A glimpse into life of Valencia Digital Nomads
Valencia turned out to be our home for the big part of 2024, and we were really curious how is it gonna go. After leaving Cape Town, we were craving a place where life didn’t move too fast but was still big enough to offer everything we needed. Valencia seemed to tick all the boxes—it’s Spain’s third-largest city but has a more relaxed vibe compared to Madrid or Barcelona. Plus, we hoped it would be a bit easier on the wallet. We arrived in mid-May, and it seemed like a good time to be there — still before the overwhelming summer heat and the waves of tourists that arrive to the city during holidays.
Coworking Spaces in Valencia
Finding a coworking space that suits your needs is a big part of everyday life of digital nomad. Valencia seems to start adjusting to remote working lifestyle. I has a quite a big selection of places choose from. During our stay, we got to try two coworking spaces, but there is many, many more to check out.
Garage Coworking
Garage Coworking was the first place we checked out, mainly because it was literally two minutes from our apartment. It’s a really cozy spot, on the more affordable end of the coworking spectrum. The staff there were some of the nicest people we met in Valencia—always welcoming and helpful. We’d even bump into them around the neighborhood on grocery runs or walks, and it always felt like running into friends.
The shared workspace was quiet—sometimes too quiet—so we often felt like the only ones there. If you’re someone who thrives on a lively atmosphere, the assigned desk area might be a better choice. During our stay additional shared area was under construction. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see how it turned out, because we had to leave before it was finished (end of September 2024). Who knows maybe it’s already ready to use by now! It’s definitely a place with potential and we’d recommend it if you’re looking for something low-key and budget-friendly.
Cowork Up Ruzafa
Most of our time, though, we spent our work days at Cowork Up in Ruzafa and it was a really good experience. It seems like it is a place that digital nomads in Valencia gravitate towards. The space is bright and modern, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that fills the room with tons of natural light—perfect for long workdays. There’s a dedicated area for calls and meetings and some private rooms if you need one.
The internet was fast, and there were always enough seats, even on busier days. While coffee wasn’t free (sadly!), the café con leche they sold was affordable and actually pretty good. The location was a huge bonus too—Ruzafa is the heart of Valencia’s digital nomad scene, with loads of cafes, restaurants, and plenty of places to grab lunch or meet other remote workers. One drawback we could find it that it’s a bit pricy, but it was worth every penny. Definitely recommend to anyone if you can spare few extra bucks for a bit more comfort.
*note from Kuba: If you end up working from Cowork Up and want to grab a quick lunch, do yourself a favour and go to Mercat de Russafa and check out Annetta Deli. They have, hands down, the best sandwiches in the city.
Getting Around Valencia
Getting around Valencia is quite easy, especially if you know where to start. The most important thing about the city is that it’s extremely bike friendly. In fact it’s the most bike friendly city we have been to so far. (Yes, I have not been to Amsterdam yet). One of the first things we did was buy a bike, which became our favourite and most frequent way to explore the city. We found a second-hand bikes on Wallapop. The prices vary from 60 to 100€. Be careful though, when you leave your bike, you should lock not only a bike itself, but the SEAT as well. Yes, it’s very common that the bicycle seats are getting stolen.
If you don’t want to make an investment of buying your own bike or simply stay for a shorter amount of time, the city’s Valenbisi system is a great option. It’s a little bit tricky to set up, but with the help of Google you should not have any big issues. With the subscription first 30 min of the ride is free. And yes, you can just leave the bike at the station and pick it back again and the time will reset. The site offers weekly and yearly subscriptions with the weekly costing around 14€ and yearly just 30€.
If you don’t feel like riding a bicycle public transport can be a solid choice. Valencia’s buses and trams are quite reliable and cover most of the city, with the exception of the Old Town, Ciutat Vella. In fact, most vehicles are forbidden from driving there. Cost does not differ from other European cities, being around 1,5€ per ride.
Social Life for Digital Nomads
Making friends in Valencia was a bit more challenging than we expected. It’s not that the city isn’t social—it is—it’s just that we felt that social activities are much harder to find. Our go-to first step in a new place (at least in Europe!) is Meetup up. Usually you can easily find multiple events on any given week or even day. It Valencia it seemed to not be the case and the number of event was very limited. With that being said, once you know where to look it gets much easier.
After a few small meetups and lots of conversations, we finally encountered someone, who recommended to us Valencia Language Exchange, which was a game changer. It’s a Valencian community, that organises events, trips and social initiatives. Events a being hosted almost every day with the highlight being Thursday language exchange at Big Ben Pub. We also joined one of their day trips to Isla de Tabarca.
