A Guide to Life in Valencia

With the motto ‘Cook for enjoyment’, you know it’s going to be good!
Restaurant RiFF takes local market food and creates a variety of Mediterranean dishes.
The menu includes Spanish, Greek, Italian and middle Eastern dishes. The restaurant also offers cooking classes for novices to find the passion in cooking.
Hours:
Lunch: Tuesday – Saturday from 13:30 to 15:30.
Dinner: [...]

La Salvaora Taberna Española is a Spanish tavern-style resturant in the heart of the Barrio del Carmen area of Valencia.
Choose a few plates from the list of La Salvaora’s tapas and entrees for a well executed Spanish dining experience.
Foodies will love the choices from monk fish carpaccio, pate of rabbit, deer and wild boar, tripe [...]

The Mercado de Colón is located in the extension of the city between Columbus Street and Gran Via Marques de Turia in what was formerly the gas works of the Marquis de Campo.
It was designed in 1914 by Francisco Mora Berenguer (1875-1961) who studied at the School of Architecture in Barcelona and had direct contact [...]

Sagardi is an upmarket choice for both tapas and Basque cuisine with an injection of other regional varieties.
Sagardi is based on the old cider houses and small taverns of the Basque country, where locals would gather to try the year’s batch of cider.
Sagardi continually strives for a mix of class and tradition in its atmospheric [...]

The one thing I noticed when moving to Spain was that while the croissants are look like French ones, they are always heavier and not nearly as buttery and as flaky.
I am glad to say that I’ve found a solution – El Parisien Café!
This French-style patisserie on Calle de Guillem de Castro is superb! Even [...]

Café del Duende is a small bar dedicated exclusively to Flamenco.
Originating in 1998 and answering the demand of many flamenco enthusiasts, it soon became a popular venue where fans of flamenco could enjoy their favourite music.
Over the years since opening it has become a point of reference for flamenco lovers and people becoming interested in [...]

The Central Market of Valencia is constructed in a modernist style and was built in 1914.
The designers, Francisco Guard Vial and Alexander Soler, both trained at the School of Architecture of Barcelona and worked closely with Domènech i Montaner, an architect who characterized himself as a modernist.
There is great beauty in the architecture as well [...]

One of the most famous bars in the Barrio del Carmen area of Valencia.
This small bar has an the typical bohemian feel of the neighborhood and is popular with arty folk.
The tranquil café is named after the Plaza, which has a small fountain in the middle and plenty of seating for long summer evenings.
The ’slushy’ [...]

La Bolsería is one of the most popular and high profile mainstream weekend spot in Barrio El Carmen.
Now in it’s 15 years, it is still all about the looks and the moves. Packed with people who come down for a drink, a light dance, and to find a mate, Bolseria is always full of life.
Normal [...]

The annual Spanish Tomatino festival, the biggest food fight in the world.
It consists of overripe tomatoes being thrown into drunken crowds!
The festival drew a record 40,000 people last year. First they wait for the big truck of tomatoes, then when it appears, they go nuts whipping tomatoes at each other. NOT FOR KIDS!

And after, there’s [...]