Valencia, Spain’s third largest city, is located on the Mediterranean coast, around four hours south of Barcelona and three hours east of Madrid. Along with a balmy climate and beach, the city is packed with history, architecture and excellent shopping facilities – and it’s becoming increasingly popular as a city break venue. It is a lively, eclectic place, buzzing with culture and has one of Spain’s most vibrant nightlife scenes.
A series of spectacular buildings have recently changed the city’s skyline, adding to the impressive selection of Gothic, Renaissance and Art Nouveau monuments that line the streets. Valencia is famous for being the birthplace of paella, for hosting the 2007 & 2010 America’s Cup and for its flamboyant Fallas Festival, which is held every March. To book your mini break to Valencia, search online for Spain holidays and check out our city break guide.
When to go
Spring, unofficially marked by the Fallas Festival, is the ideal time to visit: temperatures are perfect for enjoying the city’s café culture and you should be able to sunbathe on the beach. Autumn is also a good time, as restaurants and cafés usually stay open until the end of October. Avoid high summer though, as the city can become unbearably hot and humid, with temperatures reaching up to 40°C.
Getting there
Plane: EasyJet from Gatwick, Ryanair from Stansted, Bristol, Manchester, East Midlands and Dublin. Take the Metrobus or taxi 9km into the city centre.
Train: Valencia is served by trains from Madrid, Barcelona and numerous other cities.
Bus: Buses come from most of Spain’s major cities.
Ferry: Brittany Ferries sails to Santander and Bilbao from Portsmouth and driving to Valencia from either port takes seven to eight hours. Direct ferry routes run between Valencia and Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca and Mahon.
Getting around
Hire a bicycle: A great way to explore this largely flat city.
Walk: Exploring the main hub is best done on foot.
Metro: For longer trips take the metro, which has five different lines.
Where to stay
As city accommodation goes, Valencia can be remarkably good value – largely because it is a business centre and there is a struggle to fill rooms at weekends and in high summer. There are beds for every budget, ranging from no-frills backpackers at €10 a night, to luxury five-star palaces with swimming pools and spa facilities, for €250. There are also budget hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs and reasonably priced self-catering apartments.
Playa Valencia
On the budget end, 50 Flats is an inexpensive apartment hotel with smart, spacious rooms, while Rooms Deluxe is a basic but fun place with 28 hip rooms and cool staff. Medium range hotels include the Ayre Astoria Palace Hotel, which is conveniently yet quietly located and features a mix of modern and classic design and the Vincci Palace with its smart contemporary décor and grand exterior. If you’re treating yourself, consider the lavish Westin Valencia, a five-star sanctuary with 850 m² wellness centre, two restaurants and stunning interior garden, or the Caro Hotel, a palatial pile located near the cathedral, shops and Turia Gardens.
Sightseeing
Valencia is bursting with fascinating sights – this list is far from exhaustive, but should get you started.
City of Arts and Science – Vast, aesthetically stunning and futuristic, the City of Arts and Sciences is the work of local architect Santiago Calatrava and comprises an interactive science museum, IMAX cinema, planetarium, opera house and Oceanogràfic marine park.
El Puerto and La Playa – Valencia hosted America’s Cup in 2007. Visit the Puerto and the port sheds and stroll along the promenade.
Bioparc Valencia – A new-generation zoo that recreates the habitats of the Savannah, Madagascar and Equatorial Africa.
Jardin Botanico – Founded in 1567 for the study of medicinal plants, in 1802 the Botanic Garden was moved to its current location of l’Hort de Tramoyeres. There are over 3,000 tree and plant species from all five continents and it’s a veritable haven of tranquillity.
Plaza del Mercado – Home to La Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange), a magnificent example of Gothic architecture and UNESCO World Heritage Site; The Iglesia de los Santos Juanes, one of Valencia’s oldest churches and Mercado Central, a colourful market in a beautiful modernist building, perfect for picking up fresh produce like meat and olives.
Barri del Carme – A vibrant neighbourhood in the old centre – a melting pot of diverse people, cafés and shops.
Valencia Cathedral – A curious cathedral featuring doors from three distinct architectural periods along with Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-Classical elements.
Turia Gardens – Formerly a riverbed, this is now a 9 km long public park with a lake, athletics track, playgrounds and trails.
Turia Gardens
Torres de Serranos – Part of the ancient city walls, this magnificent edifice was constructed in the 14th century. Recently renovated, it’s considered to be the largest Gothic city gateway in all of Europe.
Museo de Bellas Artes San Pio V – One of the most outstanding painting collections in Spain, featuring works by primitive Valencian painters, El Greco, Goya, Velazquez and Murillo.
Monasteriode San Miguel de los Reyes – This monastery was erected in the 16th century over the old abbey and features Renaissance and Baroque elements.
Valencian History Museum – Packed with artefacts and multimedia presentations documenting Valencia’s history.
Eating
Lunch is usually served from 2pm, dinner never before 9pm. Tuck into some fresh Mediterranean shellfish to kick things off. Eating paella is essential when in Valencia, particularly at lunchtime, so head for family-run Casa Ripoll or Ernest Hemingway’s favourite, La Pepica. Bodega Casa Montaña in the old fishermen’s quarter serves some of the best tapas known to man and you really should try Clóchinas, which are small, juicy, local mussels. There are several Michelin-starred restaurants in the city, including Vertical, La Sucurcal and Riff, and a must-visit is A Tu Gusto, a sleek contemporary restaurant serving generous portions of delicious and creatively presented food.
Entertainment and nightlife
Party animals won’t be disappointed in Valencia. There’s Pacha, with its lavish décor, house music and space for 1,200 dancers, cool and sophisticated MYA, with a terrace and pumping club, Aquarium, the city’s best cocktail and tapas spot, Radio City, with its cinema, flamenco and wild dancing and Dub Club, a funky dive offering drum ‘n’ bass, funk, reggae and jazz jamming.
Shopping
Calle de La Paz is Valencia’s main shopping street, offering both designer and high street stores. It’s well worth visiting the Art Nouveau Central Market with its mosaics and stained-glass windows and browsing the 1,000 or so stalls selling excellent local produce.
Events
Numerous events take place in Valencia throughout the year, including the spring festival of Las Fallas, which involves processions, fireworks and the burning of hundreds of large puppets. On the second Sunday of May, the effigy of Valencia’s patron saint, the Virgen de los Desamparados, pursued by devout believers, makes the short journey across Plaza de la Virgen to the cathedral. On 23 June, Valencianos in their thousands celebrate Midsummer’s Day, with bonfires on the beach, no less.
Come for a break in Valencia and you’ll experience a metropolis that’s hard to compare with any other, such is its blend of the ancient and modern, cultural and hedonistic, tranquil and vibrant.