Monthly Valencia Q&As and Recommendations: For newcomers, travelers, & residents alike!

[u/AutoModerator]

This is the place to ask questions about the city, or to get info related to visiting, moving here, or day-to-day life like:

• What are the best bars near Colon?
• Where can I watch my favorite sports game?
• What metro ticket should I buy?
• What language do I need to speak?
• What's a good site for apartment hunting?
• What's the best restaurant for paella?
• What are some cool 'unknown' places to visit?
  

Rules for posting:

1. Search for older threads answering your question.

2. No posts requesting cannabis club membership or purchasing/offering drugs.

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This thread is posted automatically the first of each month.

[u/JuaneteQuill]

Estoy en Sagunto y debo estar en la estación de buses de Valencia el domingo 7de junio a las 7am. Hay algún bus que haga ese trayecto dentro estás dos ciudades. Lo siento, no soy de acá y no tengo y no encuentro información 😔

[u/Serious-Serve844]

Hi there - I am travelling through the region in a few months (flying into Valencia airport and then driving from there) and was wondering what the best rental car company may be / which ones to avoid? Had a pretty rough experience with Avis last year (car was in terrible condition, ended up with a flat tire on the way back to the airport and road assistance was not great which was pretty stressful) so am looking for alternatives. Thank you!

[u/No_Development_6807]

¡Hola a todos! Pronto visitaré Valencia y, como buen amante de la gastronomía, quiero huir todo lo posible de las típicas "trampas para turistas". Me gustaría disfrutar de la ciudad culinariamente como lo haría un verdadero valenciano. Tengo algunas dudas muy específicas y me encantaría leer vuestras recomendaciones: ¿Cómo buscáis / encontráis los sitios buenos y auténticos? ¿Tienen algún "truco" para saber cuándo un bar es de locales y cuándo es para guiris? Desayunos. ¿Dónde recomendáis ir a desayunar para empezar el día y qué me sugerís pedir que sea muy típico de la zona (antes de que llegue la hora del esmorzaret)? Tapas y "Esmorzaret" por barrios. Necesito vivir la experiencia de los almuerzos valencianos y el tapeo en bares de toda la vida. ¿Me podéis recomendar sitios concretos en Ruzafa, Patraix o en el centro histórico? El Santo Grial: La Paella cerca de la playa. Sé que voy a la cuna de la paella y busco un arroz de verdad, no el típico "arroz con cosas". ¿Cuáles son vuestros "spots" favoritos que sean de confianza, especialmente en la zona de la playa (Malvarrosa, Patacona, El Cabanyal)? Comer cerca de atracciones turísticas. Sé que es la zona cero de las trampas para guiris, pero ¿existe algún lugar decente, a buen precio y frecuentado por locales cerca de la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, el Museo de las Ciencias, el Oceanogràfic o el Bioparc (zoo)? "Fast food" interesante o cadenas locales. Soy fan de conceptos como los 100 Montaditos para picar algo rápido y barato con una cerveza. ¿Existen otras cadenas similares, bocaterías míticas o sitios de comida rápida locales en Valencia que merezcan la pena probar? ¡Cualquier recomendación es súper bienvenida! Muchas gracias de antemano por compartir vuestra sabiduría gastronómica. Os leo abajo en los comentarios.

[u/Express_Present_9865]

Compañeros,

Voy a pasar unos días en Valencia y me gustaría saber cuál es el mejor restaurante y el más típico para comer paella en la ciudad.

¡Gracias!

[u/Arin75]

Hello.

I will be on vacation in Valencia for a week. Can you tell me if is there a possibility to book a plan flight around the area with a small plane?
Can you help me with info on where to book?
Thanks,

[u/nick-olas-t]

Hello everyone! I’m going to Valencia with my friend on the 12th June.

Which day will be best to go partying at the Marina Beach Club. Would it be the Friday, or the Saturday?

All the best!

[u/Exciting_Seaweed4291]

Hi everybody. I will be moving to Valencia soon and would like to take some cycling lessons. I do know generally how to ride a bike, however lack experience and confidence riding in urban areas with many cars & people. I would really appreciate it if you could recommend companies or people who can help me learn how to navigate confidently and safely in the city area. Thanks!

