Backpack Mack

Note to self… do not delay on purchasing train tickets during high season! 

This is a lesson I knew but my loose planning and current “go with the flow” mindset talked me out of it. So that landed my dad and me on a very expensive train from Barcelona to Valencia. Not the end of the world, but a silly mistake for a seasoned traveler. 

That being said, the train ride was easy and we cruised by the coast and through the country. We had a short but very hot walk from the train to our hotel for the next three days. One thing we noticed right off the bat was that there were city bikes called Valenbisi that combined with the subway made the city extremely accessible. 

Valencia has several large, open air squares lined with restaurants and seating that make for a wonderful late night hang out. The first night, and every night thereafter we found ourselves bringing some wine and snacks and hanging out in the square while somebody played music or performed for tips. Areas like this were safe from pickpockets and parents let their kids run around and play without fear of them wandering off or worse. It is truly a level of relaxation, belonging and peace that is unattainable in the United States. 

The next day, although temperatures reached into the low-nineties we rode our newly acquired city bikes across town, through the large central park and over to the beach. We were able to rent an umbrella and chairs for less than twenty dollars for the day and enjoyed people watching and the warm mediterranean. 

The following day we visited the “Sistine Chapel of Valencia” or the Church of Saint Nicolas. The entrance fee was nominal and came with a guided audio tour. I think every square inch of this church was covered in murals, paintings and art. Would recommend!

After discovering the Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona my dad was all for hunting out something similar in Valencia. Sure enough we stumbled on Mercat Central de Valencia, which albeit smaller, was definitely worth it for some local cuisine. It was here that we discovered “agua de Valencia” which despite its innocent sounding name contains fresh squeezed orange juice, cava, vodka and gin. The fresh orange juice here is absolutely delicious and dangerously masks all hint of alcohol. 

The following days were spent leisurely walking the city, biking to the very impressive botanical gardens, and hanging at the beach. Valencia felt very relaxing compared to Barcelona or many of my prior stops.