Elisabeth54

An unexpected treat: we're going to spend a week in Spain at the end of October.
We'll start in Valencia where we'd like to spend about two days (more if you convince us to do so). We will then slowly drive South towards Jávea, where we will spend four days before returning to Valencia for our flight home.

Request: tips on places to stay in Valencia. Any suggestions for restaurants and places to see are most welcome. You Fodorites have yet to disappoint me

We are debating whether to travel to Jávea (costa Blanca) via the coastal route or via the inland route. Are places like Xativa and Alcoy worth the detour? I see lots of green routes on the map. We usually prefer to travel away from the beaten path.

Any advice on what we can expect weather wise in that time of year? Can we e.g. expect snow on the higher hill tops at the beginning of November? We would like to know in view of the route to take as well as what type of car we should rent. Thanks as always, for your help!

lincasanova

Valencia

tapas: La Comisería

www.restaurantelacomisaria.com

Nice meal.. great lunch menu Seu Xerea http://www.seuxerea.com/

Want to take a cooking class? Then www.foodandfun.es. You can request a free interpreter to be at your side.

I think it is worth doing one route on way down and another back, so yes, go to Xativa to see the castle ruins and have a meal or snack at the restaurant/ hotel facing the castle hill.

http://mont-sant.com/index.php/en/history.html

From Javea do go to Altea and Moraria. very nice. If you want to explore a bit further to go to spectacular mountain village Guadalest. Google to get pages of images.. very neat place.



I HOPE there is no snow the first week of November!!

lincasanova

Cars: Whatever size you are comfortable in and a trunk to hold your luggage out of sight.

I would not get the car until you are going to leave Valencia. Parking fees ( aprox. 20E/night, 3E/hour) and driving city stress are NOT worth it. Taxis are inexpensive and the bus/metro system is fine.

If you stay in the old part of town it will be easy to get back to the airport on the cheap metro.. or if you can pick up the car IN town, the train station is VERY convenient.

You have basically two options for accommodations. Old town, or science center. Old town has more walking around close by places for your strolling off time. But depending on events, you MAY get a much newer nicer hotel for half the price near the Science center. The beach is closer to the science center also. Both are connected by good bus service but not the metro that basically just takes people across town and out to residential areas.

I'd be happy to advise you on choosing between one hotel and another if you have any questions or doubts.

Elisabeth54

Thank you so much for your help Lincasanova. We have just literally decided on this short trip a day ago so I have to do a little more research but I always find that's half the fun of traveling.

Any suggestions on nice restaurants in or around Jávea are most welcome. I will get back to you on hotels in Valencia. I think we'll opt for old town. Thanks again!

kimhe

Fabulous flamenco dancer Rocío Molina performs in Valencia on Sunday Oct 27. Final act of the Festival 10 Sentidos. http://www.rociomolina.net/agenda/

In June this year the Spanish daily El Mundo presented her as "the new queen of flamenco". She's Premio Nacional de Danza 2010.

International press about Molina:
- "one of the finest soloists in the world today", New York Times 2009
- "Molina has genius: irresistible, all-consuming, all-powerful", Financial Times 2011
- "as if she were sharing the stage with the ghosts of all the dancers whose art she has absorbed – and reinvented", Telegraph 2013

This year she has danced in New York, London, Paris, Moscow, Tokyo, Mexico City, Madrid, Barcelona and numerous other Spanish and French cities. In Valencia she's staging her latest work Afectos together with singer Rosario La Tremendita and double bass Pablo Martín. Saw the premiere of this in Barcelona last October. Highly recommended!
http://vimeo.com/60348557

Elisabeth54

Hi Kimhe, too bad, we will fly in on October 28th. Thanks very much for the tip though. I appreciate the information you sent me. I seem to remember you were the one who gave me advice on flamenco in Seville two years ago.We spent an unforgettable evening in Casa Anselma in Triana.

I have looked up Ms. Molina's schedule and we will probably be able to see her perform in another European city sometime next year. Thanks again!

kimhe

Have a nice trip

danon

We were in Valencia around Oct. 20th last year.,the weather was great.
Don't miss the visit to fantastic beaches ..have a drink in one of the restaurants or bars
right on the beach or at the spectacular hotel Las ARENAS.
Valencia is a beautiful city...we stayed six days with only one day trip.
Would go back any time.

lincasanova

as usual kimhe has informed me again of something great happening where I will be. This festival in Valencia is FREE.. tickets go up for reservation next Monday. I hope I get in the pool. Thank you AGAIN, kimhe.

Elisabeth54

Thanks for the suggestion of hotel Las Arenas, Danon. It does look wonderful!
Since we expect to spend the rest of the week near a beach in Jávea, in Valencia we'd like to stay somewhere in the older section of town near the cathedral.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a nice, smaller size hotel? We are not very much into wellness and spa's on this kind of trip. Muchos gracias in advance.

lincasanova

sh inglés

hotel ayre astoria palace

both correct hotels and under 65E in good location for short city stay. l look on trivago.. see where they are cheaper and also check their website . No need to pay a lot for breakfast as you can get good 2-3E breakfasts with juice, croissant and coffee everywhere nearby, unless you liek a big buffet of course.

kimhe

I knew you might like this, Lin;-)

The premiere in Barcelona last October was one of those nights. Extremely powerful interplay between Molina and La Tremendita. Here's a nice presentation of Rosario La Tremendita (Sevilla, 1984), and her singing to Molina during the 2010 Bienal in Sevilla (after 1.35 min): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2COB0w9500

lincasanova

I saw her in Madrid.. so I am really looking forward to this event.. thanks!!

kimhe

Lin,

Hope you got tickets for tonights event, and if so, perhaps stay for the talk between the artists and the audience on stage afterwards: http://www.festival10sentidos.com/in...-20-38-11.html

lincasanova

yes, got 4! The opening with José Galan was great.. very moving. He has two Down Syndrome dancers in his troupe. This is a festival about integrated special needs people into the arts and the progress they have made. This has been a really wonderful festival. Thank you again. Thanks to you I was informed early and was able to register online and after a few phone calls find out the starting date to request the free tickets. They were all gone within a VERY short time.

kimhe

Think you will be up for - if not a special needs night - definitely a special night. Like to hear what you thought. From December they take "Afectos" on a two months and intensive tour of France.

Elisabeth54

Have a wonderful evening, Lincasanova!

Meanwhile, we have had to postpone our trip by one day due to expected extreme weather conditions from where we are flying.

Now that we're 'on the line' could you recommend a town (hotel) on the coast between Valencia and Jávea, which is our final destination? Is Denia a nice place to stay for a stopover? We have decided to drive back to Valencia via Xativa.

lincasanova

If you are leaving from the airport I would go to the Parador del Saler.... or if you wan tot go further Cullera, taking the coast road not the highway. Stay at Hotel El Chalet.. simple place but gets good reviews. If you are staying in VLC I'd add a night because Denia is right next to Javea /Xabia and you will be going there anyway during your Javea/Xabia stay.

The mountain ( long way ) between Denia and Javea/ XABIA should not be missed. Go to the lighthouse up there also. great views.

If you run out of reading material there are used book stores in both towns..lots of stuff in English

Elisabeth54

Thank you again for all your help. I wish you a pleasant flamenco evening.