Valencia is one of the few places on our travels that I could actually see myself living in. On first appearance it didn’t have the same charm as somewhere like Seville but as you get to know this city it has so much to offer with just as much character and hidden gems to be discovered.
Golden Beaches, Buzzy Dining & Fun Times Await!
Unlike other cities there isn’t a heap of must see attractions to tick off, but that’s part of the beauty. You can just relax and soak up the ambience in the different areas, from the beachside Cabanyal & Malvarrosa spots, to the trendy Ruzafa and El Carmen areas or sample the many local delights in the mercado’s and tapas bars. The historical buildings and streets provide a lovely background combined with the futuristic architecture of the City of Arts and Science precinct and the greenery of Turia Park, (one of the largest city parks in Spain), making it a unique city to wander through.
SPRITZY SNAPSHOT
- Cocktail Bar – Café Madrid
- Great Spritz – Bar Los Picapiedra
- Best Restaurant – Cannalla Bistro
- Tapas Bar – Casa Montana
- Unique Bar – Bocatin vermouth bar
- Best Cheap Eats – Bodega Valencians
- Great Paella – Liisa Negra
- Favourite Area – Ruzafa
- Highlights to Do – El Cabanyal beach and City of Arts and Science
Cocktail Bar – Café Madrid
Ditch the spritz in Valencia and try the local drink Agua de Valencia, meaning the “Water of Valencia”. This refreshing cocktail is a bit stronger than water, traditionally combining fresh orange juice, gin, vodka and cava. So sip away carefully… Café Madrid is supposedly where this cocktail was created making it the perfect spot to try this delicious drink. The bar is set within a beautiful building with chandeliers adorning the ceilings to add that extra touch of glamour. Each drink is also served with a side of snacks to enjoy as you savour Valencia’s famous cocktail.
Great Spritz – Bar Los Picapiedra
Located in the El Carmen area is a hidden gem in this small, pintxos style wine bar. From the window you can see the pintxos options available to select fresh for the day. In addition to the delicious aperitivo snacks that are on offer, we had some of the strongest aperol spritz and campari spritzers we’ve ever had. All at a bargain price and served in a buzzing atmosphere with locals and tourists combined.
Best Restaurant – Cannalla Bistro
This place was amazing! It was such a trendy restaurant and is owned by one of Valencia’s most famous chefs – Ricard Camarena. Most people visit his packed Central Bar in the Valencia Mercado Central but for something different come here. The menu combines fusion flavours and everything we ate was delicious. In particular I’d recommend the Pizzetta with guanciale, (basically a carbonara pizza that blew us away) and the Nigiri duck sandwich, amazing! All combined in a dark, warehouse style bar with large pig sculptures surrounding you.
Tapas Bar – Casa Montana
We came to this historical tavern after seeing it featured on a James Martin show and he called it his favourite tapas bar, and I can see why! Established back in 1836, this hidden gem is the perfect place to experience authentic tapas in a setting that is a celebration of great food and wine. It’s the ideal way to sample all of the local delicacies and every morsel we ate made us smile. Strongly recommend booking as it is very popular. Highlights included the aubergine muffin, the marinated bluefin tuna and the anchovies. It also has an amazing Vermouth and wine list to match, making it very easy to settle in for the afternoon or evening.
Unique Bar – Bocatin vermouth bar
If you love your Vermouth then do not miss this place. Hidden on one of the back streets in El Carmen – Bocatin is a tiny, hole in the wall style bar that is over spilling with locals and tourists enjoying every type of vermouth you can think of. The bar staff were great, they could not help you enough in understanding your personal taste and which vermouth you’d like best. My husband Andrew is a massive fan but I can take it or leave it, until I came here and experienced tasting vermouth in a whole new way.
Best Cheap Eats – Bodega Valencians
Practically next door to Bocatin is a very unassuming little spot which is a great local tapas bar we stumbled across. The laidback, casual environment lends itself to just enjoying the simple but very tasty food on offer. A particular highlight was a dish called Pepito Valenciano which is like a fried bread with a tuna and tomato filling – crispy on the outside and soft and packed full of flavour on the inside.
Great Paella – Liisa Negra
Since we were in the home of Paella, we were keen to get a good taste of the local speciality. It’s also one of my favourite dishes. Liisa Negra was recommended by a friend and for us it was the standout place to go. It’s a more upmarket restaurant with a focus on impeccable design and service, but the food equally matches both. We opted for the seafood paella here after having a few traditional Valencian paella’s (including rabbit, chicken and beans) already and it didn’t disappoint, with the crunch of the rice on the bottom and the saltiness of the seafood combined with the fluffy rice. Also, the bread and the tuna to start with were ones not to be missed.
Valencia Favourite Areas – Ruzafa & Eixample
Ruzafa & Eixample were our favourite area’s to come to both in the daytime and evenings. It’s a vibrant, trendy area full of people and atmosphere. In the day it’s a shopping lovers dream with lots of cute boutique shops and a delicious food market to try all the local delights. At night-time those same streets come to life with a wide selection of great restaurants covering a variety of cuisines (Strongly recommend booking in advance) and endless bars with groups of friends catching up, spilling out onto other tables and across the pavements and squares.
Highlights to Do – El Cabanyal beach and City of Arts and Science
The great thing about Valencia is that there aren’t many must see sights like some other cities, which means you can actually just relax more and soak in the atmosphere without feeling like you’re missing out. That said there are still plenty of options to keep everyone entertained whatever you enjoy doing. Here’s a few suggestions;
- History Lovers – Valencia Cathedral & The Holy Grail, (9 Euro’s General admission)
- Beach lover – Playa de la Malvarrosa & El Cabanyal Beaches
- Foodies – Mercado central (open Monday –Saturday 7.30 am to 3.00 pm).
- Culture lover – The city of arts and sciences
- Nature and sports lovers – Turia Gardens
Explore the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias to admire this futuristic architecture and a range of museums to explore including Oceanogràfic, Valencia’s famous aquarium.
For Pool & Beach lovers visit Marina Beach Club the ideal spot for combining both with a real party vibe to top off your visit
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