Hello fellow travelers,
I know Rick's books don't cover Valencia, but I'm wondering if anyone has spent time in Valencia and would care to share thoughts on neighborhoods to stay in, areas to explore, and day trips. We've heard that it has mild, sunny winters, and a beautiful coast line and are considering spending a week or 10 days there in late January or early February. We've read about the great food market and several interesting museums and are looking to hear from others who have visited. (We've been to several other regions of Spain, but might also add a few days in Barcelona or Lisbon). Thank you.
Posted by
New Zealand
85 posts
Valencia is one of our favorite cities. We mostly visit in January and February for about three weeks. We enjoy the climate at this time of year, generally mild with chilly mornings.
Valencia is designed for cycling and walking. The cycle, or walk, along Turia park (a former riverbed) to the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias is magnificent. The aquarium is a must. Definitely worth reading the history relating to Turia Park.
In regards to the best neighborhood to stay in, we prefer staying within the Ciutat Vella, maybe close to Torres de Quart, botanical gardens all are central.
The food market is spectacular, just the building alone is worth a visit, there’s an abundance of sea food and fresh produce. Our favorite bakery in Valencia is Horno Pastelaria San Nicolas.
We particularly enjoy Valencia due to how different it is from other Spanish cities we visit. The streets are an open air art gallery, every street is a feast to the eyes, all covered in local graffiti art.
The beach is outside the city, an easy bus or taxi ride. It's not one of our favorite beaches in comparison to others in Spain, but that’s just my view.
Enjoy.
Posted by
Washington DC
28081 posts
For your second city I'd definitely recommend Barcelona rather than Lisbon at that time of year. Weather statistics on Wikipedia show you should expect about three times as much rain in Lisbon. Barcelona might also be a smidgen warmer, too. Being able to hop on a train, rather than a plane, is another advantage.
You may find it a lot cheaper to fly into and/or out of Barcelona (that varies by origin airport), in which case I'd be inclined to spend some of my nights in Barcelona if you haven't already been there. Valencia's nice, but for me there's a lot more to see in Barcelona--though you'd be sharing the city with a lot more other visitors.