A Long Weekend in Valencia

Having visited several times together, Spain is one of our favourite short-haul travel destinations, here at Places & Spaces Art Co. Many people have written about 'The Big Two'; Barcelona and Madrid, which are rich in culture and understandably very popular destinations, but we decided to write a blog about our own favourite Spanish City, Valencia.

Plaza Ayuntamiento, Valencia

This port city is situated on the South-East coast of Spain and is the country's third-largest. It is very easy to get there, with direct flights from many International airports and reasonable prices (returns from London Gatwick are around £80 if you select your dates wisely). It is home to some magnificent architecture, old and new, exceptional food, a vibrant bar scene, as well as a huge beach next to the port. In our opinion it has some of the best aspects of Barcelona and Madrid, but on a smaller scale and isn't swarming with tourists.

In this blog, we will highlight some of Valencia's most appealing features and make suggestions of things to see and where eat, stay and play over a long weekend.

Getting There and Getting Around:

As previously mentioned Valencia has an international airport with regular flights to and from major European cities. It is possible to get a train from Barcelona which is further north along the East coast of Spain and takes around 3-4 hours. From the airport, it is very straightforward to get a metro to the city centre and takes around 30 minutes. The ticket machines usually have an English language option and the metro itself is modern and easy to navigate, if you know where you are headed to. If you're feeling flush and cannot deal with public transport, a taxi to the city centre can be at least 40€. Honestly, the metro is a good facility, cheap and not anywhere near as busy as the London underground.

Where To Stay:

This really depends on the nature of your trip. I would classify the city in two main areas: The Old town/city centre and The Port/Beach area. If you want to spend your time sightseeing during the day and bar-hopping in the evening, there is a lot more going on around the city centre. If your intention is to relax and top-up your tan, with a more chilled bar/restaurant scene, then the port/beach area is perfect. It is quick and easy to get from one area to the other by metro (15-20mins) or by Taxi (10mins, around 15€), so it is possible to enjoy both areas over a long weekend. There are plenty of reasonably priced hotels, though you may want to consider an apartment rental, which can be superb value. For a wide range of clean, modern, 'luxury' apartments in great locations, checkout: http://www.valencialuxury.com/es/ 

Safety:

In our experience, Valencia seemed perfectly safe to walk around on foot by day or night. The usual common sense applies when visiting any foreign city, but the pickpocketing and street prostitution that are commonplace in parts of Barcelona and Madrid do not seem to be present here. If visiting in Summer months, note that the temperatures regularly reach 35-40 degrees. When we visited in early August the temperatures would sometimes reach 30 degrees at midnight, so protect yourself from the sun when walking around during the day and drink plenty of water! 

Things To Do:

Jardines del Turia / City of Arts & Sciences

Jardines del Turia

Running through the city centre and down to the port are the Jardines Del Turia; a beautiful park built within the dried out river bed of the River Turia. If you are staying anywhere around the city centre it is hard to miss the Turia. It snakes around the North of El Carme (the old town) and along the east side of the town, down towards the port area. It sits beneath many small bridges and roads throughout the city and there are many entry points from street level. If you want to walk or cycle down to or from the City of Arts & Sciences, but avoid the roads, this is a very pleasant route to take.

You really cannot miss the City of Arts & Sciences, as the huge space-age museum buildings and concert hall are visible far into the distance. The whole complex is a testament to modern architecture and a juxtaposition to most of Valencia's typical old Spanish charm. Even if you don't intend to visit the museums, aquarium, cinema, or see an event here, it is well worth visiting and having a stroll around the grounds as the architecture is truly impressive. Having spoken to locals it seems like some of them object to the fact that so much of the city's resources were poured into the project, when the country clearly has wider economic issues. However, as a visitor, it is top of the list of things to see in Valencia and there is nothing else like it in Spain. 

Mercado Central, Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges, s/n, 46001

One of the many reasons to visit Valencia is for the food. It's where the Paella was invented and has a vibrant tapas bar scene. So it stands to reason that the food market is one of the best in the country. Valencia benefits from year-round sunshine, although it can be uncomfortably hot in the summer months. Thankfully the Mercado Central, located in the old town, is indoors and a nice, cool destination for a stroll around the food stalls. Here you can sample local delicacies such as 'Horchata' - a refreshing, fruity drink made from ground almonds and other, nuts and seeds. As well as fresh fish, meat and vegetable counters, there are many deli-style stands if you want to pick up some cured meats, cheese and bread for a picnic.

