Oct 18, 2024 • 10 min read
18.10.2024 - 15:39 / lonelyplanet.com
Oct 18, 2024 • 5 min read
With around 300 days of sunshine a year and a deliciously warm climate, it's clear why Valencia is popular year-round.
The elegant, tangled streets of the old town and the spaceship-like structures of Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias don't change much month to month, but it's still important to keep the seasons in mind – they will have an impact on what's available during your stay. Want to cycle past sweetly-scented blossoming orange groves? Revel in the chaotic celebrations of Las Fallas? Get messy at a traditional grape stomping festival? Sip cocktails at a bohemian beach bar? It all depends on the time of year. Here's our guide to when (and how) to visit this beautiful Spanish city.
This is peak summer in Valencia, and while visitors flock to the city for guaranteed sunshine, locals flee to cooler climates. The average day temperature in July is 27°C (81°F), and hot nights can feel stifling. Most traditional bars and restaurants will close during July and August, but the city by no means shuts down.
Beach bars (chiringuitos) pop up on the sand in the summer, from Playa de Las Arenas to Playa de la Patacona. Beat the heat with a mojito, sunlounger and the cooling sea breeze. El Chiringuito de La Más Bonita hangs colorful pompoms over the sun-dappled terrace, while Tres14 has DJs and all-day dancing.
Valencia's fabulous museums and art galleries offer culture and air conditioning – ideal for scorching days. Duck into Centro del Carmen Cultura Contemporánea, a hushed space with 13th-century cloisters and exhibitions that shine a light on local issues. Next, visit L’Institut Valencià d’Art Modern for a hearty dose of contemporary art from around the world. Don't miss Sala de la Muralla – a secluded basement gallery with a section of the 14th-century city wall.
August is also the time to check out the famous La Tomatina festival which is an hour west of the city.
The temperature mellows during autumn but days are still sun-soaked; balmy evenings make perfect bar-hopping weather. Expect to be out until the small hours – you'll need that time to visit all the brilliant bars. Start at Splendini Bar i Discos in L'Eixample, where friends sip bottles of beer and DJs dance around in between playing soul records. Head to Russafa for more artsy bars (Ubik Café is a bookshop and cafe that morphs into a bar come nightfall) or visit western Valencia to listen to home-grown rock bands in Centro Excursionista or dance to pin-sharp house music at Hifi.
This is also the perfect time to visit Requena, Valencia's wine region. Around 1 hour by car from the city center, wineries such as Pago de Tharsys host grape harvest parties in early October. Spend the afternoon stomping on grapes and
Oct 18, 2024 • 10 min read
The years-long bureaucratic tangles that plagued passport renewals and first-time applications since the pandemic are finally over. Not only have US passport processing times bounced back to pre-pandemic rates—they're the shortest they've been in years.
Oct 17, 2024 • 5 min read
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