Brimming with cultural hot spots and natural wonders, the port city of Valencia on Spain’s south-eastern coast is a much-loved destination for travellers and a delightful location for those seeking a new life with a great balance of city highlights and relaxing seaside delights.
With an impressive selection of ways to spend one’s spare time along with a way of life that isn’t often seen in other destinations as well as boasting a great portfolio of real estate in Valencia, we take a look at what makes this city a much-loved area to move to, while highlighting some of the finest neighbourhoods and properties you should consider when planning a move here.
A city that has it all
The third most populated municipality in Spain, Valencia is most likely best known for its City of Arts and Sciences complex, a modern cultural and architectural destination which houses museums, cinemas and theatres, including a planetarium and interactive museum. It is also recognised as being home to the world-renowned rice dish, paella, but beyond the obvious, there’s plenty more to see, experience and eat here that keeps visitors coming back for more, and even moving their lives to the area on a more permanent basis.
Nature lovers will be in awe with L’Oceanografic, a grand aquarium which sits within the aforementioned complex and boasts a range of marine animals to view and learn about, while Bioparc Valencia aims to showcase its large collection of fauna to visitors without the typical cages and railings, but by other physical barriers such as rocks, rivers and streams.
In addition to whiling away the hours on one of the sandy beaches that grace the shores here, there’s also a glorious array of green spaces, such as Albufera Park to explore with its wetlands reserve, lake and walking trails, while the beautiful sunny weather is no doubt a draw for those coming from colder and wetter countries.
History lovers who make their move to Valencia will love strolling around the many landmarks that adorn the city, with highlights including the 13th-century Valencia Cathedral; La Lonja de la Seda, a 15th-century Gothic-style civil building; and the Torres de Serranos, a late 14th-century gate that formed part of the ancient city wall.
The Central Market of Valencia is another city highlight and boasts over 1,000 stalls within stunning surrounds, while the array of great restaurants, bars and evening entertainment to be found across the city, in addition to the fantastic selection of festivals and unusual museums, makes this place a no-brainer when considering a move to sunny Spain.
The best neighbourhoods to reside in
With around 800,000 residents in the city across 19 districts and 88 neighbourhoods, if you aren’t overly familiar with all the streets of Valencia (and many aren’t), you’ll likely be looking for information on where best to place yourself when seeking out a new life within the city.
Whether you decide to rent or purchase a property is up to you and your decision on location will, no doubt, depend on where your new job is, if you have one, where you would like children to attend school, if you have them, and the type of property you desire, along with many other factors that will influence the neighbourhood you ultimately choose.
For newcomers to the city, you have North Ciutat Vella, which sits in the historic part close to many of Valencia’s aforementioned bygone highlights, while South Ciutat Vella is great for those on an endless discovery of the great foods of the city. For somewhere a little less touristy, try El Pilar or La Xerea, while upmarket El Carmen and Gran Via, trendy Russafa, and shopper’s haven Pla del Remei will all delight.
Luxury property in Valencia to wow
While the property market in Valencia will, of course, change over time, it’s always important to check out the types of property that are available at any given time so that you can get a solid idea of what you can buy or rent with your budget, and you never know, you might find your dream property already waiting for you.
From elegant apartments and houses with two or three bedrooms and extra features like garages, to palatial properties with five plus bedrooms, terraces or gardens and stylish interiors, the options for a luxurious new home in Valencia are aplenty, and it doesn’t look like the quality of homes like this will be changing anytime soon.