Plaza Ayuntamiento and surrounding architecture

The city centre is home to some impressive old cathedrals and plazas. There are lots of interesting buildings and beautiful fountains to enjoy and Plaza Ayuntamiento in central to most of it. It's a good starting point to a self-guided tour of the city centre and old town.

Malvarossa Beach

The beach to the east of the city, adjacent to the port is nothing short of epic. It's probably the widest, sandy beach we've seen in Europe and you won't have any problems finding a spot by the water. Along the Southern end of the beach, where the port ends and the beach begins, are a number of bars and restaurants with outdoor seating, along the picturesque promenade. Perfect if you fancy cooling off and getting a spot of lunch. There are also a number of public toilets along the beach and medical centres, just in case of emergency! 

Food & Drink

To be honest, if you enjoy tapas it is hard to go wrong in Valencia. Most tapas bars in and around the old town have a great selection of simple, but well-prepared tapas and pinxos (bite-size tapas portions on a cocktail stick). Washed down with a cold beer or local wine, as you hop form bar to bar. What more could you ask for? That said, there are a few restaurants that are worth seeking out as they excel in certain local delicacies. Below are some suggestions:

La Pepica, Paseo Neptuno 6 (Malvarossa Beach)

Paella 'Mixta' at La Pepica

Founded in 1898, La Pepica is the go-to restaurant for a traditional Valencian paella. As mentioned previously, the Paella originates from Valencia and La Pepica is a favourite with the locals. It's usually busy during lunchtime and in the evening (paella is traditionally a lunchtime gig), so it would be wise to make a reservation to enjoy your meal on the outdoor patio facing the beach. If your luck is out, there are other nice alternatives along the promenade.

Destino 56, Paseo Neptuno 56, (Malvarossa Beach)

There are a few cocktail bars along the promenade of Malvarossa Beach, with outdoor seating. The vibe by the beach is more laid-back than the city centre. Destino 56 has a good selection of drinks, bar food andambient and commercial dance music playing til late.

Sidreria El Molinon, Carrer de la Bosseria, 40, 46001 València

There are so many tapas bars in and around the old town, but this one came highly recommended. Its small wooden bar, with giant jamon legs, being freshly sliced to order is always a good sign. This tapas bar is usually quite busy, so you may need to prop up the bar if the tables are taken, but at least you are closer to the jamon! The place is known for it's selection of Spanish ciders (sidras) which are theatrically poured from a height from bottles into 'copas'. This helps to aerate the cider, enhancing the flavour. Neither of us are connoisseurs, but this cold, dry, crisp cider was the perfect accompaniment to the delicious selection of tapas we ordered. There were no frills with our dishes; rustic tapas with bold flavours, cooked simply. The jamon melted in the mouth, the padron peppers salty and juicy, the patatas bravas were perfectly crisp and covered in smoky, tangy bravas sauce. Exactly what you want from tapas.

Cafe Negrito, Placa Del Negret,

Located in El Carme (the old town), Placa del Negret is one of Valencia's popular town squares. It has a few bars located around the perimeter with plenty of tables in the centre. Cafe Negrito can get very busy, so it's tricky to get a table after 10pm. This may sound late, but Valencian nightlife doesn't get going until after midnight. This is a good spot for cocktails and people watching, before heading to one of the towns more pumping venues.

Radio City, Calle Santa Teresa, 19

When wandering through the streets of the old town past 10pm you will have club flyers thrust toward you, by promoters offering you drinks deals and free entry to bars and clubs. It can be easy to be enticed into venues only to find that they are completely empty, as most them are before midnight. Radio City is one of the old town's better late-night bars, with live music and live flamenco acts on various nights of the week. It is small and can get very crowded, but has a friendly, mostly Spanish crowd.

Summary

Valencia may not be as popular or quite as rich in cultural history as Barcelona or Madrid, but in our opinion it has a comparable food scene (which we've barely covered), better beaches and it is easier to navigate the nightlife. It is generally cheaper too and has better year-round weather, making Valencia one of our top European destinations for a long weekend.

Shop our Valencia print

Situated at the end of the former riverbed of the River Turia, lies the architectural splendour of the City of Arts & Sciences. For all of Valencia's traditional Spanish charm, this modern, cultural park is a visual highlight. 

Giclée printed on lightly-textured, high-quality 285gsm Platinum Etching paper, for a gallery standard finish

30x40cm prints have no border allowing the artwork to fill a 30x40cm frame.
40x50cm prints have a white border (the actual artwork measures 34x45cm) suitable for larger frames.