BEING the most popular holiday destination for Brits, choosing where to go in Spain can be tricky.
But Valencia was named the best city in Europe by Conde Nast Traveler – and I was lucky enough to have visited.
Spain isn’t short of beautiful cities – Barcelona and Madrid being the most popular – as well as stunning islands such as Tenerife and Majorca.
I’ve managed to visit nearly 10 different spots across Spain.
But Valencia is my favourite with so much going for it, from futuristic attractions to affordable food and drink.
I was unlucky enough to have visited during the 2022 ‘heat dome‘ which saw temperatures soar to 45C.
It certainly made it a challenge to explore – after all, being 30C at both 8am and 8pm meant there was no escape.
Thankfully, I enjoyed the heat, so made the most of the quieter-than-usual streets because of the (sensible) people taking shelter.
But my favourite attraction that I think is unmissible is the City of Arts and Science.
The huge complex – costing £760million and taking a decade – is home to a number of different structures to explore.
Film fans will recgonise it, featuring in both Westworld and Doctor Who.
There’s the Science Museum, with enough interactive experiences for kids to enjoy.
But for adults there is the Opera House with live musical perfomances and shows.
Outside of the complex, the city is beautiful enough by itself.
Many of the huge Art Deco buildings make the streets feel like a film set,complete with vintage street lights.
There is El Cabanyal, a trendy district named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Europe by The Guardian.
It’s here I fell into a warehouse-cum-greenhouse that had both a bar and jazz being played live on stage.
But the cheapest eat I found was La Finestra back in the city, where not only are the beers cheap, but you can get mini pizzas for just £2.
There’s a number of new hotels opening in the city, such as a new Novotel in downtown this December.
I stayed at the Valencia Oceanic by Melia. It was simple, but had its own pool and was a short walk to everything you need.
This includes the huge stretch of beach to the east, with the Las Arenas strip having bars and cafes.
Flights to Valencia are as little as £16.99 with Ryanair from Birmingham or £20.99 with easyJet from London Gatwick.
Conde Naste Traveller's Best Cities in Europe 2024
- Valencia, Spain – 92.78
- Stockholm, Sweden – 91.11
- Vienna, Austria – 90.93
- Berlin, Germany – 90.29
- Milan, Italy – 90.13
- Budapest, Hungary – 89.86
- Madrid, Spain – 89.61
- Paris, France – 89.38
- Palma, Spain – 89.21
- Seville, Spain – 88.76