JUNE 2022
VIVA SUNNY VALENCIA, BIRTHPLACE OF PAELLA
Well hello there …
Valencia is one of the most dynamic tourist destinations of the last few years. The city offers an attractive array of activities and sights; suitable for all ages. It was already on my radar for a couple of years, as I only heard positive feedback from family & friends.
It seemed ideal to me to visit Valencia, during summer or spring to fully enjoy the sun. But with global warming and the increase in heat waves, another period might have been more pleasant. For the first time ever, I followed the Spaniards in their habits, by taking a siesta in the heat of the day. Luckily Valencia is a very bike friendly city, we decided to hire a bike for 2 days instead of exploring the city entirely by foot. The extra breeze when pedalling, was a welcome refreshment. There are several bike shops in the city, we had one in the same street as our hotel “Passion Bike Centro”. Almost everywhere in the city you can find cycle paths, and also the “Turia Parc” has got a separate bike lane.
Valencia is a city that combines history, tradition and modernity in an unusual way. And with the beach & sea very close by, it’s easy to create a varied programme. Instead of enumerating the tourist hotspots, I will guide you through our day to day programme, so you can learn step by step what this popular city has got to offer.
We arrived on a Sunday morning around 11h00 and returned on Wednesday at 16h00, so we had 3 full days to spend.
PROGRAMME
DAY 1 – SUNDAY
When we arrived at the airport we took a taxi to bring us to our hotel.
We stayed at the Marqués House Hotel 4*, in Ciutat Vella, next to the Ceramic Museum. It’s a boutique style hotel with 29 rooms. Our start at the hotel was a bit rocky, as we had to change rooms because the air conditioning was not working and because my partner was stuck in the elevator for more than an hour. But thanks to the friendly and helpful staff, the inviting breakfast area with great à la carte breakfast options and the delicious “Agua de Valencia’s” at the bar, we completely forgot about it. The hotel is very centrally located to visit the old city, close to the Plaza de la Reina, Plaza del Ayuntamiento and Plaza Colegio del Patriarca.
Some other hotel options we looked at are: Vincci Palace, Vincci Lys, YOURS Boutique Stay, L&H Gran Via, One Shot Mercat 09, SH Ingles Boutique Hotel, Helen Berger Boutique Hotel. And Marqués also got another sister hotel ( MYR Hotels group) located across the Mercado Central – Hotel Plaza Mercado.
As it was Sunday, we decided to rent a bike and to visit the beach like the locals do with their families. We drove from one side of the Calle de Pavia where you can find the exclusive Marina Beach Club, to the other side at El Cabanyal, a former fishermen’s village. On our way we saw Casa Carmela, the favourite spot from the locals to eat Paella. We decided to have a more lighter and contemporary lunch and stopped at “La Mas Bonita Patacona”. We did not make any reservations, so we had to wait a bit to get a table. But in my opinion it was worth it. The food and drinks where yummy, we had nice sea views and a sea breeze through the open shutters. Yes it’s busy, and a real yuppie hotspot. But for me it was the perfect first stop. The colourful buildings on this part of the promenade gave me some Caribbean vibes.
After lunch we drove to one of the highlights Valencia has to offer, the eye-catcher of the city, their splendour and pride “Ciutat de les Arts I les Ciències”. Designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava, located in “Jardin del Turia” with a surface of 2Km². The site is comprising 6 buildings among which: the “Palau de les Arts de Reina Sofia, L’Hemisfèric, L’Oceangraphic, etc …” On a Sunday it was pretty quiet, probably because all buildings are closed. Except from some tourists wandering around, there were several locals who came to cool off next to the water and in the shadow created by the building. You can hire a canoe or pedalo to float around on the water and take an Instagram worthy picture at the white letters that form the city name of this futuristic complex.
After returning to the hotel we refreshed ourselves and went downstairs to the renowned bar “Café Madrid”, where we enjoyed sipping our first “Aqua de Valencia” a cocktail based on orange juice, gin, vodka and cava. Constant Gil created this cocktail for the first time in 1959 at bar “Cerveceria Madrid”, nowadays renamed as “Café Madrid”.
We made diner reservations at “Jamon Jamon” a small restaurant well known for their affordable tasting menu’s. It was only located at 7 minutes from our doorstep, but due to a big religious festival, all the streets were blocked and surrounded by masses of people watching the parade, so we arrived too late. Luckily the staff still welcomed us with open arms and told us about the origin of the “Corpus Christi” celebration. The interior of the restaurant is a bit dark, but authentic, with an intimate atmosphere. The service and quality of the food were very good, nothing to criticize and very affordable. They also have a nice selection of wines.
