queensgrl

I have a 7 day trip planned for Barcelona in late February. Thinking of going to Valencia for two nights during that time. Is it worth going to Valencia for only 2 nights? Best to go by train or bus? Will this be taking too much time away from Barcelona (where we have been but not for 10 years)?

lincasanova

There is a lovely high speed train that you may be able to get webfares on at www.renfe.es

Two nights should be fine. There are tons of museums here.. and if the weather is nice a lot of eateries with outdoor dining.

Bikes to rent.. boat rides to take. I hope you have a lovely time.

Robert2533

There are no high-speed trains between Barcelona and Valencia, at least not yet. The Euromed takes 3 hours, the TALGO and ARCO are a little slower, but they give you several options if you want to take a side trip to Valencia.

The new AVE will be running between Madrid and Valencia, 1hr 38min on the fastest route.

lincasanova

well.. it's not the AVE but we have always referred to it as "highER speed" than the others that run that route. We do usually just say the "Euromed".. or the "fastest one" if asking a friend which one he is on. It is/has been definitely a HUGE improvement to all other trains on that route and until many other cities GOT the AVE ( remember I have been here ages and modes of speech kind of go WAY back) it has been referred to as high speed by locals.

here in Spanish they actually refer to it as high speed.

.."En el verano de 1997 entró en servicio comercial el tren Euromed, un tren de alta velocidad de ancho ibérico..."

Whatever.It really is a nice train. If you can get first class discounted (or not!!).. go for it as It includes a meal and free drinks, plus using the VIP lounge ( with drinks and snacks) at each departure.

queensgrl

Thanks for your advice re: train. Do you think 2 days would be sufficient enough in Valencia? Do you think that it's worth cutting Barcelona short from 7 to 5 days or should I take a separate trip to Valencia at a future date?

lincasanova

valencia is an easy town to deal with. it has a huge historic area, lots of museums and some iconic architecture in the newer section. Hotels are reasonable compared to other cities, I think.

Once you know your dates and how much you want to spend, I can help you decide what part of town to stay in and tell you which hotels might be nicer.

I think it would be a nice, easy getaway. I don't think you will be disappointed if you do some research.

plaza de la virgen
calle caballeros
diputación
la lonja
mercado central

maybe do a cooking class
www.foodandfun.es

museo san pio V
ciudad de las artes y ciencias

museo de historia de valencia

riverbed bike ride

seu xerea ( nice nice restaurant)

hotel las arenas for a coffee outside if weather is nice

for good home cooked lunch, go to the bar/restaurant at plaza rojas clemente in the plaza rojas clemente.

the metro goes directly from the airport downtown.

queensgrl

Thanks, Lin. If we plan to do this, I will definitely contact you for more information. Sounds like a city I would love, just undecided whether to rush through in two days this trip or save it for another time when we can spend more days.
Thanks again.

lincasanova

Luckily it is not very spread out, except for the beach area and the science area which can easily be visited same half day.

seeksocean

bookmarking

sherpa

We are also planning to stay overnight in Valencia on way down to Grenada from Barcelona. Planning to stay at the Melia plaza hotel. Hoping to see more of the town by staying in the city itself.

ekscrunchy

Does the last sentence refer to Valencia? If so, do you have a question? (I am confused by the references to a town and a city)

lincasanova

There have been some changes in the first class perks on Spanish trains that used to make the difference seem more justified. Many times you do not get to use the VIP lounge ( depending on the fare you have paid.. if FULL fare or discounted) nor are there meals served any more. Details on the website renfe.com. S, judge accordingly.

That is a good location. I hope you have a nice visit.