valencia spain
One of the 3rd largest cities in Spain right on the Mediterranean sea, it´s a lively city with great architecture, museums and a cosmopolitan old quarter with a thriving cultural, dining and night-life scene. It´s also home to the famous Paella and Agua de Valencia.
Ruzafa area
Ruzafa next to the plaza de Torres is probably the most hip and trendy neighbourhood of Valencia. Here you find some of the best restaurants, bars, cultural cafe´s and vintage shops.
Barrio del Carmen
The oldest part of Valencia, with lots of character. This part of Valencia is very Cosmopolitan, here you find locals, tourists and artists, young and old. In this characteristic quarter you find traditional and old Spanish cafe´s and restaurants but also some modern hotspots.
Beach area
A beautiful long beach with plenty of restaurants. it is the best place to try the world-famous paella and sangria or if you have not tried it, Agua de Valencia… a cava based sangria.
Where to sleep
Abcyou
A super cute and trendy B&B, in the Ruzafa area. The rooms are bright and comfortable, the breakfast is lovely, it has a cute little garden at the back. The owners are very friendly and helpful and they have bikes for rent. It’s more like staying at someone’s home rather than a hotel!
Super clean and stylish apartment in the Barrio del Carmen …a top location and so cheap! The apartments are spacious, light, newly renovated, perfect for a comfortable stay in the centre of Valencia
Where to eat and drink, Ruzafa area
Fantastic restaurant, lovely food, great decor, amazing prices!. We had a lovely meal in this super cool and trendy restaurant. I would recommend the sharing menu for 2, I loved the Causa Limena and the new chocolate textures. Make sure you book a table, this restaurant is very popular.
Dulce de leche
A super cool lunch room. They have amazing cakes, fresh juices a great selection of teas and coffees, lovely sandwiches and much more. You will feel right at home in this retro eclectic designed lunch room.
Ubik Cafe
I love to discover new concepts and different places, Ubik Cafe is definitely one of them. It’s a restaurant, library and cultural centre all in one. Ubik cafe definitely represents the Ruzafa area: artistic, bohemian, hip and trendy, this is where artists and suits meet.
Where to go for drinks
In the area of Calle del Conde de Altea you will find plenty of bars including a gin bar, Doce
Where to eat and drink, Barrio del Carmen
In carrer d’en Bou and carrer de la Corretgeria you will find several good and quirky restaurants that perfectly represent de Barrio del Carmen.
Restaurant Sesame
It’s a cosy restaurant, the food and service is lovely. The menu is international with a few vegetarian dishes. I had the vegetarian burger and it was delicious!
San Tommaso
An Italian restaurant with a fun interior decor, the staff are very friendly and helpful, the dishes are all fresh and home-made..
Tinto Fino Ultra Marino
Italian Spanish tapas with a twist and great wines. This is another great find. I love the little window space, great to watch the world go by while sharing some tapas and enjoying a nice glass of wine.
BAR&KITCHEN on the mercado de tapinario is a great place for some lunch or a snack. The square is lovely, with concept stores and regular workshops, the quinoa salad was really tasty. Another great place to try a jug of Agua de Valencia.
Where to drink
Placa del Negret
A square with a fantastic atmosphere starting in the afternoon. Here you will find several bars and a disco. This is a definitely a quirky hotspot that attracts all the locals.
Cafe Negrito
Very popular with the locals….. outside is a great place to start the evening and inside is nothing fancy but always pretty fun. The music is blasting from the speakers, a mixture of rock, Spanish and pop.
Ghecko
Starting a bit later in the evening is Ghecko bar- dancing. A nice bar with good pop music. A perfect place for a night out in the ´barrio´, Here you find a mixture of locals and a few tourists.
What to do in Valencia
- Arrange an organised bike tour – A great way to discover the city and see all the interesting sites.
- Mercado de tapineria, Valencia. I love this Pop up concept, gastronomy, fashion, art, kids activities, antiques and workshops. 3 locals change their concepts every week. It´s close to plaza de la Reina, OPEN SEVEN DAYS a WEEK!
- Valencia beach – Enjoy a traditional Valencian paella anywhere along the seafront and order a jug of Agua de Valencia, a cava based sangria. It’s delicious! If you fancy something light for lunch or just some drinks then the best place is la mas Bonita definitely a hotspot along the beach!
- Shopping – Calle colon and side streets is the best for shopping. They also have a shopping centre in Calle de Menorca.
- Visit the indoor market