DAY 2 – MONDAY
Today we explored the city on foot. Before noon we discovered Ciutat Velha, with the city hall “Ayuntamiento”, the post office “Correos”, the cathedral, “La Lonja” (UNESCO World heritage) and “El Micalet”. For lunch we visited the popular “Mercado Colon”, as several locals recommended the “Central Bar” from famous Michelinstar chef “Ricard Camarena” we joined the queue and luckily we were able to quickly take a seat at the busy bar. We ordered some tapas to share like patatas bravas, a mixed salad, … and a home made sangria. In my personal opinion the food was nice but a bit too emulsify and over-priced.
After lunch we decided to walk to the quarter “El Carmen”, renowned for its street art. We mainly crossed locals in the streets, not too many tourists make the effort coming to this part of the city I had the impression. We saw indeed some colourful graffiti art, but less appealing to my imagination than the ones I saw in some other European cities like Berlin f.e.
The heat was really starting to weigh on us so we decided to return to our hotel for a siesta. Around 16h00 we put on our sneakers again and visited the Ruzafa district, where you can find the Plaza de Torros, the Mercado and the Railwaystation. According to “Time to Momo” they call this neighbourhood the hippest neighbourhood in Valencia, due to the vintage stores, young artists, fusion restaurants and coffee bars. But I must say that I didn’t really catch that vibe.
In the evening we returned to this part of the city to dine in the popular restaurant “Canalla Bistro”, also owned by Ricard Camarena. The interior is industrial, the food inspired by world cuisine. I certainly found it pleasant and tasty, but my friend was less of a fan. And didn't really understand the hype around this place. Although this one is also a favourite of many locals. When you go for the Canalla Sharing Menu, you receive small tapa dishes like ceviche, fried eggplant and tempura vegetables, meat and as dessert glazed pineapple and Ferrero Rocher ice cream. Price +/- € 40 pp including a cocktail.
DAY 3 – TUESDAY
Today we rented a bike again and drove along the coast to Albufera, a nature park consisting of a large freshwater lake, surrounded by swampy soil, on which the farmers grow rice for the famous paella. The bike ride was more or less an hour and half. And the road to it is not well marked everywhere. We stopped at El Palmar for a boat ride. We had to wait till a minimum of 5 people had signed up, before the boat departed. We paid € 5 per person for a trip of 30-45 minutes. Unfortunately the guide was Polish and only spoke a bit Spanish as second language, but no English or French. I understand a bit of Spanish when I read it, but when it’s spoken only small patches. So that was a big disadvantage. The weather conditions were also not ideal, as it was rainy and cloudy. Did we saw the rice in full growth? No. The only thing that entertained us a bit during the trip are the nesting and flying birds in and around the lake. I trust that on a bright day and with another guide, it’s an entirely other excursion. But was it worth the ride? For me personally, I have to say no.
On the way back we stopped at Pinedo, where we eat a nice paella with excellent sea views. Although I am not a big fan of paella it’s a must, to try it during your visit to Valencia.
I had still one thing on my list of must see’s, namely “L’Oceanographic”. It’s the biggest aquarium of Europe and my sister really recommended visiting it. Arriving at 16h30 gave me a bit of stress, as time was limited and the place is rather big. But it also gave a certain peace because it was less busy. I have to share my sisters opinion, I must say! Especially the Beluga Whales left a lasting impression. But it’s not cheap, we paid almost €70 for 2. But if you think about what the maintenance of this aquarium should cost, then I fully understand.
To end our trip in beauty, I booked another restaurant with good reviews: “El Bouet”. Of the 3 restaurants I have chosen, it was the one that I had the most doubts about beforehand, but it was the one that actually charmed us the most. We also had chosen the menu, and the food was really finger licking good. Croquetas, springrolls, small burgers, tikka masala, spareribs and a cheese cake.
I remember my boyfriend ordered an extra portion of the spring rolls as they were delightful. The wines were also on top and the bill very reasonable. It’s located at a busy road a bit outside the historic centre. When you enter it feels a bit chic & fancy, but the service is really jovial and anything but snobbish. So just go and experience it for yourself.
DAY 4 – WEDNESDAY
After our last breakfast at Marqués House, we made a small stroll in the parc and visited some curio shops in the neighbourhood, before it was time to return to the airport and catch our flight back home.
TIPS
I always buy the “Time to Momo” guides, as I think they are easy to read, they add nice city walks and their restaurants and bar tips match my personal preference. But for this trip I also bought the guide “Verassend Valencia”, with very interesting tips from the locals, and it gave me better insights I must say. So a must-read if you’re visiting Valencia.
My colleague Iris, is also a travel blogger and she visited the city only 2 weeks before me. She also visited the surrounding area of Valencia. If you understand Dutch and you’re looking for a second opinion, or extra info for site-trips on the East Coast you can read her story at www.otherdestinations.be