Valencia has a feel-good factor that other cities can only dream of. The urban sun trap on Spain's eastern coast has a sugary coastline, elegant architecture and a sky that's almost always bright blue. It makes for a wildly popular holiday destination – but what would it be like living in Valencia? The third-biggest city in Spain has a huge expat community and draws an equally sizeable crowd of canny investors looking to hold a stake in this fast-growing city. Its popularity is no surprise: Valencia has a reputation for celebrating every aspect of day-to-day life. Expect leisurely lunches, locally-grown food, and quality time with friends and family. Pair that with glorious beaches and elegant architecture, and it's no wonder visitors often end up staying.
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Living in Valencia
What's it like to live in Valencia?
Moving to Valencia is a thrilling step, and the experience will vary depending on where you choose to live. There's a barrio to suit everyone, from city-centre flats in the heart of the action to characterful houses in the fresh sea air.
In the old town, the souk-like streets of El Carmen are dotted with quaint bodegas pouring locally-made cava and craft coffee bars squeezed into the tiniest of spaces. It's a place that comes to life at mealtimes (both lunch and dinner are famously long and late), when streets fill with friends chatting and grazing on patatas bravas and jamón.
Further south is Russafa, a neighbourhood filled with creative energy and stunning architecture. Days can be spent hopping between pretty parks, lively lunch spots and art galleries.
Towards the beach there's a more modern feel as sandy bars bring music and tinto de verano to a sun-kissed crowd. Here, the thriving hub of Cabanyal is home to hidden community gardens and kite festivals. Extravagantly-tiled old fisherman's houses line the seafront and time-warp tabernas sit side-by-side with contemporary cafés.
Living in Valencia: Essential information
The population of the city of Valencia was around 800,000 in 2023, and 16% of those are people who moved from abroad, according to Ine.es. The Valencia Community has the third largest number of immigrants in Spain, just behind Madrid and the Balearic Islands, and the average age of Valencia residents is 43 years.
Healthcare in Valencia
Both private and public healthcare have a good reputation in Spain. The Consortium General University Hospital of Valencia, known colloquially as Hospital General, is around 3km outside the city centre and easily reached via the local tram network Metrovalencia. Hospital La Fe is a relatively new complex specialising in surgeries. Hospital Manises is known for its maternity care, especially the natural birthing room called La Casa de Partos, complete with pool and alternative pain relief. You'll find local health centres, or centros de salud, in every neighbourhood around the city, as well as plenty of private healthcare facilities.
Working in Valencia
According to Ine.es, a big chunk of locals work in public administration, education, and social security, around 285,000. This is closely followed by retail and wholesale jobs, around 256,000. Working for the local government is a dream for many people, who see it as a secure job for life, but what about people moving to Valencia who don't speak fluent Spanish?
Qualified native English speakers are in high demand, whether that's working in nurseries, teaching or tutoring. Similarly, the growth in the tourism industry means that English-speakers are sought after in cafés, restaurants and hotels. Jooble is a great place to start looking for jobs, while turijobs.com is the place for hospitality work. Looking to set up a business? Cámara de Comercio Valencia hosts free workshops and offers information on government grants.
Freelancers and people working from home will benefit from plenty of cafés and shared spaces to work in. DDL Boutique in Russafa, for example, has free wifi and a table dedicated to people working on laptops. Coworking spaces like Core or the sunny offices of Wayco are also excellent places to log the hours. What's more, the internet speed is fairly fast, around 100 Mbps according to Fair Internet Report.
Spain's Digital Nomad Visa is available to self-employed people and their families, as long as they meet some requirements, such as earning at least €2140 per month.
Schools and Education in Valencia
Time spent researching schools is time well spent: for many people it will heavily influence their decision on where to live in Valencia. There are three types of schools to choose from: pública (public), concertada (semi-private, usually faith-orientated schools) and privada (private).
Public schools are taught in a mixture of Valencian and Spanish (with a small percentage of English). The percentages of each language vary according to the schools and the bilingual laws – these laws do fluctuate depending on the government so it's good to keep an eye on it. Currently, families can choose between Valencian or Spanish for some exams. Public schools generally have a good reputation; Instituto Luis Vives is well-regarded, centrally located and set in a beautiful old building.
Semi-private schools receive government funding and families also pay a fee. These schools have the freedom to choose their curriculum, are usually Catholic, and might offer better extra-curricular activities or materials (depending on the school) than public schools. Colegio San José De Calasanz, for example, offers everything from theatre to judo to robot club.
Private schools generally have the best reputation. Colegio Alemán, Caxton College and Imagine Montessori School usually pop up in the league tables on Micole.net.
