Valencia (Spain) en

To get there

Air Europa
It’s the cheapest ticket I found, around 200 euros, but they screwed up my return, 3 hours late and no reimbursement other than a sandwich and a beer, when the plane arrived at Roissy CDG after the last RER train. So never again as far as I’m concerned.

Air France    
At the moment they have a promotion- 150 euros return flight- however it’s not every day, and the times aren’t always convenient.

On site
Metro, tramway, convenient buses
Unlimited metro cards 8,20 euros for 24hrs ( I think the tram is included) or a multi-ticket card.There’s also the Valencia card which is good for 72 hrs and gives access to all transportation for unlimited use, and gives discounts to museums or activities.
Go on the site, there’s a bunch of options: http://www.valenciatouristcard.com/es/compra-online
The biggest stadium in Europe is being built ( 100 000 people) but it isn’t done yet because of the economic crisis, it’s now been 5 years since the construction started.

Valencia was known as the City of the Braves, because it was here that roman soldiers came to retire.
The old town was actually 4km away from the sea as a protection against invaders, because the beach is very open.
This is a city that’s recently benefited a lot from the America’s Cup organized there in 2007 and 2010 ( 300 million euros each time). This allowed the city to redo amd clean up the center town, to redo the harbor, improve public transportation; so much so that today it makes you want to live there, you’re happy there, public transportation works well ( bus, tramway, metro), and it’s very safe.
What really stuck with me were the people that I met there, Spanish from Valencia or from elsewhere, or foreigners, they all adored living there for the same reasons: good sized city, not too big ( no traffic etc..) but big enough that there is culture, a variety of cuisines offered, etc…, all that with 300 days of sun per year, by the sea ( even if to find pretty beaches it’s better to drive 30-40 mins out) and not even an hour away from the mountains.

The Fallas attracts 100 000 falleros each day to the city, notably the last 5 days that end this party month.In honor of Saint Joseph patron of the carpenters. Each area of the city makes its fallas, that have to be critical of the political power. This year, the one that got 2nd prize was for many the prettiest, but she didn’t win because it wasn’t satirical enough.From 6 am to 4am, it lasts an entire month.
I have to admit that at the beginning I was skeptic of these fallas, first because many locals had told me that they weren’t fans and left the city because of the noise, and second because I had read articles that criticized them for the money spent on them, we’re talking 9 million euros a couple years ago.
The fact that the city is in a permanent effervescence, and I was pretty happy to be lodged in a hotel a bit out of the center so I could sleep. The first brass bands are at 6 am, then it’s the firecrackers all day long until late at night.
But when you start approaching the crucial day, the 19th, the one where the cremas happen, when they burn these paper giants, the emotion catches up to you.
Among all these budgetary restrictions, the piles of rules, tests, there is something crazy, driving and freeing in these controlled and spectacular burnings, the force of the fire, a transience..

You eat well in Valencia in all types of restaurants, with the exception maybe of some exotic restaurants, that didn’t seem up to par. As for Spanish food, you can find pubs with menus of the day for 10 euros all included or Michelin starred restaurants, and in between more pubs, solid tapas bars, and some that aren’t as good.
In any case, Spain’s third city likes to eat, and you can tell, it lives, it vibrates, the offer is truly there.

– Casa Montana
Carrer de Josep Benlliure, 69
46011 Valence
Tel :+34 963 67 23 14
the website

” It’s an historic bodega located in the gypsy quarter Cabañal or El Cabanyal (read an interesting article on the neighborhood). There’s an entrance on the bar side, and for the restaurant side: the food is good, and the service warm.”

Read the entire 716 article

– Central Bar
Mercado central Puestos n° 105 a 131
46001 Valence
Tel : 96 382 9223
the website

” The gastronomic “coup de coeur” of the trip: the Michelin starred Ricard Camarena’s tapas bar in the Central Market. A delight, this is my favorite thing in all the cities that I visit: the old markets and their atmosphere. Here, it’s good, not too expensive, and not arrogant at all, the tapas bar that doesn’t exist in Paris.”

Read the entire 716 review

– El Kiosko
C / Derechos 38
Valence
Tel : 963 910 159

“An Italian place, just like I like them: 1st Plato, 2nd Plato, bread, drink, then dessert or coffee, all of it for 10 euros on a beautiful old square.”

Read the entire 716 review 

– Restaurante Villaplana
Dr. Sanchis Sivera, 24
Valence
Tel : 963 857 302

“Excellent deal: families, young couples, etc…Family style cooking, and lots of people, so you have to get over the little issues here in there, but other than that, it’s a pure joy.”

Read the entire 716 review 

The restaurants that were recommended to me that I didn’t get a chance to try (with statements from locals in quotation marks)

La Aduana
Plaza de la Aduana | Puerto de Valencia
46011 Valence
Tel : 963 672 677

“In the America’s Cup area on the port, quality tapas for a good price (30 euros), but they’re very good. You can eat “Arroz caldoso”, which takes on the idea of paëlla, but turns into a risotto.”

La Bodega del Gato
Calle de Catalans, 10
46001 Valencia
Tel : +34 963 91 82 35

“It’s on Calle de Catalans. Good tapas et good price. I’ve eaten there lots of times. It’s full everyday.”

El Tap
Calle de Roteros, 9
46003 Valencia
Tel : +34 963 91 26 27

It was clearly one of the best restaurants in Valencia according to the comments, but it seemed to have taken a wrong turn on July 1st, and it’s no longer like it was before said someone on the internet, to be verified.