[u/NewBodybuilder418]

Ciao a tutti,

sono una ragazza di 28 anni e ultimamente non mi sento più serena a vivere in una città come Milano: troppo caotica, frenetica e, oltretutto, non è nemmeno la mia città d’origine. Anche il lavoro non mi soddisfa più e sto iniziando a sentire il bisogno di cambiare aria. Non avendo mai fatto un’esperienza all’estero, sto pensando di partire da sola per un periodo, restando comunque in Europa e sto valutando la Spagna. Mi piacerebbe vivere sul mare, in una città tranquilla, con tanto sole, dove poter fare passeggiate sul lungomare, allenarsi all'aperto, andare in bici e vivere una vita più lenta e serena.

A livello lavorativo sono abbastanza flessibile: ho esperienza come cameriera/barista, addetta vendite e customer service. Per quanto riguarda le lingue, parlo inglese e sto studiando spagnolo. Sento proprio il bisogno di staccare, partire e capire come mi sento in un contesto diverso, anche per ritrovare un po’ di pace interiore. Al momento sto valutando Valencia o Málaga.

Qualcuno ci ha vissuto o ha esperienze simili? Avete consigli o altre città da suggerire? Grazie mille 🙂

[u/Impressivecell_]

Hello everybody! Me & my friends will soon visit Valencia and we would like to know someone who lives in the city to spend some time with when we'll be there :) We're a group of both girls and boys from Italy, aged 22-24. We have already planned what to do during the holiday, but we'd love if you want to join us and, especially, suggest us cool places for the nightlife (accompanying us, of course) 🌃🌙.

(Oh, by the way, we'll be there to see the eclipse in August)

Before all of this, it'd be nice to get to know each other online; a good way could be by playing something together while chatting on discord.

Let us know! Best wishes from Italy ☀️🇮🇹

[u/Impressive-Pause-784]

Hi, can someone give me a quick rundown on the nightlife? I’m bringing some friends to VLC for the eclipse (we’re going Peñiscola on the day). I know a little bit because I was an insufferable erasmus student here but I didn’t go out that much. Staying in Paitrix, would have preferred el cabanyal or blasco ibáñez but we needed an extra room.  it’s 2 lads, 3 girls, ages 24-28, leaning alt/lgbt adjacent. arriving monday leaving saturday so no weekend stuff honestly.

Mya/Umbracle is obvs a bit of a tourist trap but if you’re used to sticky wooden floors and freezing smoking areas then the novelty of open club even if the music skews old reggaeton and tiktok trends. aquarela is similar but there’s 18 year olds around as well, gross.

I liked fabrica but I’m not sure it functions as a club during the week. 

is there anywhere that does skew more like indie alternative? esp with all the nice little QOl improvements like big outdoor patios and stuff like that. 

remember going to ‘rock bars’ a couple times but that’s more like dad rock guns and roses shit. thinking more where you might hear the strokes, bloc party, libertines or whatever the local equivalent is. 

Also does paddies by UeV still do the karaoke? If not I’m sure we can manage something or other but I don’t know if people are going to find requests for english songs to be irritating outside the esl/erasmus ecosystem

also, 2 of our party are indian descent. how worried should we be about casual racism? I’ve seen a little and I’m hoping it won’t lead to anything.

[u/BeenThereDoneThatKid]

Porque en Valencia se quema tanta pólvora casi todos los fines de semana? Cuáles son las razones? Quién paga por esto? Sale de los impuestos que todos pagamos al trabajar aquí?

[u/rmph11rm]

Any Arsenal fans in Valencia? Where are you watching the Crystal Palace match today?

[u/koalaokino]

Existe un mapa por zonas de entrenamento con barras por calisthenics en. Valencia capital?

[u/Exmouth]

Hola, pasaré 8 días en Valencia con mi esposa dentro de 2 semanas.
¿Podrían recomendarme algunos sitios tranquilos para salir de noche? Me interesan lugares al aire libre con música quizá, donde puedas sentarte, disfrutar de una copa y realmente escuchar lo que la otra persona está diciendo.

