The trip in 2017 was our first major trip abroad, and we were absolutely happy to have chosen Spain as our introduction to Europe. We came back to Valencia again in 2022, and stayed in Málaga in 2023 (page will be available soon with more detailed information.)
Valencia
It’s the city that made us want to travel full time. The history, architecture and culture are thriving and wonderful. You don’t realize until you visit parts of Europe how young the United States really is. We absolutely fell in love with Valencia, and it felt a little like home when we returned.
We stayed in the Extramurs neighborhood in an apartment with a terrace in 2017. And wow: this place is unbelievable. The terrace alone is worth the stay, but it also has everything you need and more. Our host’s father was also available to make Valencian paella and I guarantee that it was better than anything we could have found at a restaurant. The apartment was less than a mile from Mercat Central, a market that anyone visiting Valencia needs to see for themselves. The apartment is within walking distance to most, if not all, of the Old Town area.
For our visit in 2022, our flat was close to the marina, and also a great area to stay. We were right across the street from a bus stop, with several routes that got us to the old town area within 20 minutes.
Valencia is beautiful – we were amazed by the history, architecture, culture…. well, everything. From Mercat Central (one of the largest markets in Europe) to La Lonja de la Seda (The Silk Exchange), Oceanografic to the Valencia Cathedral, we walked it all with an amazing tour guide as well as on our own.
Things To Do & See
Wanting to experience Valencia from the eyes of a local when we first visited in 2017, we booked a walking tour with Miguel at Valencia Explorers. Miguel is awesome, and his love for his home town was clear and infectious. We booked a private tour and it felt as though we walked everywhere. Some of our favorite spots were the Valencia Cathedral and El Miguelete. From the basement in the cathedral featuring Roman ruins and skeletons, to the top of the tower offering on of the best views of Valencia, Old Town does not disappoint. Other spots you’ll want to check out:
- Torres de Serranos (The Serranos Gates, or Serranos Towers) – Like so many things in Valencia, the history you can find just walking around the city at no cost – and entry is free for the towers. Built in the late 1300’s and part of the city wall (the 3rd rendition, which is the Christian wall), it’s an amazing sight to see. Our guide noted that the huge, wood doors are of course not the originals, but the iron work on them is.
- Museo del Corpus Casa de las Rocas – The best 15-minute museum EVER! No frills, just cool. The building dates back to 1435 as a place to store the carriages or “rocks” (decorated carts). The carts themselves are amazing and highly intricate based on how old they are. Several date back to the early 1500’s, and the carts are only used once a year for the Corpus Christi Festival. The museum is free, but donations are welcome and recommended. Closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly.
- Mercat Central – Mentioned above, it’s most definitely worth mentioning again. I wish we had amazing markets like this that were accessible. It’s a huge farmers market with fresh everything from the region, open 6 days a week, all day long. So many options. We bought food there and took it back to the apartment instead of going to a grocery store. The building itself is also very cool if you like architecture.
- Church of San Nicholas – Known as the Sistine Chapel of Valencia, this place is impressive, especially considering the entryway is so hidden and you can barely tell you’re entering a church. You access the church from a narrow passageway on a quiet street. Once you’re inside? Amazing. The fresco and art work is tremendous. The building dates back to the 1400’s, and the interior and frescoes were finished in the late 1600’s. Restored beautifully.
- Oceanografic – Reportedly the largest aquarium and water park in Europe, this is a good spot, especially for families (we didn’t have ours with us).
- Plaza de Toros de Valencia – Unfortunately, the plaza wasn’t open for tours/observation the first time we were there, as they were preparing for one of the three times per year when they still have bullfighting events. We did not get the full experience, but just the design and exterior of the building is beautiful. Also stop by the Estació del Nord next door to see the train station’s stone exterior decorated in the region’s famous oranges.
Eats
- El Pederniz – After a 16-hour day of traveling, we wandered a few blocks from our apartment and found this gem. And went back twice more while we were in Valencia. Even if you’re not staying in the area, you must come here. We were exhausted and found that our minimal Spanish was not helping us so far; it was just nice to get somebody who happily spoke English. The owner was amazing!! (Pro Tip from the owner: Don’t trust establishments that take your credit card from the table to swipe. Reputable restaurants will bring a hand-held reader to you.) He was so helpful, talking us through the options and really finding out what we were looking for each time. All of the food was excellent and we tried out so many things the times we were there. You must try the croquettes – awarded best in Valencia. Wow. Desserts are great too.
- Café de Las Horas – The place to get Agua de Valencia, a cocktail made from a base of cava or champagne, orange juice, vodka and gin. We stopped primarily for drinks; they have some tapas available, but very minimal and most of the food is not authentic Valencian. If you only visit this place for their specialty drinks and to soak up the amazingly gaudy decor, then you’ve hit your mark. I’m thinking 17th century brothel is a great way to explain it, and the look totally works. An interesting place to stop for a bit.
- Solo Del Mar – Definitely stop here if you’re in the City of Arts and Sciences area. We had other plans fall through and were near the aquarium and didn’t want to have generic food at the mall nearby (it’s not our jam: we like to eat like the locals do). That is exactly what we found here! No English spoken the day we were there and there is no menu so we had to fumble through, but it was well worth the effort. It is basically a fish market and minimalist restaurant. The seafood is featured with little else added, and that is certainly no issue. Tuna Tartare was excellent, but the dish that was our favorite was the Emperor Belly (we found it was our waiter’s favorite as well). Basically, tuna belly chunks in a simple yet flavorful tomato-based sauce. Wow. A great 3 p.m. Spanish lunch while wandering the area.
