Life in Valencia: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, from Four “Guiris” on the Inside
Valencia has been dubbed as one of the best cities in the world to live in by expats in countless publications and polls. Just last November, reporter Charlie Wells wrote an article featured on Bloomberg.com talking about expats snubbing London, Paris and Hong Kong for Valencia, Spain’s third largest city. In the survey, expats gave Valencia the world’s highest score based on it’s climate, housing affordability, and health care, while coastal town Alicante, just an hour away, came in second place, with Malaga and Madrid coming in at 6th and 9th place.
We get it, Valencia is a great place to be with endless sunshine all year round, beach life, a comparably lower cost of living to other major cities and an exceptional quality of life, however, what about its downsides and challenges?
With this article I wanted to share some insight on what it’s really like to live in Valencia, the good, the bad and the ugly.
Here four expats share their tales of joy, as well as woes on living in the city; the things they enjoy the most, the biggest challenges they’ve faced and some words of wisdom so that anyone looking to move here, can do so and be prepared.
A change of Pace and Lifestyle
Tina and Giulio, married and from London, moved here for work after several years of living the fast-paced rhythm of New York, they both agree that it was the change of pace and lifestyle that attracted them the most.
For Tina, it’s “the ease of getting around on your bike as the city is set up for cyclists. The Turia park gets you through the city easily…we love going to the beach and hiking in the mountains” that she enjoys most. “The sky and the light, climate, cost of living (compared to NY!) great fish and amazing food markets. Getting in the
car for an hour and being somewhere you can explore in a day are all things that I love about living here.”
Valencia has it’s challenges though and for Giulio it’s “the language and sometimes the bureaucracy…there’s a lot of form filling and so you need to be informed on what you need to do, I really recommend that you sign up with someone to help you before you get here.” Tina on the other hand, finds that she has struggled at times with, “making friends, as Valencians stick mainly to family and you don’t always want to hang out with other “guiris” like us to make the most of the Spanish experience.”
Words of Wisdom
They both agree that it’s fundamental to “get a good Spanish teacher and learn the language.”
“Don’t just hang out in your area where you live, do your homework and go out into the region to explore, there’s so much to see and do. Get into the swing of life, no one eats dinner at 7pm. Make every effort to speak Spanish. Get a bike, it will be the best thing you do in terms of getting around. Join a yoga class in the Turia park. Eat at local paella places, not the touristy ones.”
Settling in Valencia After Living in Big Cities
Kim from Manchester is married to a Valencian, they finally settled in Valencia after living between Madrid and London for four years.
Kim was initially anxious about moving to a smaller city, “I crave capital cities, so moving to a secondary city was not a typical choice for me but the diversity of Valencia keeps me entertained day by day.”
She continues, “there are more international cuisine restaurants opening up which is really great - in fact, I think you can find Japanese restaurants to challenge or beat anything that you can find in a global capital.”
More Cosmopolitan Than you Think
“Valencia has so many distinct areas to explore, you have the city which is architecturally beautiful and increasingly cosmopolitan, the natural beauty of the Albufera park, the marina and all the sea and port view restaurants, and then of course there's the kilometres and kilometres of beach - I have never lived close to the sea so that is something that I'm really enjoying.”
She believes that “Valenica will best suit the self-employed - that way you are not reliant on the Spanish job market and you have the freedom and flexibility to really benefit from the very high standard of living that Valenica offers.” Her biggest tip for newbie and wannabe Valencians: “get out there - immerse yourself in nature and catch that Vitamin D, sunny Spain loves you.”
Moving to Valencia During Difficult Times
Michelle from Sheffield in the UK moved to Valencia last year after living in Australia and Asia for the past 12 years, “it was always my dream to move to Spain and last year I finally made it happen. I did trips to Malaga, Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia to see which city I preferred, and Valencia won.”
She faced a huge challenge, arriving in Valencia one month before the pandemic started and so has spent most of her time either in lockdown or living around the various imposed restrictions, “I still love it here though so that says a lot!”
“I love that the city is easy to get around and feels super friendly and safe. I can walk to most of my favorite areas from where I live, and I like that each one has its own unique charm.”
She continues, “I just love trying local cuisine in hidden gem restaurants, watching bands play and catching late night drinks in Cabanyal. Exploring the many vintage shops in Ruzafa and immersing myself in the creative energy of this colorful barrio (neighborhood). Walking the cobbled streets of Carmen, stopping off for tapas and cerveza in the sunshine and taking long walks through the Turia Park to the Arts and Science Center.” She concludes, “I also love how in just a short ride from the city you can swim and picnic at waterfall rock pools and hike many a stunning mountain. I feel the city definitely has something for everyone and there is always something to do.”
Seek Help
“I used a relocation company to help with all of my documentation, setting up bank accounts etc. they also helped me find my apartment. I have never used such a service in any of the other countries I have moved to, but I would highly recommend it here. The prices are reasonable and I have heard so many stories of people finding it a slow and difficult process if you don't.”
So there you have it, Valencia really is a great place to live, just book those Spanish classes and find yourself a specialist agent to help you with your move.
We look forward to welcoming you here in Valencia, stay tuned for more expat insight, and of course, Encantada is always happy to help!