the cathedral (Plaza de la Reina; 00 34 963 918127) wander through the back streets of La Lonja and try to wrap your head around the mix of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque architecture. Inside, see paintings by artists including Goya and a chalice purported to be the actual Holy Grail. The Micallet Belltower is worth climbing for panoramic views across the city to the sea and countryside.
Closer to the cathedral, have tapas (perhaps some Valencian oysters or shrimp from Santa Pola) and a glass of Lalola beer or wine at Colmado Lalola (Calle Bordadores 10; 00 34 961 047178). Completely restored, do some shopping as you look at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and the beautiful buildings from Calle Ruzafa to Calle Colón.
Stop at the Art Nouveau Colon Market (Jorge Juan 19; 00 34 963 371101), which now has cafes, restaurants and shops. Grab a coffee or a traditional horchata (a chilled drink made from crushed tiger nuts) at Casa de l’Orxata, where they use organic tiger nuts and don’t add a lot of sugar (unless you want it).
Getting Around In Valencia
Book a meal at Llisa Negra (Calle Pascual y Genís 10; 00 34 699 183770), the latest restaurant opened by Quique Dacosta, whose other establishments (so far) have four Michelin stars. Smart with a bit of buzz, Lisa Negra offers a menu of Mediterranean dishes such as grilled tuna from Denia and baby squid from Moraira.
Café Madrid (Calle L’Abadia de Sant Martí 10; 00 34 960 660507) For a nightcap, perhaps an expertly mixed gin and tonic or cocktail, walk inside or onto the roof terrace.
Walk or cycle through Turia Gardens, a park that winds its way around the city following a river channel that was diverted after a flood in the 1950s. You can hire bicycles from Valencia Bikes (Calle Tapinería 14 or Passeig de la Petxina 32; 00 34 650 621436).
Head to the spectacular City of Arts and Sciences (Avenida del Profesor López Piñero; 00 34 961 974686), a sprawling sculptural white complex designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela. If you want to take plenty of pictures of the opera house, planetarium and science museum, spend most of your time at the Oceanographic Marine Park, where you’ll be mesmerized by belugas, sharks and walruses.
Valencia Travel Blogs And Travel Guides (2023 Trip Planning)
Head to the spectacular City of Arts and Sciences, a sprawling sculptural white complex Credit : Tony C French
Take a bus or taxi to Malvarosa Beach for a long, leisurely meal at Casa Carmela (Calle Isabel de Villena 155; 00 34 963 710073), a beautiful and popular restaurant that serves excellent paella and other Valencian specialties such as seafood. fideuà, made with pasta instead of rice (advance book).
You’ll be able to eat Valencian specialties, such as seafood fideu, at Malvarosa Beach Credit : Martin-DM
Afterwards, head back along the promenade towards La Fabrica de Hilo (Calle Pavía 37; 00 34 963 682619), a sprawling industrial space that’s now a bar and arts venue for a coffee or cold beer, then Cabanyal-Kanyameler, the old fishermen’s district, with its colorful There are small houses with tiled facades. You won’t know what’s hit your Instagram feed.
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Cabanyal-Kanyameler is an old fishing district with a grid of narrow streets lined with small, colorful houses Credit : imageBROKER/Karl F. Schofmann
Chances are you’re walking around Cabanyal-Kanyameler when you start thinking about dinner. Fortunately one of the best tapas bars in Spain, Casa Montaña (Calle José Benlliure 69; 00 34 963 672314), is hidden deep in the neighbourhood. With art nouveau decor, wine vats and a marble bar, it couldn’t look more traditional, but the food is prepared with great care, using the finest produce, and the wine list is also quite interesting. Order the patata brava, cod brandy, mussels, cuttlefish, chopped steak – everything is good.
If you want to eat back in the centre, Ruzafa is a great nightlife area with plenty of restaurants and bars. Book at Ricard Camarena’s funky Canalla Bistro (Calle Mestre Josep Serrano 5; 00 34 963 740509), where the menu includes Galician blonde beef tartare and seabass ceviche. Have your last drink in the neighborhood at La Bella de Cádiz, a bar that feels like an antiques shop (Calle Cádiz 54; 00 34 663 314607).
Hospes Palau de La Mar, housed in a grand aristocratic palace, retains the charm of a small Valencian palace with historic features such as grand arched doorways and original marble staircases. The flower-scented garden (where the horses used to live) and the soothing spa create a relaxing air of contentment, and each of the 66 rooms is modern, light and spacious with warm colors and sumptuous Egyptian cotton sheets.
How To Spend 36 Hours In Valencia, Spain
Hospes Palau de La Mar retains the charm of a small Valencian palace with a grand arched doorway and historic features
These seven impossibly stylish apartments are owned by the same family that runs the city’s venerable Casa Montaña restaurant, and guests staying at Barracart benefit from priority booking, wine tasting or an Iberian ham workshop at the sensational tapas spot. The apartments themselves are effortlessly stylish, with tall French windows (leading to street-side balconies) with exposed brickwork, wooden floors and warm lighting.
One Shot Mercat 09 welcomes those looking for a hip base with its rooftop pool, spacious contemporary rooms and inventive dining in the historic center of Valencia. The hotel blends original features (iron Juliet balconies, cream exposed walls and wooden beams) with streamlined contemporary decor to great effect. In some rooms, illuminated fresco-effect ceilings add to the historical context.
One Shot Mercat 09 attracts hip base seekers with a rooftop pool, spacious rooms and inventive dining
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Head to Simple (Calle Palau 5) near the cathedral, a treasure trove of Spanish artisan products, including beautiful ceramics, shawls, hats, baskets, soaps, notebooks and toys.
Handmade fans are a great tradition in Valencia. A family business since the 19th century, Abanikos Carbonell (Calle Castellon 21) behind the bullring has a wonderful selection of both plain and fancy.
Valencia doesn’t usually get too cold in the winter and you can often sit outside during the day even in January and February. Spring and autumn are the liveliest seasons for cultural events, and you’re almost guaranteed warm temperatures and sunshine. It can get uncomfortably hot in the height of summer, but at least there are plenty of beaches on the doorstep.
• You must carry your passport with you by law – and you will sometimes need to show your passport when paying with a debit or credit card. Get two copies of your passport and your EHIC European Health Card, as you will need both for any medical treatment.
An Expert Guide To A Weekend In Valencia
• If driving, you must have two warnings