Thanks to the pandemic and the world falling apart, there was a 2.5 year period where we didn’t do family holidays abroad. We managed to get our first family holiday in at the end of 2019 (to Seville), but since then our trips have been closer to home – heading to Wales, Devon and York. And honestly, it made us a bit apprehensive about travel. Especially travelling with a young kid. So for our first furore back into international travel, we decided to go for a city break that looked like it would offer a lot to families. We settled on Valencia.
Honestly, it was perfect.
A beautiful city with lots to do, big green spaces and family-friendly activities, great food and awesome weather. I can’t fault it. So I figured I would throw all of my Valencai recommendations together in one bumper blog post so that if you’re planning a trip to Valencia, you’ll know exactly where to go…
A Guide to Valencia
Where To Stay in Valencia
We stayed at Hotel Valencia Oceanic and it was ideal. Walking distance to the museums, aquarium, sculpture park, etc, as well as close to good restaurants, and not far from the beach either (about a 20 minute walk so bring a pushchair for little legs). It has lovely rooms as well as a pool for lazy afternoons post-exploring – a facility you don’t see much at city hotels. But my top tip: don’t go for the breakfast. It’s fine but quite a spenny add-on and honestly, there are local spots that are just as good and way cheaper.
Where To Eat in Valencia
Tapas/Traditional Spanish Restaurants
Let’s start with what you really want to know. Where you can get kick-arse tapas in Valencia… Well, I have a couple of bangers for you. First up, Escalones De La Lonja is a little spot near Lotja de la Seda in the Old Town. It’s tucked away down a pretty alley and was delightful for a few tapas plates and a beer. The padron peppers were the best I’ve ever had, the calamari rings were massive and Josh couldn’t stop talking about the anchovies. Deffo a must-visit.
Another tapas joint we loved was La Esquina in the Albors area. It was a lot more local and we discovered it as it was near our hotel. But you could tell it was “proper” tapas, as it wasn’t the cliché menu you see in the touristy parts and the staff spoke very little English. I thoroughly enjoyed their aubergine and walnut croquettes and the chorizo in cider was banging.
If you’re after a brunch spot, La Pequeña Pasteleria de Mama feels quite off-the-beaten-track (you need a bit of Spanish to get by) but it’s close to the museum/aquarium complex. A nice spot for bagels, toast, eggs Benedict and best of all, freshly made juices and smoothies. If you are travelling with kids there’s a little play park next door too.
Less Traditional Restaurants
Moving on from traditional Spanish food, if you’re Patatas Bravas-ed out, Burritos does amazing, you guessed it, burritos. The carnitas one is so good, and try the tequeños filled with molten cheese and jalapenos, they’re a gamechanger. They also do great cocktails and have baby changing facilities if you need them.
Speaking of kids, the wonderful Sorsi E Morsi is an Italian restaurant designed for families. I hate that I’m this person now, but a spot that has a kids menu, brings the kids food out first and has crayons to keep them quiet, is my idea of a good time. It just means less stress for the parents and you can actually relax. Luckily the adult food is also amazing, which isn’t a combo you get that often.
Similarly if you have a hankering for pizza, Pomodoro E Basilica is on a street corner, away from the touristy bits, serving pizza and Aperol Spritz al fresco. Dreamy.
Where To Drink in Valencia
I was recommend Cafe De Las Horas by a couple of people and it didn’t disappoint. In the Old Town, it’s pretty iconic as the birth place of Agua De Valencia, a potent vodka and gin based cocktail. But it also has a charming interior so is a good spot to try. Sure it’s a well-known touristy place, but hey, the drinks were good so I’m sold.
We didn’t try many bars as we were with our 3 year old, but another one we did like was El Kiosko. It’s a bar near Jardin Del Turia with beers and tapas and a chill vibe. Indi and I shared a grilled donut with cookie dough ice cream and it was exquisite.
Ok it’s not a bar, but a quick shout-out to Monmouth Coffee who fuelled us with coffee and pastries before a day of exploring. Nearby MDV is also great and serves ice cream.
What To Do in Valencia
Not being one of the big tourist cities of Spain, such as Barcelona or Madrid, Valencia’s landmarks may not come to mind. But there is a lot to do here, particularly for families. Here are some of your options.
There is a big museum complex at the south end of Jardin de Turin with lots of activity options for tourists. There’s a big science museum (Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe), an IMAX with 3D screenings (Hemisferic), a botanical garden you can walk through (Umbracle), a performing arts centre (Queen Sofia Palace of Arts) and loads more. It’s a good place to make a base for the day and explore.
One of the things we loved here was the aquarium – L’Oceanografic. Valencia has the largest marine park in Europe and it has lots to entertain little ones. The underwater tunnel, dolphins, beluga whales, giant tortoises and pelicans are a few of the highlights. Definitely worth a visit.
In this museum complex area, they also have little row boats on the lake that are very fun, both for adults and kids. It was €2.50 per person, so pretty affordable too.
I mentioned the Jardin de Turin and honestly it’s an attraction in its own right. The park runs right through the city following the route of a former river, and is full of things to do and see. I explored the eastern part and it is SO good for kids – play parks galore, sculptures, cafes, fountains, live music some days, remote control boats the next, it’s great. It’s also where Gulliver’s Park is but it was under construction when we visited. Worth adding to the list though because it looks unreal.
Another of Valencia’s big attractions, but one I didn’t get around to, was Bioparc Zoo. It’s 10 hectares, again located in the Turin riverbed but to the north of the city, and houses a big range of animals. For me, I thought doing both the zoo and the aquarium was a bit much for a city break as we wanted to leave time to explore more, but it’s got good reviews.
But to be honest, I think the main appeal of Valencia is exploring the Old Town. There are a shed load of cathedrals and churches and old buildings that I’m sure are attractions in their own right, but I just loved exploring on foot, taking in the architecture. There are lots of pretty little market stalls dotted about and street performers. Again, just remember a pushchair if you’re travelling with little ones!
A quick word on going to the beach – I wasn’t particularly thrilled with it. We went to Playa de las Arenas which to be fair isn’t the best. The beach itself is gorgeous but there was house music being pumped across the beach by a nightclub on the pier (in the afternoon) and the beachside restaurant had the worst service we’ve ever experienced. So we didn’t enjoy it all that much. But word on the street is that Playa de la Malvarrosa is a better option and a bit quieter.
Ok lads, and that is my Valencia Guide for you today! If you end up visiting Valencia, let me know, I’d love to hear what you thought.