Hostelworld Guide for Valencia

The Essentials

Basking in over 300 days of glorious sunshine every year, Valencia is a city that boasts more than just
one of Europe's most enviable climates. This city on Spain's Costa Brava has one of the country's best
preserved city centres, Europe's largest urban complex and is only minutes from the beach. As it is the
third largest city in Spain it is also a city that seldom sleeps, with a heap of bars and restaurants located in
the vibrant 'Barrio del Carmen' district.

Getting There
By plane: Valencia's Manises Airport is the only
airport to serve the city and is where planes from all
over Europe land. It is small and easy to navigate.
Buses to the city leave from outside the departures
floor and they cost 2.50 one-way.

Climate
Valencia boasts a climate that cities can only dream
of. It remarkably enjoys more than three hundred
days of sunshine every year, while its average
temperature is 17C. Spring and autumn are ideal
times to visit as this is when the sun is shining and
temperatures are bearable. July and August are the
city's hottest months although it doesn't get as hot
and sticky as other cities due to its northerly and
coastal location.

By train: The city's principal train station, Estacin

del Norte, is located in the city centre and serves
trains from all over the country.

In this Guide...
Useful Information
After Dark
Places to Eat
Top Attractions
Budget Tips
Where to Shop

By bus: If you are travelling to Valencia by bus you

will arrive in the main coach station at Avenida
Mendez Pidal, 13.

Getting Around
On foot: Valencia is a very compact city and you
can cover the city centre on foot very easily. The old
centre is connected by three squares - Plaza de la
Virgen, Plaza de la Reina and Plaza del
Ayuntamiento.
By metro: Valencia has a metro network but the
chances of you needing to use it are slim.
By bus/tram: Valencia's bus and tram network
covers some important places in the city. For
instance, the bus is the easiest way to get to the
Ciudad de las Artes de Las Ciencias and the best
way to get to the beach is by tram.

Useful phrases
Hello: Hola
Goodbye: Adios
Please: Por favor
Thank you: Gracias
You're welcome: De nada
Yes: Si
No: No
Of course: De acuerdo
Excuse me: Perdona
How are you?: Como estas?
Open: Abierto
Closed: Cerrado
What is your name?: Cual es tu nombre?
My name is...: Mi nombre es...
How much?: Cuanto Cuesta?
May I have the bill?: Me puede traer la
cuenta?
Hostelworld Guide for Valencia

Useful Information
Language: Valenciano, a dialect of Catalan,
and Spanish
Currency: Euro
Electricity: 220 Volts, AC/50Hz
Area Code: +34 (Spain), no area code
Emergency Codes: Ambulance 061 / Fire 080 /
Police 091
Time Zone: Central European Time (GMT + 1)
Central Post Office: Plaza del Ayuntamiento,
23
Main Tourist Office: Calle Paz 48

Consulates / Embassies
USA: +34 96 351 6973
UK: +34 96 521 6022*
Canada: +34 91 423 3250**
Australia: +34 91 353 6600**
South Africa: +34 91 436 3780**
Ireland: +34 91 436 4093**
Germany: +34 96 521 7060*
Italy: +34 91 423 3300**
New Zealand: + 34 915 230 226**
France: +34 91 423 8900**
*Consulate is in Alicante
**Number is for embassy in Madrid

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Cheap Eats
Al Pomodoro, Calle del Mar, 22 This pizzeria has
numerous reasons as to why it should be visited - it
is located in the centre of Valencia, its dcor
creates an extremely pleasant ambiance, and its
lengthy menu is more than affordable. Starting at
5, pizzas are rather tasty and brought to your table
by friendly, attentive staff. Open daily from
2pm-4pm and from 9pm to midnight.
Sagardi, San Vicente Mrti, 6 The method in this
tapas bar is simple - take your pick from the
selection of tapas served on baguette slices (each
with cocktail stick) from the glass counter. Bring to
your table to enjoy. Once you're done bring your
plate and your cocktail sticks to the counter to pay.
At a euro a portion your bill won't be big. Open daily
from 9am-midnight.
Mercado Central, Plaza Mercado, 6 Valencia's
most colourful food market is one of the largest in
Europe and has been since it opened in 1928.
Closest to the entrance is the colourful, energetic
fruit market where you can pick up fruit to keep you
going for the day. Before you leave take a walk
around the fish market which is another feast for the
senses. Open Mon-Sat 8am-12.30pm.

