Valencia in February Trip Report

We stayed just two full days (three nights) in Valencia in February, not ideal for slow travellers, but that’s how it worked this time. The weather was perfect for visiting the city, a couple of light showers but mostly mild and sunny.

The first day we visited the historical centre, the Cathedral, Mercado Central, La Lonja de la Seda, Torre Serranos, Barrio del Carmen, Palacio del Marques de Dos Aguas which also houses Museo Nacional de Cerámica y de las Artes Suntuarias González Martí and a part of Jardines Turia.

The second day we took the underground to the beach area for a walk, visited the Fine Arts Museum, and the Jardines del Real y de los Viveros and strolled the centre.

My first impression of Valencia was not so positive – there’s a lot of unartistic graffiti and there isn’t the smog-free and sparkling feel to the city like the centre of Madrid, the picturesque architecture combined with orange trees like Sevilla or the combination of city, sea and history that makes Malaga irresistible to me. But the city grew on me, there aren’t many tourists, the historical centre in parts is very attractive, quiet and pleasant to wander around, there are many things to see and do, and in two days we only saw a few of these. Valencia isn’t right on the sea like Malaga, but it’s just a short ride by underground. The Jardines Turia, this green heart of the city, make it an attractive place for a longer stay. We didn’t have time to see City of Arts and Sciences and the Oceanographic Aquarium which could probably have kept us busy for two or three days and the more I investigated the more interesting things I found.

A big advantage of Valencia is the cheap and efficient transport system. The modern and clean underground, a tram or a bus will take you from the airport, into the centre, to the City of Arts and Sciences, to the sea and beyond, quickly and cheaply with one of the ‘cards’ such as SUMA AB+. Valencia airport is small and quick and easy to reach from the city.

I’m not sure I’m entitled to give an opinion on a place after 48 hours, but I can say I liked Valencia. However, it’s a city I would advise visiting on a second or third visit to Spain – first go to see Madrid, Toledo, Andalucia including Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, Malaga….. Many people compare it to Barcelona. I stayed a few days in Barcelona and I loved everything that was Gaudì, but apart from that I didn’t like the city – too big, chaotic, too many people, that inbuilt city grime from decades of traffic. I prefer Valencia as a city, whilst it’s obvious many people will rightly want to visit Barcelona because of Gaudì. For those looking for a way of avoiding the winter, Valencia’s mild winter climate and the fact it’s near enough to the sea for a walk along the beach will be advantages. We hope to return…..