When I arrived in Valencia, with no guidebook and little clue as to what to do, I saw a sign advertising horchata. Oh, I thought. Now I remember why I’m here! As a relatively recent foodie, I have very little culinary knowledge. My initiation to horchata was through a song from Vampire Weeekend. ♪ In …
Valencia
Travel blogs, travel photos and features from Valencia, Spain
Valencia Travel Guide
The ultimate guide to the best things to do and see in Valencia
As Spain’s third largest city, Valencia has a youthful vibe, lots of hipster hangouts and excellent food, making it a great destination for a longer Eurotrip or just a weekend break. Start here with my basic Valencia travel tips, or jump down below to read my latest Valencia travel blogs.
When to Visit
The best time to visit Valencia for the ideal weather is probably April or May, when it’s warm enough to be able to enjoy being outside, but without the intense crowds of summer. If you like your cities really hot, come in July or August, but be prepared for everything to be a lot busier.
In mid March, the famous fallas takes place, a traditional celebration where monuments are built specifically and then burned in the streets. Be prepared to walk the streets among crowds of rowdy Spaniards wielding burning effigies for an experience you won’t son forget!
Top Things To Do
Explore hipster Ruzafa – This is probably Valencia’s most exciting area. Just south of the central train station, it’s not only historic, but it’s also got the bohemian vibes common to other hipster neighborhoods around the world. Popular with hipsters, young artists and those in-the-know, it’s a cool area centered around a few square blocks full of cafés, bars, shops, clubs and restaurants.
Hang out at the beach – From the city center, near the main Valencia train station, to the beach is just a short 6km, easily accessible by bike, walking or on the public transportation. Once there, you’ll feel like you’re in a totally different city with a full-on beach vibe with sandcastles and people lounging with cocktails in the sand!
Visit the City of Arts – Valencia’s most famous tourist attraction is the weird-but-wonderful City of Arts and Sciences complex. The complex consists of several buildings for cultural and educational activities, including a science museum, aquarium, planetarium and IMAX cinema. Designed by local celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava, it’s perhaps the most iconic symbol of the city. Inside the Turia river bed (now converted into a park), the City of Arts and Sciences towers over the city as this strange, other-worldly buildings.
Valencia Tours
Although it’s a relatively small city, taking a tour around Valencia will save you time and get you in to some areas of the city you might otherwise overlook, so it’s definitely worth you time to consider one. Take a look at this selection of Valencia tours.
LGBTQ – Gay Valencia Travel Guide
Like all Spanish cities, Valencia is very gay-friendly and with a large student population, there is an endless supply of beautiful boys pretty much everywhere! These are a few of the best things you should know about visiting gay Valencia.
Sauna Olimpic – The pleasant and super clean sauna is a nice place to hang out and meet half naked men. They have various special offers throughout the week with very affordably entry prices and there are two well maintained hot tubs, a steam room, a dry sauna and all the dark rooms and cruising areas you’d expect.
Cross – Occasionally hosting live music and drag shows, this late-night bar and club is popular with a large range of men in Valencia. On Thursdays, it’s karaoke night and at weekends there are often parties featuring music from a particular decade.
Nunca Digo No – Apparently the biggest gay bar in Spain, this is a hotspot for cruising, and features an extensive, labyrinthine dark room with glory holes, slings and cabins. If you’re not in to that, it’s still a fun place to come for a drink with a bar decorated with dildos of various shapes and sizes!
More gay travel resources here.
Valencia Hotel Deals
Valencia has plenty of cool and quirky hotels, as well as all the big chains you’d expect. They’ll likely get full when there’s a conference or special event in town, so definitely consider booking in advance.
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Valencia Travel Blogs
From snails in the paella to a beach vibe and city culture, Valencia has a lot to offer the modern tourist making it one of Spain’s best cities to visit
There’s something special about a city that’s turned their river into a park, a city that’s invested millions in an architecturally-unique arts and science center, a city that’s home to Spain’s first contemporary art museum. But, I think, for valencianos, this isn’t surprising. This is a city with a long history for creativity. It’s where paella was …
A travel story about visiting Ruzafa – Valencia’s hipster neighborhood in the southern part of the city with hipster shops, restaurants and cool cafés