After Dark
Turmix, Calle Dr. Chiarri, 8 Located deep in Barrio
del Carmen district, Turmix is where the locals go to
party until the early hours. Each night has a
different theme so one could be house, the next
could be techno and the other could be drum 'n'
bass. It's tough to locate but worth it if you find it.
Open daily from 10pm-4am.

Institut Valenci d'Art Modern, Guillem de

Castro, 118 Opened in 1989 in Centre Julio
Gonzlez, the Valencian Institute of Modern Art
showcases some of Spain's most remarkable
modern art. Along with permanent collections other
programmes include talks, courses, workshops.
Open daily from 10am-8pm; admission 2.

Bar Negrito, Plaza Negrito Bar Negrito is one of

Barrio del Carmen's most popular hangouts and,
during summer months, the crowds regularly spill
out on to the square of the same name. The crowd
is young, the atmosphere is lively, and the drinks
flow until early in the morning. Everything you want,
really. Open daily from 6pm-3am.

Plaza de la Virgen/Plaza de la Reina/Plaza del

Ayuntamiento Valencia's compact city centre is
dominated by these three squares, all of which
have their own qualities. Plaza del Virgen was once
the forum of Roman Valencia and is now home to
hundreds of pigeons. Further south, Plaza de la
Reina is where you will find one of the entrances to
the city's cathedral. Last on the trail is Plaza del
Ayuntamiento, the largest of the three and home to
an enormous fountain and some of the city's most
beautiful buildings.

Gay / Lesbian Valencia

Just as most of Valencia's bars and clubs are in
Barrio del Carmen, so too are its main gay
venues, and in particular on or around Callel
Quart. La Goulue (Calle Quart, 32) is one of the
city's favourite gay bars, as is Venial (Calle
Quart, 26) on the same street. For those looking
for a quiet, relaxed evening Trapezzio Caf
(Plaza Msico Lpez Chavarri 2) is just the
spot.

The birthplace of paella

Spain is a country famous for many delicacies.
One of these is 'paella', a rice-based dish with
various ingredients which vary from region to
region. Valencia is the perfect city to sample it
as this is where it was invented. Typical
Valencian paella consists of rabbit and chicken.
La Riu, Calle Mar, 27 There are many places
where you can sample paella in Spain but, as
Valencia is where it was invented, this is by far the
best place in the country to try it. This restaurant
(which you may need to book in advance) is known
for top quality food at decent prices. Open daily
from 12 noon-4pm & 9pm-midnight.

La Claca, Calle San Vicente, 3 Sometimes it is the

sounds of the 80s that keep La Claca's occupants
on the dancefloor, and other times it is 'indie' music.
But it's not always music though as this bar is
renowned for its caf-theatre which is staged
regularly. Something for everyone! Open daily from
6pm-3am.
The Lounge Caf-Bar, Calle Estamiera, 2 There
is always something going on in this Irish-run bar.
Monday is 'language night', Tuesday is
'student/quiz' night, while Wednesday is 'half-price
cocktail' night. Make sure to drop in between
8.30pm and 9.30pm which is happy hour every
night! Open daily from 9.30pm-1.30am.
Finnegan's, Plaza de la Reina, 19 Valencia's
token Irish bar is more expensive than other bars
but it attracts a lot of thirsty English-speaking
people, making it a good place to make new
friends. Open daily from 12 noon-1am/3am.
Latex, Avda. Constitucin, 29 'Latex' is regarded
by many as the best club in Valencia. House music
is what blares from the speakers (generally) until
the early hours of the morning. Open Fri & Sat
10pm-5am.

Hostelworld Guide for Valencia

Don't Miss

Catedral de Valencia, Plaza de la Reina There

are many places of worship around the world that
claim to house the 'Holy Grail', the cup used by
Christ during the Last Supper. Valencia's cathedral
is one of them. Dating back to 1262, it is a
mix-mash of different architectural styles, and its
bell tower boasts breathtaking views over the city.
Open daily from 7.30am-1pm & 5pm-8.30pm;
admission free/2 for tower.