Transport in Valencia
A car is not essential if you're moving to Valencia: public transport is very efficient. Check out our guidance on driving with a UK licence if you do need some wheels. Metrovalencia is regular and affordable. Buses are cheap too, with discounts for people under 30 and over 65, check EMT for details. There are also excellent bike lanes, with most routes separate from traffic.
From the main train station Estación del Norte there are a range of local and national train lines. Travel to Madrid in a little over two hours thanks to the high-speed AVE, or Barcelona in three hours 20 minutes.
The wider world is connected to Valencia by Valencia Airport, which has routes to over 100 locations via operators like Ryanair, Lufthansa and Easyjet. It's found in Manises, just 25 minutes outside the city centre.
Things to do in Valencia
Cycle through Jardín del Turia
When the river Turia was diverted, the old riverbed was almost turned into a dual carriageway. Thankfully, people living in Valencia protested and convinced the government to plant a lush park instead, which they named Jardín del Turia. Today the city benefits from this 9km leafy retreat which runs through the middle of the city. Inside you'll find running paths and bike trails – perfect for Sunday bike rides.
Shop in beautiful markets
Shopping needn't be a chore. Stock up on organic peaches, enormous Valencian tomatoes and locally-made bobal wine - all while chatting to friendly stallholders - in glorious produce markets like Mercado Central. Want to avoid the tourists? Mercado Rojas Clemente is more secluded and just as brilliant.
Ride the waves
Valencia's city beach isn't blessed with big waves, but the still waters lend themselves to Stand Up Paddleboarding and surfing newbies. The sport is a lovely way to get out on the water, either solo or with a group. La Olita offers single classes for €15 or 10 sessions for €90. Look out for special yoga, surf and brunch clubs in the summer.
Watch a film in a retro cinema
There are some staggering cinemas in Valencia, and many show films in English. Cines Babel is a cosy independent joint dedicated to showing films in their original language. Visit midweek and the restaurant offers dinner and a film ticket for just €15.
Party at Las Fallas
Las Fallas de Valencia is a fiery festival that takes place at the beginning of March. The streets fill with music and the smell of fried buñuelos, while enormous wooden sculptures are constructed in the squares and burned on the final day. The two-week event is a non-stop knees-up, expect stunning firework displays and partying round the clock.
Dance at open-air festivals
Make the most of the wonderful weather by attending one of the city's many open-air events. Try the summer gigs that take place in one of Valencia's most beautiful parks, Jardines De Viveros. Conciertos de Viveros usually mixes hot local acts and world-renowned names, like Thom Yorke's The Smile and Cat Power.
Bask on the beach
When people ask: what's it like to live in Valencia? The first thing they probably imagine are long days by the beach. The sandy city beach is a year-round attraction for residents. Active folks can try their hand at volleyball by renting out one of the nets on Playa de la Malvarrosa, while Playa de la Patacona is populated with chilled brunch spots. In the summer, beach shacks called chiringuitos pop up on the sand, offering cocktails and deckchair hire. Playa de la Malvarrosa beach also features good wheelchair access; find disabled parking bays right next to the wheelchair path.
For a quieter beach day, head to La Devesa. A 30-minute drive south of the city, it's part of a big rewilding project by the government and just one of the reasons Valencia was named European Green Capital 2024. It's accessed only by foot, so park up and follow the picturesque path lined by pine trees and frequented by butterflies to a secluded shore backed by grassy dunes.
Eat paella next to rice paddies
Perhaps Valencia's most famous export, paella is a local delicacy, and the best place to eat it is in La Albufera. It's a 30-minute drive to the rural idyll, where rice paddies grow bomba rice specifically for paella. There are a few iconic restaurants here, try Bon Aire for a bustling dining room with views over the fields.
Expat Clubs and Activities in Valencia
Learning Spanish is a doddle in Valencia thanks to the sheer number of language schools in the city. Understand Valencia is a great place to begin. The academy is based in Russafa and offers small, face-to-face classes in a lovely old building.
There are language exchanges, too. The biggest group is Valencia Language Exchange, which has regular meet-ups at rooftop bars as well as days out to nearby waterfalls. The Language Exchange for Mature Learners might be better suited for people seeking quieter meet-ups in smaller groups.
Top toe tapping takes place at the Black Bottom dance studio, where the friendliest instructors teach Lindy Hop steps to a mix of students. It's not aimed squarely at expats, but the fun, social ambience makes it easy to mingle with people living in Valencia.
Yoga-lovers attend the Yoga with Jennison open-air events in force, with huge crowds rolling their mats out in the grass to attend English-language yoga classes. Check out meetup.com to peruse more social events happening around the city.