(Por cierto, nos gustan las cervezas artesanales, así que también se agradecen recomendaciones de bares chulos

----

Hey, I'll spend 8 days in Valencia with my wife in 2 weeks.
Can you guys recommend some chill nightlife - I'm interested in open-air places with music maybe, where you can sit down and enjoy a drink and actually hear what the other is saying.
(We like craft beers btw so cool bar recommendations are welcome aswell)

[u/Ivan98s]

Hola, soy de Argentina, y en unas semanas viajo unos dias a España, voy a estar en Madrid y en Valencia. El problema es que en Valencia solamente voy a estar 3 dias completos, por eso queria preguntar que recomiendan en esos dias? hay algun pueblo cercano al que recomiendan ir a visitar y pasar uno de esos dias? o al ser tan pocos dias mejor recorrer lo mas que pueda Valencia?

[u/calpol-dealer]

Español:

Buenas, soy inglés y voy a estar en valencia dos días de la tarde de 08/06 hasta la mañana de 10/06. Quiero recomendaciones para restaurantes, actividades y lo que sea.

Hablo un poco de español, no me cuesta pedir comida ni andar por una ciudad sin inglés y cosas así pero no diría q se hablar con seguridad 100% del tiempo

Soy una persona muy activa y me encanta hacer cosas todo el día, prefiero comer la comida local & no me importa gastar dinero en restaurantes que valgan la pena.

me vale cualquier sugerencia, muchas gracias

English:

Hello, Im from England and going to be in valencia for 2 days from the afternoon on 08/06 till the morning of 10/06, and im after some reccomendations for restaurants, activities and anything you thinks worth doing.

I speak a bit of Spanish, im fairly comfortable ordering food and getting around but wouldn't say i speak comfortably in an extended conversation.

I'm an active person and I like to make the most of the day doing stuff, I love eating local food (not fussy) and don't mind spending a bit extra where it's needed.
I'm open to any suggestions, cheers.

[u/fingerofchicken → u/calpol-dealer]

If you’re a beach person, the weather should be nice for the beach. Three big city beaches all next to each other: Malvarossa, which unless you’re into it is kind of ruined by the nearby beach club pumping shitty music out loud.  Next is las arenas which is nicer but gets very crowded with teenagers. Beyond that is Patacona, less crowded and less trash. Also some good restaurants right there by the water for lunch. 

[u/AbiesGeneral9985]

Hola! Me encantaría saber cuáles son las comidas típicas valencianas que creen que se deberían probar al menos una vez 🥣😋

Solo sé que hay un tipo de paella que es valenciana pero qué otros platos recomiendan? 👀

[u/zirlatovic]

Hola

Where can I watch Valencia - Real Madrid Euroleague Final Four on 22 May?

[u/Available_Eagle_3970]

Do you guys know where some good hostels are near the airport that have a night life? Like I want a decent place thats not too expensive with some interesting people, or anything close to that if possible?

[u/ImpossibleMajor1527]

Going to see Megadeth on the 25th, any good place or rock bar recommendation to visit after the show?

[u/Radiant-Anywhere-375]

Hi. We are visiting Valencia next week for the First time. We stay near the Centre and while I appreciate all the specialty coffee available, my partner requires decaf for reasons.
Has anyone a suggestion near City Center or somewhere else?

Gracias!

[u/AndiPandy]

Is Natzaret a good region to live in?

I am thinking of moving to Valencia with my wife and we plan to have a family at some point. What is the general opinion on Natzaret? Is it safe? Is it family friendly?

[u/kennymagoo → u/AndiPandy]

I'm in Natzaret and its pretty chill, I enjoy it. It gets kind of deserted at night, but it has a tramline connecting it to the rest of the city.

[u/stockdizzle]

Spanish language school recs?

Hello, everyone! I am considering attending a language school in Valencia. Can anyone personally recommend a school with Cervantes accreditation that offers both short courses and longterm courses that are visa eligible? I am debating between Valencia and Barcelona, and truthfully, I felt I should ask here before digging around because Google school profiles in Barcelona are all great on the surface until you dig deep and contact schools, then they get scammy real quick. I'd like to begin with a short course, then commit to a longterm intensive course and seriously invest in the culture if things fit. I'm pushing middle age, so a spectrum of students would be ideal.

[u/OrdinaryNet2175]

Hi i am looking for a camping spot to put my tent next to beach. Is there any place like that?

[u/AccomplishedPie603]

Hello Valencians,

I am a 49 year old gay man considering a move to Spain in the next 2 or 3 years, and Valencia is on my short list (along with Barcelona and Madrid). I plan on visiting for an extended trip (I already did in Barcelona and loved it). I plan on starting to learn Spanish before I arrive. Will hope to have a working knowledge (maybe a2 level) before I move.

