What I Wish I Knew About Valencia, Spain

I recently traveled to Valencia for the first time and I have to say it is without a doubt a city that caught me off guard. There are restaurants and shops throughout every street and everything is accessible by foot, metro or taxi. The quality of the water compared to the USA, the well fed street pigeons, and the street art was one of the best surprises about Valencia. I will be talking about my tips for visiting and the best sights to see in the small university city.

Experiences and Sights to see

Before anything else, I would highly recommend to go on a tour to the thermal springs located in the mountains. The tour guides provide transportation and any equipment you would need. You are taken to a waterfall, the thermal springs where you can drink the mineral water you swim in, and the dam that connects to the same thermal springs with a scenic view of the mountains and water. Food is provided in the local restaurants. Click the link here to book the tour.

If you are visiting during the summer, I would recommend visiting the beach that offers yoga classes, volleyball, and tennis classes. There is also kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes you can rent for half of the day or the whole day.

For those 18 and over, you are allowed to drink and visit the variety of nightclubs in the city. There is also small concerts throughout the city that you can attend for free or a cheap entrance ticket.

Food and culture

Personally as someone who loves chocolate the napolitan pain au chocolat and cafe con leche sprinkled with chocolate shavings is a must try while in the city. On average I spent about 5 to 20 euros per meal for 2 people, so for one week it totaled about 250 euros for eating out twice a day. It is customary to do two kisses when greeting someone in Spain or in the very least a handshake, nevertheless no one is very proper in Spain. The locals are very friendly, especially if you are lost and need assistance. If you are looking to make new friends Valencia is a great place to do so.

Flights and Hotels

The only expensive part of Valencia, Spain is the flight and then the hotel or Airbnb/VRBO in second place. The off season for Valencia is the wintertime making the flights anywhere from 100 euros cheaper all the way to 500 euros cheaper. However, if you traveling overseas to Valencia, if you are able to, I would recommend to pay the extra money for a direct flight to save yourself the headache of layovers and switching airplanes, as well as lower the chances of losing your luggage.

As for the hotel or Airbnb/VRBO I would recommend to stay in one near the city centre or central market instead of by the beach. Staying in the city centre will save you money on transportation costs, everything is a small walk away compared to the beach where you would need to get a taxi or ride the metro to reach the best parts of the city.

Transportation

Depending on your budget and the length of your trip, transportation can either be very cheap or add up quickly. I would recommend purchasing a Metro pass and EMT bus pass, both can be purchased as an all in one or separately. Bus passes can be purchased in tobacco shops throughout the city. Metro passes can be purchased at every metro station and are refillable. All public transportation including taxis close from 11pm to 12am, so if you plan to stay out late keep this mind.

Valencia

Safety

Something that caught me off guard on my trip to Valencia was the homeless population coming up the outside tables for restaurants to beg for either food scraps or spare change. I would recommend to either ignore them, or the more straightforward option say “No thank you, leave us alone” and repeat yourself until they leave. If you chose not to repeat yourself and start a conversation with them, they will stay for hours. There is also scammers to beware of, selling “Branded” purses and shoes on the sidewalks and in front of major stores.

As a general rule if there is someone who won’t leave you alone or actually harms you in any way, a quick phone call to the police will scare them away or get them arrested. The emergency number is 112 for the police. There tends to be police near major roads or parks that can be called over as well.

Conclusion

In total, my trip of 2 people for one week costs me about 2,000 to 2,500 dollars. Keep in mind, if you were to be more budget friendly the number could go down drastically, I chose to be a little more lucrative for my trip. For the wintertime it does not snow in Valencia and temperatures reach down to about 40 Fahrenheit or 4 Celsius. Check out our Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter pages for weekly updates.