A Lady's Quick Guide To Valencia

About a month ago I went to Spain for the first time. And I loved it very much! I was doubting a lot between Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid. Eventually I made the decision to go to Valencia, as I heard so many great things about the City. It isn't as popular under tourists yet, but becomes more and more well known, especially under Dutch people. It's a city known for jogging and is really lovely to study for a semester abroad and there are just so many things to do in Valencia. I spend two weeks in here to study Spanish at a Spanish language school and stayed with an host family. 

AIP Language School

This is the school I stayed at during my stay here. You can also learn other languages, such as English or Italian. But I would recommend, as you're in Spain to study Spanish because the level is higher. The location is good, it's situated close to the Jardin de Real, and in the city with shops and lots of cafes and restaurants nearby. I don't know if next time when I want to learn Spanish I'll go back to this school. The lessons are good and the teacher I had was really friendly. What I didn't like very much, was that when you're staying longer then a week they basically force you to buy the Spanish book. What I noticed was that in Valencia, not a lot of people know English. The teacher explained everything in Spanish, so if you're an absolute beginner it can be a bit difficult. I can still remember a guy from China in my group, having to translate every word on google translate. But it was fun haha and he eventually improved a lot! The school also organises weekly activities with all the students, like going to the beach, yoga, intercambio's and more things like that. That's a great initiative and they were fun. Overall, it's a nice school and nothing wrong with it. Of course, you can't compare it with language school like EF. 

Playa de Malvarossa 

Valencia has five beaches in total. I only went to the Playa Malvarrosa, because it was the easiest beach to reach from my apartment. I stayed in Benimaclet, it's according to what my host family said a cheaper neighbourhood and a lot of families live here. The location is perfect, the city is around 15 minutes by bike and the beach as well. In the same street of the apartment you had bakery's, a pharmacy, restaurants and a small parc. It took some time to get to know the routes and where everything was, Google Maps was my life saver. The beach is really nice, with palm trees and a big promenade with bars and restaurant with fresh sea food. The food is also quite cheap, so you don't have to worry about spending too much on it. You can easily go to a Mercadona for some fruit or bread. If you're going to Valencia I recommend visiting this beach for sure! When you're going during summer it's also fun to go surfing or windsurfing because there's always wind there. 

Ciutat Vella

From all the neighbourhoods in Valencia, Ciutat Vella is my absolute favourite one. It's the oldest part of the city and you can find anything from old shops to cafes. There also is a main square where there is also something going on like music or a festival. From Benimaclet I cycled toward the Turia Parc in de direction of the Ciutat Vella. There is a big castle at the beginning of the city and you can also climb it if it's open to see a view of Valencia. I rented a bike for a week, because it's a lot easier to go to places instead of walking. The busses and trams are also going very frequently, so that's also a good option if you don't want to cycle. I found a Dutch bike shop called Passionbikes, where you can rent a bike for a day or longer. It's starting at around 8 euros a day, so not that expensive. You can also rent a bike at Valenbisi, but it charges more per hour. Only the first half an hour is free. If you're staying for a few months, it's best to buy a cheap secondhand bike. 

Where To Shop In Valencia 

Of course, I couldn't arrive empty handed at home. In Ciutat Vella I came across a small vintage shop named Goybal Home with all kinds of home decorations and dolls. I bought an handmade doll with clothes from the Fallas. The Fallas are a festival only in Valencia with statues and colourful buildings ending with fireworks and mascletta's. It's really popular and a big thing every year. Valencia has many shopping malls and streets and lots of Zara shops. If you want to go to a Zara, I recommend going to one in a shopping mall. They are much more organised and quiet than the one in Calle Colon. This is a street with shops like El Corte Ingles, a big department store. You also have Uterque, Massimo Dutti, even a Mango Outlet and much more Spanish shops. I went to two shopping malls as well, one called Nuevo Centro and Aqua Multispacio which have nice shops too. 

Quick Tips and Must Visits

*To never get lost, just follow the Turia Parc. The parc is almost 10 km long and was a river many years ago. It's from the north to the direction of the beach, heading toward the Museum of Arts and Sciences. 

*The Museum of Modern Arts is also worth your while. 

*At Raco Del Turia, Flor de Valencia and Casa Carmela you can find the best paella.

*Ruzafa is a trendy neighbourhood close to Calle Colon. It has colourful buildings and architecture and is definitely Instagram worthy. I went to Dulce de Leche for some tea and dessert. They have so many delicious things, like carrot cake, donuts, brownies and more. 

*It takes time to get used to the Spanish way of living. At around 14:30 they usually eat lunch and after that there is a siesta. All the shops are closed as well and open again at around 17:00. 

*The Museum of Arts and Sciences is also a must visit. It's the picture you see everywhere at first when you search for things to do in Valencia.

Have you ever been to Valencia?

Have a lovely day,

Isabella❤