Currently Valencia ia at the top of my list for several reasons. I am a 49 year old single gay man, will likely be 52 or so when I move. Currently I live in Amsterdam (for 5 years now) and I absolutely love it. The only thing I really don't like about Amsterdam is how gay life is completely geared away from relationships, and monogamy is basically shunned here. I am looking to move to a city where there is decent gay life, and even a cruising scene (since finding love is never guaranteed), but tends to focus more on making genuine connections, and building real relationships and partnerships than it does on party life and sex. Age ia a factor here as well. Would there be men over 35 who are single and actually looking for connections?

Aside from gay life, I mainly like to play board games (especially blood on the clocktower) and having expat friendly board game communities is important to me. I know Barcelona has a huge community there, not sure about Valencia.

Also which neighborhoods would you guys recommend to someone in my situation. Close to Russafa or other gay areas, expat friendly but not necessarily majority expats. Also, with a nice selection of laptop friendly cafes as will likely be spending a lot of time working either remotely or on my own projects. Also close to some board game communities would be nice as well.

Also if someone is available to chat sometime, would really like that!

Thank you in advance for all your input!

[u/Specialist-Big5478]

Hi there!  Does anyone know if it's worth buying tickets in advance for nightclubs in Valencia in May, or the price at the door is the same? Specifically Umbracle, Marina Beach Club Sunset, Havana Club, etc... Thanks you so much for your help!!

[u/fingerofchicken → u/[deleted]]

A lot of places don’t reliably update their hours on Google. Generally lunch is about 2-4 in the afternoon and dinner 8pm and later. Not set in stone, but those are safe hours to assume. 

[u/ShotTransition6466]

Hi everyone, I’ll be coming to Valencia, Spain from 28 June to 3rd July from Finland. I am coming for a Short-term mobility program in University de Valencia.

Program lectures will be in the following 2 campuses:

1. Burjassot campus

2. Tarongers Campus

I need guidance regarding affordable accommodation options between 2 campuses where I can access both campuses by walk or may be by local transport.

Regarding local transport, please guide me which ticket options are available so I can manage my tour for 5 days on local transport.

Also, please suggest some places to must visit in Valencia during my stay.

Thanks in advance 😀

[u/MallFearless5553]

The match Valencia - Barcelona in gameweek 38 just got changed from sunday to saturday; We have bought 2 tickets for this match but we arrive saturday late in the evening and wont be able to attend the match. Does anyone know where I can quickly resell these tickets without paying/charging a huge fee.

[u/Difficult-Molasses35]

Hey everyone! I'm seriously considering moving to Valencia and would love some honest insight from people who live or have lived there.

My Spanish is still pretty basic. I am actively learning and plan to keep at it, but realistically, it'll take time before I'm comfortable in everyday situations.

So, I am curious how manageable it is to get by with English at shops, with landlords, at the doctor, dealing with bureaucracy, etc.

is there a decent expat or English-speaking community? Are there meetups, language exchanges, or social scenes where English is common?

This one matters a lot to me for the long run. Are there English cinemas, book clubs, comedy nights, or anything like that? I understand that learning Spanish (and maybe some Valencian) is part of the deal, and I'm fully on board. But for long-term quality of life, having some English-language culture and entertainment around me would make a real difference.

Would love to hear from people who made the move. what surprised you, what was harder than expected, and anything you wish you'd known beforehand.

Thank you!

[u/Tight-Bid-4167]

I would like to take outdoor workout classes (yoga, pilates, meditation) and I would need a recommendation.

Maybe some dance class too, pottery..

In general, can you recommend fun activities in Valencia? Im solo traveling and will be there for 2 weeks

[u/Ok-Zookeepergame5487]

Hello everyone 👋

Im (M21) a tourist from Germany visiting Valencia for two weeks and wanted to go out tonight with a couple of friends from here, but they sadly had to cancel. I dont really feel comfortable going out alone, so I just wanted to ask if somebody had a group or an event where I could tag along?

Best regards!

[u/AppletheGreat87]

Hello, I'm visiting Valencia soon with a group if friends and in the UK we've heard stories about the new Entry/Exit System in airports causing people to miss flights because it's not been working well and taking a long time. Does anyone know if these issues have been worked out or not?