Kiaora
Doctor Beltran Bigorra, 18,
46003 Valencia
Tel : +34 961 14 30 19
the website

Organic cuisine. Chef Yelel Cañas Formiconi has had a great journey, he travelled and lived a lot abroad, including New Zealand since Kiaora means hello in Maori (the 716 New Zealand file). He finished his travels in Panama (file on Columbia)

Union Comunista de España (Paella)
Carrer del Literat Azorín, 13
46006 València
Tel :+34 963 33 36 15
the website

You can eat a paella every day in Union Comunista de España in the Ruzafa neighborhood. The paella is good and the menu of the day is 12 euros, a very good price and a very decent paella from 1:30 pm to 3 pm.

Bars
Because it was during the Fallas, I didn’t spend much time in the bars, especially since they were pretty dead at the time, everyone was outside for the Fallas.

La Gramola
C/ Barón de San Petrillo, 9, Benimaclet, 46020 Valencia
Open every day from 6 pm- 1:30 am
https://www.facebook.com/pages/LaGramola/225248440875763
It’s an alternative coffee shop  in the Benimaclet area, an old village with an arabic name, which became part of the city as well as a district offering alternative options to go out to.
It plays jazz, blues, r&b, soul, 60’s music, garage..

Kaf Café
Calle Arquitecto Rrnau 16, Benimaclet, 46020 Valencia
Tel : 961 131 706
Open Monday-Saturday from 6 pm-1 am
http://www.kafcafe.com/
Literary coffee shop that offers live music on some week nights, jazz, open mic ( micro abierto)..

La Bodega del Gato
Calle de Catalans, 10, 46001 Valencia, Spain
Tel :+34 963 91 82 35
“Good tapas and very good price. I had dinner many time there. Everyday is plenty.”

La Aduana
Plaça de la Aduana, s/n  46011 Valencia
“In Americas Cup area, quality tapas but the price is medium, 30 euros person but is great. You can eat “Arroz caldoso”, it’s like paella but also like risotto.”

Paella at Union Comunista
Carrer del Literat Azorín, 13, 46006 València
Tel :+34 963 33 36 15
The paella is good and the full menu a normal day is 12 euros, very good price and decent paella from 13:30h until 15h.

La Paca
Calle de Rosario, 30, 46011 Valencia
Tel : +34 637 86 05 28
http://lapaca.eu/

No hay nada mejor que 27 amigos
Calle De La Reina 186, Valencia
Open Tuesdays 8 pm-2 am, Thursday-Saturday 10 pm-3:30 am, and Sunday 6 pm-10pm
https://www.facebook.com/nohaynadamejorque27amigos
Good Tapas

Xtra Lrge XL
Gran via germanias 21, 46006 Valencia
Closed until: Thursday 11 pm- 4 am
Tel : +34 678 41 02 98
http://www.xtralrge.com/
 Perfect before going out to a club

https://www.facebook.com/jordan.mirchev
excellent, try Ruzafa there´s tons going on
a new club opened up as well calle jerusalem
I think derrick may played last night or perhaps it´s tonite?
he´s the promoter for the jerusalem club as well
I think May played somewhere else
ok, so main areas are el Carmen and Ruzafa
this is good for pre-club vibe
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Xtra-Lrge-XL/159834440734435?fref=ts
This is an excellent site to get to know Valencia’s underground, and not only for that:  http://www.sepiavlc.com/valencia-underground/

Black Note
Calle Polo y Peyrolón, 15,
46021 Valencia, Spain
http://blacknoteclub.com/#!conciertos

 Loco club
Calle Erudito Orellana, 12,
46008 Valencia, Spain
+34 963 51 85 21
http://www.lococlub.org/

Wah Wah
Calle de Ramón Campoamor, 52, 46022 Valencia, Spain
http://www.wahwahclub.es/inicio

Tres Valencia
C/ Padre Porta, nº2 (esquina Avda. del Puerto)
But don’t miss the same parties in Castellón if you stay the 22nd, and see the “gallatas”, which are monuments that don’t get  burned. Castellón is also beautiful during their festivities.

Kauf vintage
Cadiz 38, Ruzafa, Valencia
Tel : 963 817 901
www.kaufvintage.com

A vintage store known in the area that’s starting to become trendy, Ruzafa. What they had wasn’t my cup of tea, but could still interest some of you.

Skateworld
2 stores:
– Comedias, 14
Tel : 963531 838

– Moratin, 7
Tel : 963 944 809

www.skateworld.es
A relatively interesting stock notably with two types of Powellt-shirts  which are sufficiently rare to be mentionned.

Splendini’s
San Francisco de Borja 4 (entrada por calle Alzira), Valencia
Tel : +34 679 61 18 96
A CD store that opened in january and that specializes in latin, 60’s, brazilian music. Very good selection.

Horchata de chufa
It’s a drink that we would call milky, but actually the main ingredient is Tigernut, seeds that are only found in Valencia.
I love it, it’s refreshing, it’s recommended for the morning after paties or when you’re having digesting problems. It’s nutritive and rich in vitamin C and E.
I stumbled on this french article which is really well written on the subject: http://www.papillesetpupilles.fr/2012/05/horchata-de-chufa-une-boisson-valencienne-typique.html/.

Paëlla valenciana
I attended a Valenciana paella competition at Plaza de Honduras. I recommend going if you can, it’s as real local party, and isn’t touristic. Each team has the same ingredients, and has to cook the best possible paella, the public chooses the winner.

Bakery

Torreblanca
C/ Conde de Salvatierra, 35, 46004 Valence
Tél : 963 941 249
www.torreblanca.net
A pretty chic bakery geared more towards chocolate, I thought it was good, but I didn’t think it was amazing either. I went there with a guided tour. What could be nice is to go and sit for a few minutes, eat a little something and drink a coffee, since they have a coffee machine there.