Valencia is a charming and incredibly liveable city, located on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. The city is rich with culture and vibrant nightlife and prioritises outdoor living, with beautiful beaches and parks.
Valencia enjoys a warm, Mediterranean climate, with short, mild winters, making it a great place to explore year-round. It’s no surprise that so many digital nomads are being drawn to the idyllic Spanish city, seeking their own slice of paradise to work remotely under the sun.
For those looking to travel to Valencia for a remote working trip, here are our top tips.
Eat
Yuso - keeping it traditional
In the heart of the city’s old town, El Carmen, you’ll find the traditional Valencian restaurant Yuso. With two central locations, the restaurant offers a traditional Valencian paella as part of their Menú del Día—a lunchtime deal which includes an appetizer, paella, and a dessert or coffee all for about $15. Great value!
Voltereta Bali - a real ‘out of the box’ experience
Come for the décor, stay for the food. Voltereta Bali is only one of the 3 locations of the Voltereta restaurants, infamous for their immersive ambience. Voltereta Bali recreates, you guessed it, Bali, and takes you on a journey through its different seating areas and aesthetics. Dishes are designed to be shared with a real variety of options. The Dragon uramaki is served in a real smoking dragon—but don’t take our word for it, try it for yourself! If Bali isn't on your bucket list, try visiting Voltereta Kyoto or Manhattan.
Jardín Urbano - plant-based tapas
Vegans and veggies don’t need to miss out on authentic tapas— Jardín Urbano is located in the city’s buzzing Ruzafa neighborhood and really serves up a treat. From breakfast through dinner, the menu is packed with tapas with a plant-based twist. The bocadillos, a Spanish-style sandwich, are a must-try here!
Drink
Café de las Horas - an eclectic cocktail experience
Stepping into Café de las Horas is like stepping into a time machine—it’s a fusion between an English tearoom, an American cocktail bar and a Parisian café. While the huge chandeliers, artwork and red velvet curtains are impressive, the real talking point is the iconic Agua de Valencia. The cocktail is a local favorite made from freshly squeezed Valencian oranges mixed with cava, vodka and gin.
La Fabrica de Hielo - a beachfront bar with live music
Head down to the El Cabanyal beachside neighborhood and catch some of the best live music in town. La Fabrica de Hielo offers a vast array of indoor and outdoor seating, with a small stage and a dancefloor. With a fully-stocked bar and cocktail menu, as well as live music up to four times a week, it’s the place to be.
Café Berlin - The place where everyone meets!
Drawing locals and expats alike, Café Berlin is guaranteed to be busy any night of the week. This vibrant bar is situated in the heart of Ruzafa, Valencia’s hipster neighborhood, making it a great starting point for your night out. If you’re planning to go with a group, it’s worth calling ahead to book a table.
Sleep
Ruzafa - a lively expat hotspot
If you speak to any tourist after a trip to Valencia, they’ll likely be raving about the buzzing Ruzafa neighborhood. Packed with bars, nightlife, vintage shops and coffee spots, it's a great place to spend your time. However, due to its popularity among expats, prices in recent years have skyrocketed. If you’re on a budget but want to be close to the action, check out nearby neighborhoods Patraix or Monteolivete for a much more affordable stay.
El Carmen - the heart of the old town
With thousands of years of history and medieval architecture, El Carmen is the ideal spot for those wanting an authentic Spanish experience—all within walking distance of many of the key city sites. Two of the former city gates, Torres de Quart and Torres de Serrano are still standing in El Carmen, and the Basílica de la Virgen cathedral is a beautiful sight within the old town square. El Carmen is another great nightlife spot, with a buzzing mix of bars and terraces by day and by night.
El Cabanyal - a beachside spot with an old fisherman’s quarter
Beach lovers, assemble! El Cabanyal is the spot for you. This neighborhood is a stone’s throw from some of Valencia's most popular beaches, the art-nouveau-style quarter has a totally unique feel from the rest of the city. With an iconic market hall and plenty of traditional bars and restaurants, it’s a great place to stay for a mix of culture and charm. El Cabanyal is a little distance from the center, but well-connected with regular buses, trams and cycle lanes.
Work
Flying Bean Coffee - great coffee, equally great coworking space
This centrally located café, just on the edge of the Ruzafa neighborhood, has a great breakfast menu and equally good coffee to match. It’s also a well-equipped workspace that offers a day pass for 15 euros + VAT, with monthly and annual memberships available.
Cowork Up - Central, bright and breezy
This trendy office space is situated in the heart of Ruzafa. Cowork Up includes meeting rooms, a kitchen, a reading area and plenty of co-working space, all for a price of 18 euros + VAT for a day pass. Step out on your lunch break and explore the bustling Ruzafa market, or grab an after-work cerveza at one of the many quirky bars nearby.
As a pro tip, we recommend you join Valencia Coffees & Coworking, a local community that hosts weekly coworking and social meetups around the city.
Hacks
Bicycles all the way
Although public transport in Valencia is relatively cheap, the optimal way to travel is by bicycle. The city is connected by an extensive network of cycle lanes, making its perfectly-flat terrain a joy to explore on two wheels. If you’re staying for a little while, check out the city bike scheme, Valenbisi. An annual pass is a little over $30, and allows you access to bikes across the city, which can be unlocked by an app.
Turia Riverbed
If you’re looking for a spot to work out, go for a stroll, or have a picnic, the Turia Riverbed is the place to be. Located within the riverbed, towards the port, is the City of Arts and Sciences, an architectural wonder which features a science museum, aquarium, planetarium and gallery.
Opening Times
If you’re not used to Spanish life, you’ll likely be caught out by the unfamiliar opening times of shops and restaurants. Things start to close down after lunchtime, around 3pm until the siesta ends around 7pm, when everything springs back into life. Supermarkets and malls are usually closed on Sundays, and tourist attractions often close on Sundays and Mondays.
Long story short…
Valencia is a city packed with culture, nature and beauty. With endless places to grab tapas or a cerveza and plenty of co-working hubs, Valencia is a digital nomad’s dream!
Written by AC Callahan