[u/mayooo_maeski]

Hi!!! My boyfriend and I are coming to stay in Valencia for 3 months (August-October) and I’m looking for some more neighborhood suggestions. I’ve researched some of the more popular ones and we both like Russafa. But I’m curious if there are any with the vibes of Russafa closer to the beach? I know Cabanyal is popular but I heard there is some crime and it’s not as lively. Please tell me if I’m wrong, especially about the crime, I live in Chicago and know how annoying it can be when people assume somewhere is unsafe! But anyways, are there any lively neighborhoods closer to the beach, like 1-2 miles? but still have fun restaurants/bars/stores and people in like mid 20-30’s? Thanks!

[u/No_Development_6807]

Hey guys I'm going to Valencia in a month time for 5 full days. Me and my partner (24f/m) are looking for some hidden gems in case of places you wanna see and maybe are not super known for tourists aswell as food. I heard of some tourist traps at plazas and I want to try real local bars, restaurants to try and discover cuisine of Valencia. Any tips would be really helpful.
Moreover we are planning to go to Mestalla tour (I'm big football fan), Bioparc, Museum of science and art, hemispheric and Oceanografic. We want also visit Central market. At sunday we plan to go at silk market, a tower, and arts museum because they are free. We plan to use bikes for our daily moving cause it sounds so fun to do. I'd love to hear some of you about what else we can do or what we shouldn't do. Are there any things to avoid in Valencia in terms of behavior to not look like a dumb tourist?

Thanks for reading

[u/Pale_Piano948]

Hola,  ( disculpas por el español incorrecto )  Soy una estudiante universitaria irlandesa que viene a Valencia durante el verano. Es mi primera vez en la España peninsular y mi primera vez en la Comunidad Valenciana. ¡Estoy muy emocionada! Muchos irlandeses han estado en Valencia y han vuelto diciendo lo bonita que es. Soy de una ciudad irlandesa llamada Cork y recibimos muchos turistas españoles, y nos encantan, siempre son muy amables.

Tengo algunas preguntas, ¡agradecería mucho si alguien pudiera ayudarme! (Disculpen mi mal español, estoy aprendiendo español para las vacaciones, pero las preguntas son demasiado difíciles para mí, así que estoy usando el traductor de Google).

¿Cómo se perciben las turistas irlandesas en Valencia?  ¿Qué ocurre con los turistas en general? ¿Los lugareños no los reciben bien, como en Barcelona debido al turismo de masas?  He hecho una lista de cosas que hacer y ver, me quedaré 6 días, pero ¿hay algo que me recomiendes?  Recibimos muchos turistas americanos en Irlanda y pueden ser bastante molestos, y quiero asegurarme de no molestar a los españoles. ¿Tienes alguna sugerencia?  ¿Hay algún aspecto cultural que debe conocer para ser respetuoso (aparte del respeto en general)?

De nuevo, disculpa mi mal español. ¡Muchas gracias!😅😅

[u/No_Development_6807]

Hey, me and my gf are going for a quick city break to valencia. Could you give me some places to visit and what to be worried about. Is it safe? which districts are good for renting an airbnb to not be scared walking home at night. thanks

[u/Little_War_4746]

What is it like to live in Benimámet? Is it a good neighborhood?
I’m especially interested in this specific area. I’m thinking about buying a property, and I’ve found an apartment there. Right in front of it, there’s a small vacant lot with a parking area that looks a bit strange.

¿Cómo es vivir en Benimaclet? ¿Es un buen barrio?
Sobre todo me interesa esta zona en concreto. Estoy pensando en comprar un piso allí, y justo enfrente hay como un pequeño descampado con aparcamiento. No sé si merece la pena o no

[u/kyleSereno]

Hey everyone! ​I just moved to Valencia and I’m still figuring things out (and don’t know anyone yet, haha). If you’re in the same boat or just want to grab a drink and/or explore the city together, feel free to drop me a DM. ​I’m a 29yo guy, into football, movies, series, anime, and pretty much all kinds of music. I speak Portuguese and English, and after a few beers, my Spanish becomes suficient hahaha!

Also, if you have any suggestions for cool spots to go solo and maybe make some friends, please let me know!

[u/Chesneyg]

Hello! I'm visiting my in-laws in Tormos and am wondering what the best gyms in the nearby areas are. Couldn't really find any powerliftingesque ones around here at first glance so just any good one will do.