Europe's largest urban complex

Ciudad de las Artes de Las Ciencias, Calle
Arzobispo Mayoral, 14 Valencia's 'City of Arts
and Sciences', Europe's largest urban park, is
where you will find some of the world's most
aesthetically pleasing buildings. Whether you
decide to enter any of them or not, they have to
be visited just for photographic reasons. The
'city' incorporates Palau de les Artes (the
city s auditorium), L'Hemisferic (a planetarium
and IMAX theatre), Museu de las Ciences
(Science Museum) and L'Oceanogrfic
(marine park). Opening times and admission
prices vary.

Mark Your Calendar

January - Cabalgata de los Reyes Every January
three men acting as the Three Wise Men parade
through the streets of Valencia on floats, throwing
sweets to the children of the city on the way.
March - Las Fallas Las Fallas isn't only Valencia's
biggest and most important festival, but is widely
regarded as Europe's largest spring festival. Lasting
a week in the middle of March, the city is taken over
by fireworks displays, parades and much more.
April - Moros y Cristianos Towns and cities all
over the Comunidad Valencia province mark the
'Moors and Christians' festival when colourful
parades march through the streets.
May/June - Corpus Cristi There are parades all
over Spain to celebrate Corpus Cristi but the one in
Valencia is by far the most spectacular. Held on the
the ninth Sunday after Easter, the parade is led by
8 people sporting giant heads!
June - Noche de San Juan If you happen to be in
Valencia on the 23rd of June get down to the city's
beaches. Here you will discover bonfires, music and
dance performances, people swimming in the
moonlit sea...the list goes on.
July - Feria de Julio If you make it to this annual
festival you'll find it hard to believe that it began as
a horticultural fair. Today concerts are staged in the
Viveros Gardens, fireworks displays light up the
skies, and bullfights are held in Feria de San Jaime.
July - Certamen Internacional de Bandas de
Msica This song contest attracts bands from all
over Spain. Some of the heats are held in the Plaza
de Toros de Valencia bullring, the Colosseum-like
building beside the train station.
August - La Tomatina Even though this festival is
held in Buol, a town 45 minutes outside Valencia,
it is arguably the best-known of its festivals! The
last Wednesday in August is when thousands of
revellers throw tomatoes at each other for an hour!
August - La Cord de Paterna In a town called
Paterna just 5km outside Valencia, bonfires and
fireworks are the theme of this annual festival which
takes place on the last Sunday in August. There are
over 100 crates of fireworks so expect a big bang!
October - Festival Internacional de Pirotecnia
Valencia's skies are lit for the duration of the night
on October 8th for this, the city's international
fireworks festival.
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Neighbourhood Watch
Russafa This up and coming district south of
Valencia's main train station is one of the city's
most multi-cultural which is largely due to the fact
that it originated from Arabic gardens. It is unique in
that it is so close to the city centre yet so far from it
in various ways.

The place to overindulge

Barrio del Carmen Heaving with bars and
restaurants, Valencia's Barrio del Carmen
district is the city's liveliest quarter after dark. Its
main thoroughfare, Calle Cabelleros, is lined
with tapas bars, restaurants and pubs, as are
the streets and lanes which branch off it. For the
lowdown on all the best places to eat and drink
in the vibrant district pick up the Cool Carmen
map. It's available in most hostels and lists the
area's coolest bars and restaurants.
Cnovas Just on the outskirts of Valencia's old
town, Cnovas is where you can begin to see the
new side of the city. Dominated by Calle de Coln,
here you will find the city's best shopping. Many of
the world's best known chains have stores here, as
well as El Corte Ingls, Spain's best known
department store.

Retail Therapy
El Corte Ingls, Calle Pintor Sorolla, 26 El Corte
Ingls have stores all over Spain. This particular
branch on c/Pintor Sorolla in Valencia's city centre
is where to buy the latest fashions, among other
things. Other branches around the city centre can
be found on Callel Coln, in Avda. de Francia
Shopping Centre and in Nuevo Centro Shopping
Centre. Open Mon-Sat from 10am-10pm.
Calle de Coln Bordering the south-eastern edge
of Valencia's city centre, Calle de Coln is a busy
thoroughfare that is on the go morning, noon and
night. Much is due to the fact that it is where you
will find stores of some of the world's best-known
brands. Here you will stumble across an Esprit
store, a H+M store, a Footlocker store and more.