Barcelona
Like Valencia, Barcelona is rich with history, architecture and culture. Founded as Barcino in the 1st Century B.C., it gained sustained international popularity with the Olympic Games in 1992, and has since become a popular destination. You can still visit Olympic Park, nestled on Montjuic Mountain.
We visited in 2017 and stayed in an apartment near Sagrada Familia and Encants Metro station (we highly recommend buying a multi-day metro pass – easiest way to get around Barcelona.)
Our time in Barcelona in was unique – we flew into Barcelona and traveled by train to Valencia for three days. We were still in Valencia when the 2017 Catalan Independence referendum vote took place, essentially an attempt to vote for the Catalan Region, including Barcelona, to secede from Spain. The vote was previously declared unconstitutional, so the referendum was in spirit only. To the question, “Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state in the form of a republic?”, 92% of voters said yes, but no laws were actually changed. The tension led to arrests, protests and suppression of votes. We arrived in Barcelona to marches, transit strikes, and the nightly display of referendum support via the banging of pots and pans and cheering in the night.
Things To Do & See
The list of things to do in Barcelona was long, and there were several things we missed out on that we plan to experience once we’re back in the city. Some general tips for Barcelona (and anywhere else in Spain, really): Try the wine and the Sangria. Eat Tapas, anywhere they’re offered. Be prepared to walk a lot.
Here’s a short list of some of the things we did do, and which ones we loved.
- Las Rambles – Is it a mind-blowing experience? No. Should you take a walk just to say you’ve done it? Yes. It’s iconic, there’s lots of cool things to see, and a great local open market depending on when you’re there. We went there at night and found a table outside, had some tapas and wine and just people watched for a while. The city is beautiful and this is just another place to try out. There’s a lot of tourist-trap shops but also a lot of great places to stop if you take a little time. It’s a great place to stroll along for no reason and just hang out. Lots of visitors warn tourists that this tends to be an area where pick-pocketing is common, but we didn’t have any issues.
- National Art Museum – We, unfortunately, were there the day of the Catalonian shut down after the independence vote, so the building (along with almost everything in town) was closed that day and all we could do was walk around the building and the grounds. The steps and fountains coming up from Placa Espanya are amazing, and the design and scope of this truly beautiful building up on the hill is awe-inspiring. There are some great views of the city from multiple points on the grounds. Maybe next time we’ll get to see the art and history contained inside.
- Camp Nou – One of us is not a soccer fan at all. She agreed to do this tour, as it was the one request for Barcelona that was not for both of us. She had a pretty good time as well. The history of one of the world’s most prestigious clubs is really hard to believe….until you’re walking through the museum and it’s all laid out in front of you. Walking down the same hallway the players walk, and up onto the pitch (and sitting in the players/coaches seats!!) was crazy cool. Fans have seen them standing in that hallway and in those seats so many times on TV. Standing pitch-side and looking up through the stadium and imagining the environment you see on match day? Wow. And we weren’t even there on a game day. You can imagine that this is like a religious experience for any soccer fan.
- La Sagrada Familia – From the outside, we both agree that this place is crazy gaudy and well over the top. It is obviously a very interesting design and an amazing amount of work has gone into it…..however it is so busy that it’s confusing. And the 6 largest towers they’ve planned for are not even started yet!!! We did an audio tour simply to get a group tour at a time that worked with our shuffled schedule, but it was actually really nice to stick in some earbuds and listen as you walk around and just look. The outside is a little crazy, but the inside? Truly amazing and awe inspiring. We walked around inside for over an hour with our mouths agape. The columns, the amazing stained glass. The colors coming into the sides from the sunlight casting onto the side halls was phenomenal. The intricate designs on the ceilings. An experience everyone should have.
- Tablao Flamenco Cordobes – The Flamenco experience seems a little tourist-y, we’ll admit. But the dance is beautiful, and mirrors the history of the Andalusian region. Cordobes is one of many places you can go in Spain to see Flamenco, but we would recommend going to see a show if you can.
- Barrio Gòtico (Gothic Quarter) – What an amazing area of the city, our favorite by far. The tall buildings, narrow streets and Spanish architecture are fantastic, and we could have spent hours just walking around and looking at the buildings. There’s also some great shops and great restaurants in the area.
Eats
- Uma – This place isn’t just a restaurant, it’s a bonafide experience. You need to book months in advance to get a table, but it’s 100% worth it. Fortunately there was one reservation available the week we were in Barcelona. It’s like going to a friend’s home to eat, assuming your friend is a master chef. Quaint and small, there are only a handful of tables, and the multi-course tasting lasts approximately 2 1/2 hours. If you’re a fan of wine, opt to include the wine pairing. The kitchen is open and you can watch while the dishes are being prepared. Multiple courses of things so delicious I wish I could remember half of what we ate (we do remember the shaved foie gras served on cotton candy like a birds nest on a tree branch – it was wonderful). The presentation of the courses is original and the high level of gastronomy is impressive, as Iker, the Chef, is using techniques that not many others do. The highest of fine dining experiences at a reasonable price for the overall experience (not cheap mind you!!). We had a wonderful time.
- Agut – On one of the narrowest of streets in the Gothic Quarter, we found this by chance while wandering around. Several waiters just happened to be out front, otherwise we may have walked right past the intersection. We had a very good meal. We chose the fresh seafood options for the day and they were excellent. Great bread. Good wine selection. (Sadly, we’ve heard this restaurant may have since closed it’s doors.)
