48hrs in Valencia, Spain
Every year we meticulously plan (very far in advance) our UK August bank holiday weekend. It’s always a challenge because we only ever take the Saturday – Monday and are always looking for a good deal...but since it’s the end of the school holidays and a bank holiday it’s usually quite a challenge. Part of having success with this weekend is to book at the beginning of the year in preparation which obviously, is not for everyone!
I’ve always wanted to visit Valencia and since I was left with a final flight voucher from the covid era we could fly with British Airways from Heathrow (it’s like a luxury dream for anyone in London) and we got a great deal for a quick weekend trip. I would highly recommend Valencia as a great destination for a quick getaway. Yes, you could spend longer of course but in 48hrs we covered a lot, managed to chill out, and leave feeling like we’d experienced this amazing city. In saying all of this, here is our recommended 48hr itinerary for a little Valencian getaway.
The basics
Country: Spain
Language: Spanish
Currency: Euro
Getting there: A taxi from the airport was 25Euro and a taxi pre-booked by the hotel back to the airport was only 18euro. It’s a 15-20 minute drive and the fastest way to get you into the city which is important when you only have 48hrs. Valencia airport is great and easy but, there’s not a lot through passport control when you are departing. Something to take note of.
Getting around: Walking, cycling, or taxi
Power: Type C – Europe
Best time to visit: Spring/Summer months. August can be HOT.
Hotel
We recommended staying at Yours Hotel. This boutique hotel has only been open for a year but it’s already become a well-known hotel in Valencia and more specifically, in the beautiful area of Ruzafa. Good rates, great staff, a really good location, and seriously good coffee.
Day 1
After arriving at your hotel, get ready to explore and head off to the old town of Valencia. Make the central market your point of reference and be sure to head there before it closes at 3 pm. I was advised that almost everything closes between 2-4 pm for a siesta so consider this throughout your whole trip. I will also point out that Sunday is a super sleepy day for shops and restaurants and Monday is a day where almost everything is closed…
Start in the central market and explore all the aisles. We had a quick bite here. 3 empanadas and 2 mini bottles of takeaway Sangria. It was €7 for everything.
After the market, start wandering all the streets of the old town, El Carmen. It’s just so beautiful and easy to walk through. Our hotel recommended a lovely little art shop called Sebastian Melmoth. It’s an independent shop full of beautiful prints, books, and interesting art.
Stop by News and Coffee for a coffee and maybe even walk away with a magazine from this super cool newsstand.
There’s so much to see and do in this part of Valencia so make sure you take as much time as you need. Stop for more Sangria if you need to (obviously)
In the late afternoon head back to the Ruzafa district where the hotel is located. This area is full of really great vintage shops – a nice surprise for us! They were the cleanest and most well-organised vintage shops I had ever seen. There is one on every corner and the shops don’t smell musty or old at all. It’s brilliant and we had a lot of fun checking out all these great stores. If you’re a fan of vintage shopping, leave a couple of hours for this.
Dinner. A very important word. We had two dinners on the first night kind of by accident so I’ll tell you about both so you can decide where it fits into your itinerary but I highly recommend both.
Mes Amours is a natural wine bar in the Ruzafa district. You can either go here for a pre-dinner drink, drinks, and food, or I recommend booking the wine tasting! For €29 per person, you get to try 4 different wines (full glasses I should add) and a whole array of delicious sides that pair perfectly with the wines. You can book online with them here. The best part of this experience was they seat you with anyone else who has booked the tasting and on this night, there were only 4 of us who had booked. We had a great night hanging out with two lovely people we had never met before and if I can assume, this seems like it’s the plan behind the tasting. To get people to chat and hang out and meet. I’m into this. This is a must-do!
After our tasting and because we all talked for too long, we ran to our dinner reservation at a very great little spot called Bouet restaurant. They serve a tasting menu for 35euro per person and it’s extraordinary food. Book ahead of time!
Day 2
Have a great breakfast and coffee downstairs at Yours hotel. You dine outside by the pool or inside under the ceiling fans. What I LOVED about this part of our stay is the design of the foyer includes a huge and beautifully designed open-plan kitchen. Breakfast is prepared for you here and it feels like you’re at home. This was a magical touch for a boutique hotel.
Hire a bike, jump in a taxi or put your walking shoes on because today you’re going to visit the beach and then walk/bike/drive up to the Museum of arts and science and this extraordinary area of Valencia. It’s quite a sight for any architecture or art lover.
The beach is really beautiful, and the walk around the marina is cool. There are people everywhere on rollerblades and a great place for a swim.
After the beach, you’ll head towards the city of arts and sciences. This amazing cultural area is relatively new to Valencia. It was finished in the late ’90s and is built on the end of the river Turia which was drained and rerouted in the 50s. The old riverbed was then turned into this magnificent park that runs through the city! It’s amazing and worth walking or cycling through! It’s just amazing. When you arrive at the city of arts and sciences you have the option to visit the museum or just wander through the whole complex and even some really interesting boats and sail around the front of the museum on the very blue water feature. It is like being in another world and it’s an essential sight!
You also have the option of visiting the Valencia Aquarium, L’Oceanografic. It would be great if you were travelling with kids! Most of the park seems to be outdoors so consider that if it’s a hot day.
Take your time seeing everything you want before you start the journey back for a delicious late lunch back in the Ruzafa district at the greatest restaurant ever, Amor Amargo. Ahh, it was just so so good. Start with vermouth, I don’t even know specifically which one we ordered but it’s their specialty and it’s the ultimate drink before you eat and after you eat.
All the dishes were good but don’t forget the patatas bravas. These were outstanding and we’ve had a lot of patatas bravas in our time.
That’s it. Save some time for people-watching and wine-drinking in great cafes outside and you would’ve easily come to the end of your 48hr adventure.
Extras
Blackbird is a great little cafe for coffee and brunch in the Ruzafa district.
A little shout out to Ysee who works at Yours Hotel. Ysee is an artist and makes the most beautiful bags, hats and accessories. It’s all handmade. We bought a gorgeous bag from her! You can purchase from the hotel or message her on Instagram ahead of time for any pieces you might want to take home with you. You can follow her here.
If you’re looking for a great transfer in Valencia - we recommend booking through our favourite partner HERE.
If you need an E-Sim whilst travelling (we recommend you get one!) then you can book through our partner HERE.
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