Budget Tips
Visit the Museum of Modern Art for free If your
trip to Valencia happens to take in a Sunday, and
you like modern art, leave your visit to Valencia's
Museum of Modern Art until the Sunday when
entrance is free! Granted, you're only saving 2 but
that 2 could go a long way!
Visit Valencia's churches and cathedrals Most of
Valencia s cathedrals and churches are free to
visit. Many of them are also some of the city's most
beautiful buildings. Notable ones include Nuestra
Seora de los Desamparados on Plaza de la
Virgen which dates back to 1652, Iglesia de Santa
Catalina on Calle Zapatera, well-known for its bell
tower, and Iglesia del Carmen on the square of the
same name.

Bargain hunt

Catch some rays

Mercato de Plaza Palafox Plaza Palafox, the

square right beside Valencia's Mercado Central,
is the location for one of its most central
markets. Held every Sunday, here you can find
everything from underwear to t-shirts and
everything in between. As you would expect
from most markets, there are endless bargains
to be found. Open Sundays 8am-1pm.

Chill out on Valencia's beach One of

Valencia's finest qualities is its climate. This city
on the Costa Blanca enjoys over 300 days of
sunshine every year. As a result, its beach
Playa de la Malvarrosa is one of its biggest
attractions. Located east of the city centre, it
gets busy at weekends. The easiest way to get
there is via the high-speed tram which departs
from the stop at Pont de Fusta.

Benimaclet Due to its proximity to Valencia's

universtiy, Benimaclet is something of a bohemian
part of the city. For obvious reasons, there is a
pretty hectic student nightlife here. There are also
some excellent restaurants which are great value.
It's a bit of a trek from the city centre but perfect if
you're in search of something different.

Mercado de Plaza de la Reina Ok, so most of

what is on offer at the daily market in Plaza de la
Reina are plates and different types of pottery.
Hence, carrying them all around Europe may not be
feasible. But if you're only going to Valencia for the
weekend and are looking to bring back a gift you
may well find it here. Open daily from 9am-8pm.

Relax in Jardin del Turia This park spanning 7km

was a river bed in a previous life when the River
Turia used to flow through Valencia. Today it is the
city's biggest and best known park and the perfect
place to unwind if you need to get out of the old
quarter for a couple of hours.

La Xerea This central quarter is one of the city's

most historic. Here you will find Almudn, one of the
city's galleries in a building dating back to the 15th
century, the Gothic Palacio de Benicarl which
dates back to the same century and some of the
city's most breathtaking churches and cathedrals.

Centro Comercial El Saler, Autopista del Saler,

16 Every city has its fair share of shopping centres
and Valencia is no different. Centro Comercial El
Saler is Valencia's largest shopping centre and
covers three floors. On these three floors are 160
shops, while a cineplex can be found on the third
floor also. Open Mon-Sat 9am-8pm.

Visit Valencia's free attractions If you're broke,

take note of Valencia's free attractions. These
include Museo de Ciencias Naturales, a science
museum in Jardines del Real, La Lonja across
from Mercado Central which is a Unesco World
Heritage site, and Museo de Bella Artes,
Valencia's fine arts museum on Calle San Po.

Hostelworld Guide for Valencia

A Day in Valencia...
Plaza del Virgen is the perfect place to begin a day
in Valencia. From here you can visit the square's
church and the free art galleries in the area.
Visit Valencia's cathedral. Dating back to the 13th
century, this cathedral is where you can see the
Holy Grail, the cup Christ drank from at the Last
Supper.
Check out Plaza del Ayuntamiento. This huge
square is dominated by an enormous fountain and
is also where you can see some of the city's most
beautiful buildings.
Make a pitstop in Sagardi on San Vicente Mrti.
Grab some tapas snacks. There are loads to
choose from and, at only 1 per portion, they're
great value.
Hop on one of the buses bound for Ciudad de las
Artes de las Ciencas, Europe's largest urban
complex. You can't leave Valencia without seeing
these futuristic buildings.

Its two main attractions are the Museu de la

Ciences and L'Oceanogrfic - they are two of
Spain's most popular tourist attractions. Take a
couple of hours to explore either.
Get the night going in one of Valencia's numerous
tapas bars to whet your appetite. There many along
Calle Caballeros in Barrio del Carmen.
Since Valenica is the birthplace of paella, it would
be a crime not to sample it here. 'La Riu' on Calle
Mar does glorious paella at a great price.
Finish the night bar hopping in Barrio del Carmen.
'Caf-Bar Negrito' attracts large crowds after dark,
as does 'The Lounge'.

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