If you’re a fan of board games, there’s a weekly event at El Garaje Foodie. You can also find their event in the Meetup app. Don’t be discouraged by the small number of attendees, most of the people are regulars and don’t bother ticking the tick in the app.
Cost of Living in Valencia
We’d heard Valencia was more affordable than cities like Madrid or Barcelona, but it still surprised us how quickly costs can add up. Apartments start around €1,200/month, but to find something comfortable for a couple, you’re looking at closer to €1,500/month. It’s definitely not the cheapest place we’ve stayed, but you can find a ways to optimise your spendings. It’s all about finding the right balance for your budget.
Transport is one area where you can save. Once we got our bikes, we barely spent anything on getting around. Other thing you can do is choose a supermarket close to you and get loyalty card. This will make grocery shopping a little bit easier on the wallet. At the end of the day, it’s all about finding your way and making habits. For example, a cafe chain Granier, had a lasting offer for 3 croissants for €2,50 and it became our frequent choice for a cheap breakfast or lunch. As for other expenses like activities and going out, prices felt similar to places like Barcelona or Rome—not cheap, but not outrageous either.
The Best Neighbourhoods in Valencia
Valencia offers a lot of different areas and neighbourhoods to explore. Some are more local and other more appropriate for tourists or short term visitors. Everyone can find something for them regardless of what you’re looking for. We tended to spend most of our time in Valencia around the neighbourhoods that attract expats and remote workers, while still maintaining the local feeling.
Ciudad Vella
This is the historic center, full of stunning plazas, old-world charm and maze of a little streets to get lost in. We were lucky enough to find an apartment in that area, so we spent first few days just walking around, exploring the neighbourhood and trying out cafes we found along the way. This it a place that attracts the most tourists, and for good reason(!), but be aware that around summer time it might get a little bit crowdy. It’s perfect place to start your adventure in Valencia.
Ruzafa
If you’re planning to stay in Valencia a bit longer and already read a few blog posts like this one, you must have already read about Ruzafa. It seems to be the most popular area among expats and digital nomads alike. You’ll find plenty of cafes, bars, coworking spaces, restaurants, boutiques, barber shops and virtually anything you could think of. It is also artistic center of the city. During our time here Amelie attended an oil painting class, hosted by one of the local galleries owner and the experience was truly great. You could have an entire blog post just about Ruzafa alone, but you just need visit and experience it for yourself.
Cabanyal
What we didn’t have a chance to mention yet, but is really important, it that Valencia is a costal city. It means that you can take advantage of it’s wide, sandy beaches. For that, Cabanyal is the place to be. It has a much more local feeling than the other two, despite the fact that the beach usually attracts a lot of foreigners. You’ll find find a lot of cute little cafes here, as well as some local bars and restaurants. If you’ll have a chance to be in Valencia in June, it’s worth keep an eye on the calendar and celebrate The Feast of Sant Joan. Just come to Cabanyal beach and join the celebration with your friends.
Turia Park: The Heart of Valencia
Or maybe should we say vain or artery. This massive, almost 10 kilometers long, green space runs through the city and is hands-down one of our favourite parts of living here. It used to be a river bank, but after multiple floods city decided to redirect the riverbed away from the city leaving this empty space. After years of debating and under influence of the residents city decided to change it into a widely available recreational space. Ultimately it was the best decision!
Nowadays park is a center of life for both locals and expats. You’ll see plenty of people practicing yoga or slack line, riding bikes and playing football or basketball. Oh, and running. There is so, so many runners! If you enjoy jogging Turia Park will be your go to. It’s not a coincidence, that Valencia is home of many successful long distance runners, when you have such an amazing place to practice.
But it’s not only place for sport freaks. You’ll see many people just walking, having picnics, reading books or just meeting friends here. In fact, quite a few meetups we attended were hosted in the park. If you’ll end up visiting Valencia, or maybe even staying longer, we believe you will love this place just as much as we did! (In fact, we’re sure about it!)
Valencia was definitely an interesting experience for us with its mix of relaxed Mediterranean life and urban buzz. While there were things we absolutely loved (Turia Park!) and ones we found a bit more difficult (social life, especially in the beginning) it was overall good experience for us! Valencia has something to offer for everybody, regardless of what you’re looking for while choosing your destination. If you’re looking for more laid-down place to spend some time and don’t need or want a big city rush, it might be place for you. It’s the kind of place that makes work-life balance actually feel achievable.