Best Areas to Stay in Valencia, Spain

Ciutat Vella (Valencian for Old City) is, without doubt, the most beautiful and charming neighbourhood in Valencia.

Located south of the Garden of the Turia and encompassing the area once bound by the medieval city walls, Ciutat Vella is packed with narrow cobblestone streets and shady plazas.

At its heart, on Plaça de la Reina, stand the 13th-century Valencia Cathedral and its Gothic-style belltower, El Micalet. Make sure you visit the tower for breathtaking views of the Old City Centre, the sea and the City of Arts in the distance.

La Lonja de la Seda, located nearby, is considered one of the most beautiful examples of civilian Gothic architecture in all of Europe. This impressive 15th-century silk market hall gives visitors a glimpse into Valencia’s wealth and importance in medieval times.

El Mercat Central is a restored Art-Nouveau building selling fresh produce, cured meats and local delicatessen.

A few metres north lie Torres de Serranos, an impressive 14th-century city gate part of the old city walls, and Barrio del Carmen, a thriving nightlife area packed with tapas bars, cafés, pubs and designer boutiques. The Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània is a modern art exhibition and performance centre hosted in a 13th-century convent.

Ciutat Vella’s north section is home to a cluster of interesting museums. Here, you’ll find the Institut Valencià d’Art Modern, with everchanging displays of contemporary art, the Museu de Prehistòria de València, with an interesting collection of artefacts dating back to the Stone Age, and the Valencian Museum of Ethnology, showcasing the regions rich and distinctive culture.

Nearby, though technically outside the Old Quarter, Jardí botànic de València offers over 4,000 species of native and exotic flora. Across from it, the Torres de Quart are another example of fortified city gates.

The south end of Valencia’s Old City Centre was heavily refurbished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It offers an exciting view into the grandeur of fin-de-siècle Valencia. Impressive theatres, art-nouveau and art-deco office buildings and old department stores line the grand boulevards.

Nowhere is this opulence more apparent than in the majestic Plaça del Ajuntament, a large city square flanked by some of the best examples of Iberian turn-of-the-century architecture outside of Madrid’s Gran Vía.

When it comes to transportation, walking is the best way to move around Valencia’s Old Town. Its pedestrian-friendly narrow streets lined with interesting architecture are an open invitation to get lost in its history. If moving on foot is not an option, several bus lines cross its wider avenues.

While Valencia has a very efficient metro system, most of its lines border Ciutat Vella. That said, the metro is a great way to move to other Valencia districts. Some of the most centrally-located stations include Colón (lines 0, 3, 5, 9), Xàtiva (lines 3, 5, 9) and Turia (lines 0, 1, 2).

Additionally, Estació del Nord is located directly south of the city centre and offers commuter, regional, intercity and AVE connections.

The Poblats Marítims district encompasses the neighbourhoods of Cabanyal-Canyamelar, El Grau, Nazaret, Beteró and Malvarrosa.

This picturesque area of the city is located east of the Old Town, on the Mediterranean coast.

Poblats Marítims (Valencian for Maritime Villages) has a traditional atmosphere and, as its name implies, boast strong seafaring and marine influences.

In many ways, this district feels like a fishermen’s village.

As it could not be otherwise, Poblats Marítims is home to the main urban beaches of the city (such as La Malvarrosa, Las Arenas or Cabanyal), making it the best area to stay in Valencia during the summer and for beach holidays.

Due to its coastal position, this area has a large amount of accommodation that ranges from small, family-run bed and breakfast properties to large beach resorts.

When it comes to transportation, although there are some railway stations in this district, namely Marítim – Serrería (lines 5, 7, 6 and 8) and València Cabanyal (RENFE commuter and regional trains), transportation in and around this area relies largely on the bus system, taxis and mobile apps.

Valencia’s Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences) is a complex designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava.

This large compound is located on the old bed of the Turia river, south of Ciutat Vella.

This city within city consists of several avant-garde buildings that have become authentic icons of Valencia.

The largest of them, the Principe Felipe Science Museum, is made up of a huge rectangular pavilion that offers various interactive science and technology exhibits.

On one of its sides, surrounded by water and the entrance area, is the Hemisphere, a 3D digital cinema whose main feature is its inverted concave 900 metres screen.

The Oceanographic, with seven different marine environments, is the largest aquarium in Europe. The Umbracle (greenhouse) is free of charge and you can walk through its gardens with endemic Mediterranean flora.

In stark contrast with the medieval Old Town of Valencia, the area around the City of Arts and Sciences is characterised by modern buildings, wide avenues and newly created residential and commercial areas.

One of the few downsides of staying in this area is the lack of metro or train connections to the rest of the city. That said, this district is connected to the Old Town via buses and taxis are widely available.

Additionally, you can also walk or bike to the City Centre using the Garden of the Turia pathway.

Ensanche or Eixample de Valencia is located south and southeast of Ciutat Vella.

The origin of this Valencian neighbourhood dates back to 1865, when Valencia’s defensive walls were demolished to begin the expansion process of the city.

The Eixample (which literally means “Expansion”) boasts many stately art nouveau and deco style buildings.

The Valencian Ensanche was designed following Barcelona’s Cerdá Plan, an orthogonal design with large blocks and palaces.

The Ensanche district is made up of three neighbourhoods: Ruzafa, El Pla del Remei and Gran Vía. Pla del Remei and Gran Vía are two of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in Valencia.

Ruzafa is a very attractive area to stay in Valencia. Alternative and full of life, Ruzafa concentrates a great gastronomic offer, with tapas bars, restaurants and great nightlife.

Calle Colón is the most important commercial street in Valencia, known for its stores and department stores. Meanwhile, Mercado de Colón is a great example of art nouveau architecture. It was completely restored in 2003 to be converted into a luxury shopping arcade.

The Eixample is one of the best-connected areas of Valencia, thanks to the proximity of Estació del Nord, the main railway terminal in Valencia.

The Extramurs district of Valencia is located west and southwest of the Ciutat Vella.

Its name (Beyond the walls) refers to the fact that, in medieval times, this was a peripheral neighbourhood.

Some of the attractions here include the Torres de Quart, an old walled gate to Ciutat Vella, the Botanical Garden, with a large number of native Mediterranean species or the Estació del Nord, located at the southern end of the district.

Extramurs offers easy access to the Ciutat Vella on foot and it is definitely one of the best neighbourhoods to stay in Valencia as far as public transport is concerned.

Several metro stops (Bailén, Pl Espanya, Àngel Guimerà or Jesús) and the railway station Estació del Nord are all located in this area.