Exploring Valencia: One of My Favorite (and easy) Trips to make from Barcelona

Valencia was my first trip outside of Barcelona, and it couldn’t have been a better introduction to traveling abroad. Just a three-hour train ride away, it’s an easy and accessible trip that still feels completely different from Barcelona. With its mix of historic architecture, vibrant food spots, and relaxed coastal energy, Valencia quickly became one of my favorite weekend trips.
We took a morning train from Barcelona-Sants, and the journey to Valencia was smooth and scenic. If you’re studying abroad in Europe, I highly recommend downloading the Omio app before you travel. It makes booking trains, buses, and ferries throughout Europe incredibly convenient. Once we arrived, we checked into our hostel and immediately began exploring. This was my first time ever staying in a hostel, and I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. It reminded me a lot of living in a freshman-year dorm: social, energetic, and full of people from all over the world. Everyone we met was incredibly welcoming, so don’t be afraid to try the hostel experience.

We stopped for lunch at Clem Cafe and I genuinely still think about the Turkish Eggs I had here. They were extremely flavorful and perfectly creamy (and became one of my favorite ways to enjoy eggs). After lunch, we wandered through the old city, visiting landmarks like Plaza de la Reina and the Valencia Cathedral. One thing I loved about Valencia was how walkable it felt. As study abroad students trying to minimize transportation costs, being able to explore so much on foot was a huge plus. Valencia is also famous for its oranges, and we were constantly reminded of that through the orange trees scattered throughout courtyards, plazas, and along the coast.

That evening, we headed to Voltereta Bali for dinner, and I would absolutely recommend making a reservation if you plan to visit. The ambience is impeccable, the decor and design of the space felt very intentional, and the food was excellent. They even had a photobooth near the entrance and it was the perfect way to commemorate our first trip abroad. Later that night, we stopped by Cafe de las Horas to try Valencia’s famous Agua de Valencia made with the oranges they are so known for. It was absolutely beautiful inside and reminded me of an ornate Eastern European opera house.

Saturday was a packed day for us. We explored the Mercat Central, climbed Torres de Serranos for the incredible views, and made a trip down to La Ciudad de Artes y Ciencias to visit the museum. It was easy and inexpensive to reach by bus, and we were even able to use our student IDs for discounted admission. The complex is perhaps best known for its aquarium, which happens to be the largest in Europe. We didn’t have time to visit it ourselves, but if you enjoy marine life, it’s definitely worth adding to your itinerary.

On Sunday, we slowed things down with brunch and a walk along the beach before doing some light shopping around the city. It was the perfect balance to a busy weekend. Our train back to Barcelona was in the afternoon so we grabbed a focaccia sandwich (also amazing) and left our lovely hostel. Traveling by train does require some patience, delays are definitely possible, but before we knew it, we were back in Barcelona preparing for class the next morning.

Valencia ended up being the perfect first trip abroad: affordable, walkable, beautiful, and full of memorable food and experiences. It gave me a new sense of confidence in traveling independently and made me even more excited to continue exploring Europe during my semester abroad.