Visint Valencia - dropping our daughter off at FSU
Apr 28th, 2012, 01:53 PM
#1
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Visint Valencia - dropping our daughter off at FSU
We are visiting Valencia in August to drop our daughter off at FSU. She will do 2 semesters there....we are excited and scared....and have soooo many questions!
Here we go:
How long should we stay in Valencia? 3 days> a week? We have traveled extensively but in Spain have only spent a week in Madrid and a week in Barcelona with no day trips either time. Should we go back and visit Toledo? Should we venture to Sevilla?
What is the best way to get to Valencia? domestic flight? train? from where?
Where do we stay?
We plan our trips around good food, local markets, opera, theater, sports events, sight seeing.
Oh, my daughter starts school August 30 and I turn 50 the day before.....so we are celebrating my half century the Spanish way.....we speak fluent Spanish....what can we do in Valencia to celebrate?
THANKS
Here we go:
How long should we stay in Valencia? 3 days> a week? We have traveled extensively but in Spain have only spent a week in Madrid and a week in Barcelona with no day trips either time. Should we go back and visit Toledo? Should we venture to Sevilla?
What is the best way to get to Valencia? domestic flight? train? from where?
Where do we stay?
We plan our trips around good food, local markets, opera, theater, sports events, sight seeing.
Oh, my daughter starts school August 30 and I turn 50 the day before.....so we are celebrating my half century the Spanish way.....we speak fluent Spanish....what can we do in Valencia to celebrate?
THANKS
Apr 28th, 2012, 02:15 PM
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First of all.. do not be scared! I am confident your daughter will feel safe and happy at FSU and in Valencia during her year here.
You will probably want to stay here for about a week, given that you will be settling your daughter in to school and want to get to know the area.
The best way to get here is difficult to say. It will all depend on the airfares you are seeing online and whether price is important in this case.
Obviously, coming to Valencia by air would be the most comfortable but sometimes can cost over $200/person more than landing in Madrid or Barcelona.
Train travel is easy from both those cities, but you may want to rent a car for the three of you and tour a bit on your way down to Valencia. How long will your entire trip be?
If you are using FF points, you can have a free stopover in another country on your way to Spain and have a vacation there.
In which case, I would suggest Madrid as your destination because
1) there are NO TOLLS
2) you have some amazing sites to see along the way or with short detours.
You may also try to look into an open jaw (multiple destination) ticket to see if that compensates for either the arrival or departure.
August is very hot across most of Spain. I would save Sevilla for another time of year if possible, as well as Toledo.
Here is the Valencia tourist page.
http://www.turisvalencia.es/
I will try to think of something special for your birthday! Also, you may want an apartment with pool during your stay.
http://www.friendlyrentals.com/es/ap...miento-120.htm
Lucky you speak Spanish. You shouldn't have any problems!
You will probably want to stay here for about a week, given that you will be settling your daughter in to school and want to get to know the area.
The best way to get here is difficult to say. It will all depend on the airfares you are seeing online and whether price is important in this case.
Obviously, coming to Valencia by air would be the most comfortable but sometimes can cost over $200/person more than landing in Madrid or Barcelona.
Train travel is easy from both those cities, but you may want to rent a car for the three of you and tour a bit on your way down to Valencia. How long will your entire trip be?
If you are using FF points, you can have a free stopover in another country on your way to Spain and have a vacation there.
In which case, I would suggest Madrid as your destination because
1) there are NO TOLLS
2) you have some amazing sites to see along the way or with short detours.
You may also try to look into an open jaw (multiple destination) ticket to see if that compensates for either the arrival or departure.
August is very hot across most of Spain. I would save Sevilla for another time of year if possible, as well as Toledo.
Here is the Valencia tourist page.
http://www.turisvalencia.es/
I will try to think of something special for your birthday! Also, you may want an apartment with pool during your stay.
http://www.friendlyrentals.com/es/ap...miento-120.htm
Lucky you speak Spanish. You shouldn't have any problems!
Apr 28th, 2012, 03:00 PM
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Renting an apartment is a good idea, we have done that in Madrid, Barcelona and Paris and really like it.
We were looking at the map and temperatures and yes, Seville and Madrid are too hot to walk around.....how about driving from Nice, France all the way to Valencia? It's a total on 9-10 hours. We could do it in 4-5 days and stop in Monaco, Cannes, Tarragona. Then spend 4-5 days in Valencia settling our daughter. Seems like themperatures would be around 8o to 855 F....good beach weather!
Is this too crazy?
