Valencia - the city where the sun always shines

Arrival

Valencia has an international airport. We had about 2 hours flying time from Switzerland. From the airport, I recommend taking a taxi to the city. The ride takes about 20-30 minutes.

Old town

In the centre of Valencia is the town hall square called Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Many buildings in this square are very old but very beautiful to look at. The buildings are illuminated at night, this looks fantastic too.

On the outskirts of the city you will find the great and mighty city gates Torres de Quart and Torres de Serranos. At the Torres de Quart you can walk up to a viewing platform and from there you have a fantastic view over the old town.

In the district Plaza del Carmen you have a great backdrop of gothic architecture and plenty of cafés and restaurants to choose from.

Mercat Central

A huge hall where all culinary wishes come true. You can visit the market from 8am to 3pm. A must-do when you are in Valencia. At this market you can buy fruit and vegetables, meat or fish and other local products. Food stands as far as your eyes can see. The building is exceptionally built. In the center of the market hall there is a 30-metre-high dome.

Jardin del Turia

In 1957 there was a bad accident in Valencia. After heavy rainfall, the river overflowed its banks and flooded large parts of the city. About 100 people died in this tragedy. This is how the government decided to divert the river and drain it. The result is a beautiful park with so many plants. As the park is very long, I recommend renting a bike and enjoying the park on two wheels. There is a well-marked bike path in both directions.

Ruzafa

Ruzafa is a cool and authentic neighborhood and it is located a little outside the core city. Earlier it became a migrant neighborhood and was long considered an area that was as unwelcome as it was dangerous. It was only about ten years ago that Ruzafa began its rise to become the lively and creative neighbourhood it is today. A bundle of streets, interspersed with studios and bars, a neighbourhood in constant change, but still not globalized. And my experience today, the area can be considered safe.

Harbor and beach

Valencia has a very large port and in the past the road around was used as a Formula 1 track. Compared to other beaches I have been to so far, the Valenica beach was very wide. It is about 3 km long and there are different sections of the beach. The three well-known sections are Playa de las Arenas, Playa del Canyal and Playa de la Malvarrosa. There is another beach and it is called Playa de la Patagona. It's further away but we got a tip that there are fewer people there. Well, less people... In general, you can say that there were a lot of people on the beach. But I still thought it was very nice and it's cool to be able to be at the beach when you're on a city trip.

Our accommodation

We decided to rent a flat in Valencia instead of staying in a hotel. The Vivaldi Penthouse Ayuntamiento is located right in the old town, about 250 metres from the town hall. Our host Victoria was very nice and gave us super many tips for the city upon arrival.

The best thing about the flat was the view over the city. The air conditioning also worked well, which we were very happy about as it was quite warm in Valencia. The open-plan living area features an L-shaped sofa and a flat-screen TV with DVD and CD player. In addition to a breakfast bar and washing machine, the full kitchenette includes a dishwasher, oven and coffee machine. The 2 double rooms at Vivaldi Penthouse Ayuntamiento are decorated in a minimalist style. What's a pity, both bedrooms have no windows.  In the bathroom you will find a shower and a hairdryer. The flat was great in all respects, but I'd rather not pay too much attention to the staircase. I found that the elevator was a bit scary and very old.

For a city stay for two people I would recommend the flat and rent it again. The price-performance ratio is right.

Restaurant

I think the favorite food from the people of Valencia must be rice. Of course, there is also something other than rice. Fruit and vegetables, meat and fresh fish are served in the restaurant. For us, it was quite sure that we wanted to try Paella. This is a traditional rice dish cooked in a pan. We often saw that there are three different varieties of Paella in the restaurant. Vegetable Paella, Valencian Paella and Seafood Paella. We didn’t want to eat seafood, so we decided us to eat the Valencian Paella with meat. In my opinion, it was ok. I’m glad I tried it, but it’s not one of my favorite dishes. We went to the Restaurant Taberna Alkazar which is in the old town. The service was very friendly and we were allowed to eat Paella even though we did not order it in advance. Important tip: in most restaurant you have to order Paella in advance and it is only served to groups of two or more. 

Tapas are also a part of Spain. Tapas are many small specialties. All people at the table order different Tapas and then the food is placed in the middle of the table and everyone can eat everything. We had tapas at Restaurant Maria Bonita, which is in the part of Ruzafa, and they were very tasty. 

And now I would like to introduce you to the most delicious alcoholic drink I have ever had. Sangria is a flavored mixed wine drink. The punch-like drink is made from red wine, fruit pieces and fruit juice and is often mixed with spirits. Sangria is served cold in glass carafes. Sangria is a simple party drink in Spain. Because Sangria is an easy punch to prepare, there are many variations. Of course, I have a delicious recipe which will appear in the next newsletter. To subscribe to this newsletter, click here.

We discovered a great restaurant on the beach, the Banana beach Restaurant and I really like this kind of restaurant.  They serve fresh poke bowls. I have chosen the Vegan Bowl with Tofu, Carrots, Walnuts, Mango and an amazing Honey Mustard Sauce. The bowls look super tasty and are also very good. I attached a photo.

Currency and means of payment

In Valencia you pay in Euro (EUR). You can pay everywhere with credit cards. It is accepted as a means of payment in all shops, Restaurant or Hotels.

Tip

In a restaurant in Valencia, tipping is not usually expected. However, if the service was very good and you would like to leave a tip, it will be appreciated. You can simply round up your bill. The usual amount is around 5-10% of your bill.

Language

Two recognized languages are spoken in Valencia. Spanish and Valenciano. As a tourist, you can try your hand at Spanish, but of course almost everyone there understands English.

You will find a summary of the important Spanish expressions in the June 2022 newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, go to Newsletter and sign up.

Public transport

The red EMT city buses are the best-known means of transport in the city. You can buy ten-ride tickets at tobacconists and newsstands, which is the cheapest way to get around. Valencia also has a metro. Here, too, a ten-ride card is a good idea.

And Taxis are very cheap. We never paid more than 15 EUR.

Opening hours

Most shops open between 9 and 10 am. Smaller shops close over lunch from around 2pm to 4pm. Large shops are usually open throughout the day. Closing time is between 8pm and 9 pm.