We hope to fly on FF miles but have not looked at details just yet....want to define what to do before we fight that battle
We were looking at the map and temperatures and yes, Seville and Madrid are too hot to walk around.....how about driving from Nice, France all the way to Valencia? It's a total on 9-10 hours. We could do it in 4-5 days and stop in Monaco, Cannes, Tarragona. Then spend 4-5 days in Valencia settling our daughter. Seems like themperatures would be around 8o to 855 F....good beach weather!
Is this too crazy?
We hope to fly on FF miles but have not looked at details just yet....want to define what to do before we fight that battle
Apr 28th, 2012, 03:11 PM
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If you can get to Nice more easily and don't mind driving back ( rental drop off fees are quite high usually from country to country), if that's where you would like to go.. ( I am not really familiar with the entire coast of France. I went many years ago, but quickly to a film festival and don't even remember much of the towns along the way)
These are details you will need to check out.
It is a long trip and the tolls are quite high, plus gasoline is 1.5E a LITER. ( 6 euros a gallon).
www.viamichelin.com will give tolls and gasoline costs, also.
It sounds like you have some ideas of places you would like to visit during your trip here. Once you have looked into them, airfare, car rentals,etc.. you will be able to make a better decision.
These are details you will need to check out.
It is a long trip and the tolls are quite high, plus gasoline is 1.5E a LITER. ( 6 euros a gallon).
www.viamichelin.com will give tolls and gasoline costs, also.
It sounds like you have some ideas of places you would like to visit during your trip here. Once you have looked into them, airfare, car rentals,etc.. you will be able to make a better decision.
Apr 28th, 2012, 08:47 PM
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Valencia is very hot in August and so it is beach weather but the beaches tend to get very crowded as most Spaniards are on holiday this month.If you have done msot of thebig cities in Spain then maybe 3 or four days in Valencia amd a day trip to Teruel or a two daytrip and include the beautiful mountain town of Albarracin staying the night there or in Teruel.It's a lovely mountain area much cooler especially at night and the both places are historical and fun. You could stay in the Parador in Teruel or plenty of hotels in the centre.
Apr 29th, 2012, 05:32 AM
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Valencia is wonderful! I went to school there myself the summer just before I entered college (many years ago!!) and recently returned for the first time, spending 4 nights there. Loved this smashingly beautiful city!
I wrote a trip report that you can read, if you want to plow through a lot of details about food!
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-blossoms.cfm
I wrote a trip report that you can read, if you want to plow through a lot of details about food!
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-blossoms.cfm
Apr 29th, 2012, 07:09 AM
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Thank you all for the input....I'm learning and reading to decide what is best. I am leaning to staying in Valencia for a week.
When you say Valencia is very hot in August you mean around 85F? I live in Texas
When you say Valencia is very hot in August you mean around 85F? I live in Texas
Apr 29th, 2012, 11:15 AM
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Lincasanova
We will spend a week in Valencia. We are thinking of traveling to Madrid and taking AVE to Valencia to have the experience....I'm sorting through the website to understad cost, schedule and any limitations regarding luggage.
Do we want to stay by the beach? close to FSU? Barrio Carmen?
THANKS!!!
We will spend a week in Valencia. We are thinking of traveling to Madrid and taking AVE to Valencia to have the experience....I'm sorting through the website to understad cost, schedule and any limitations regarding luggage.
Do we want to stay by the beach? close to FSU? Barrio Carmen?
THANKS!!!
May 10th, 2012, 11:03 AM
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We bought plane tickets so we are set to be in Valencia for a little over a week!
We arrive August 22 and leave August 31st. I turn 50 the 29th so we need to visit some special place that day.
Please suggest what to see including day trips.
Do we rent a car?
We are looking at apartments thinking we may want to cook a little.....
We arrive August 22 and leave August 31st. I turn 50 the 29th so we need to visit some special place that day.
Please suggest what to see including day trips.
Do we rent a car?
We are looking at apartments thinking we may want to cook a little.....
May 10th, 2012, 12:17 PM
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Alba:
Congrats!!! I am sure you will enjoy your stay and birthday in Valencia.
Don't miss Ciudad de las Artes, Museo de la Cerámica and many churches and museums.Here you will find my report on our 1 week visit to Valencia last year.We were more than happy in this beautiful city.Plus, always follow the advice from Lincasanova, a resident in Valencia and a wonderful person.
Enjoy!!!
Congrats!!! I am sure you will enjoy your stay and birthday in Valencia.
Don't miss Ciudad de las Artes, Museo de la Cerámica and many churches and museums.Here you will find my report on our 1 week visit to Valencia last year.We were more than happy in this beautiful city.Plus, always follow the advice from Lincasanova, a resident in Valencia and a wonderful person.
Enjoy!!!
