Here’s everything you need to know about the best neighborhoods in Valencia. Spain has become one of the top destinations for tourists, digital nomads, and people looking to immigrate. So whether you’re looking for the best neighborhoods for hotels or a quiet area to live in – this Valencia neighborhood guide has it all. So let’s get started!

The Best Neighborhoods in Valencia, Spain

The best areas in Valencia really depend on your goals and what you’re looking for. So in this guide, I’ll go in-depth through the entire city. But in case you want a quick answer – these are the best districts and neighborhoods in Valencia:

• For shorter vacations: Ciutat Vella or Russafa
• For digital nomads: Russafa, El Botànic, Benimaclet, 
• For long-term living: Extramurs, Benimaclet, Campanar, Mestalla

But before you make any bookings – keep reading to learn more details about each neighborhood. We’ll talk about things to do, pros and cons, and what to know before coming!

So let’s get started with this full Valencia neighborhood guide. And remember – if you have any questions, just send me a message! 

Things to Know

Before we dive into the specifics, here are a few general considerations about Valencia’s layout. 

1. It’s broken up into 19 districts with 88 neighborhoods. For example, Ciutat Vella is the district, and El Carme is the neighborhood within. 
2. The center of the city is the oldest, with outer circles being more modern.
3. Public transport can get you anywhere – but some areas are more poorly connected.
4. The city changes quite a bit depending on the season. For example, living in the city center isn’t as pleasant during tourist season. 
5. Except for a few notable exceptions, the entire city is safe for women, LGBT, and solo travelers. 

So those are just a few things to keep in mind as you plan your trip. 

Concentric circles

The easiest way to understand how the city is laid out is by thinking in expanding circles. 

Major roads create circles (more or less) around the different sections of the city. 

So for example, the Old Town (the blue lines) is surrounded by a circular section of roads:

• Carrer de Xátiva
• Carrer de Guillem de Castro
• Carrer de Colom
• Carrer de la Blanqueria

Then the next section of the city sits between those roads and the circle made up by La Gran Via. 

Afterwards, you get the districts between La Gran Via and Peréz Galdós/Perís i Valero (the green lines). 

Finally, everything outside of that final circle are some of the outer districts in the city (the red lines). 

As a general rule – I recommend tourists to stay within the first or second circle. Then for long-term stays, it’s more cost-effective to stay in the second or third circles. I don’t usually recommend people staying past the third circle, except for a few notable exceptions. 

Now, let’s go through all the districts and the most important neighborhoods in Valencia. 

Ciutat Vella

Ciutat Vella, the Old Town, is the historic heart of Valencia. It’s known for its narrow streets, gothic architecture, and large, sprawling plazas.

The district of la Ciutat Vella covers many of the most important landmarks and things to do in the city. 

Here are the main pros and cons of staying in the city center:

Since La Ciutat Vella is so large, let’s break this district down into its different neighborhoods to get a better idea of it. 

La Seu

La Seu, The Seat, is named after the Valencia Cathedral. As it’s the seat of religion in the city, it’s the historical center of Valencia. This part of the city is more than 2,000 years old – so it’s a great spot for tourists and history nerds! 

There are plenty of monuments to see here.

• The Valencia Cathedral
• The Basilica 
• La Plaça de la Mare de Deu dels Desemparats
• L’Almoina Archeological museum
• Sant Nicolau (The Valencian Sistine Chapel)
• Palau de la Generalitat
• Palau del Marqués de la Scala

As well as plenty of other churches, plazas, and palaces. 

It’s a bit pricier than other areas in La Ciutat Vella, although there are a few hostels as well. 

I wouldn’t recommend looking for long-term accommodations here, as it’s relatively expensive and lacks some daily conveniences like grocery stores. 

La Xerea

La Xerea is to the east of La Seu and features several palaces, churches, and the original center of the Universitat de València. 

Here are some of the most important monuments in this neighborhood:

• La Nau de la Universitat de València
• El Palau del Marqués de Dosaigües
• Església de Sant Joan del Hospital

This section also features some important shopping areas, especially if you’re looking for designer or luxury items. 

This is absolutely one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city. However, there are some hotel options that are more accessible, especially if you come during the off season.

Again, I would avoid living long-term in this area, unless you have a higher budget and want to live in a more luxury area.   

El Carme

The next stop on this Valencia neighborhood guide – one of the most visited areas of the city. 

El Carme is one of my favorite areas in Valencia. Although there were safety problems in the 80s, several decades of economic assistance packages and tourism boosts have made a big impact. 

This area (sometimes referred to as El Carmen in Spanish) is known for its narrow streets, lively atmosphere, and tons of great dining options. 

Here are the most important monuments in El Carme:

• Torres de Quart
• Torres dels Serrans
• Portal de la Valldigna 
• Palau del Marqués de Malferit 
• Institut Valencià d’Art Modern
• Centre del Carme 
• Museu Etnològic 

You’ll also find plenty of other museums, street art, and beautifully winding streets here. 

There are a huge range of hotel options here, as well as living solutions for people visiting for a few months. 

However, I wouldn’t recommend it for long-term living unless you enjoy a very lively atmosphere, don’t mind walking further for your groceries, and don’t plan on using a car. 

El Pilar

The next neighborhood is El Pilar – also known as Velluters by the locals. 

For tourists, this neighborhood is slightly less important. There aren’t many monuments or major things to see, but it is a great area to stay in. 

This is one of the best neighborhoods in Valencia for digital nomads and people looking to enjoy the city for longer. 

You’re super close to all of the lively downtown atmosphere, but the neighborhood itself is still a bit more relaxed. 

So whether you want to stay for a longer time OR you want a quieter street as a tourist, this is a great area to look into. 

El Mercat

As you can imagine, El Mercat is the neighborhood that features the emblematic Mercat Central. 

It’s one of the most important parts of the city and is absolutely an area you must visit. 

Things to see in El Mercat neighborhood:

• El Mercat Central
• La Llotja
• Església dels Sants Joans

This area has plenty of hotels, Airbnbs, and hostels. It’s conveniently located and isn’t as expensive compared to La Xerea or Sant Francesc. 

Although I still wouldn’t recommend this area for long-term living, as it tends to be too lively during tourist season. 

Sant Francesc

The last neighborhood in La Ciutat Vella is Sant Francesc. 

This is one of the best neighborhoods for sightseeing in Valencia. You get to see the city hall, the train station, and the most important shopping street. 

Here are the most important things to see in Sant Francesc:

• Plaça de l’Ajuntament
• L’Edici de Correus
• El Banc de València
• Estació del Nord

The hotels and lodgings in this area tend to have a higher price point. If you’re looking for luxury offerings, then this is the neighborhood for you. 

If you’re looking for a long-term stay – then it’s nearly impossible to find an apartment in this area. 

Eixample

For the next section of our Valencia neighborhood guide, let’s look into L’Eixample. 

The second district of Valencia is famous for the trendy Russafa neighborhood. While it’s right outside of the Old Town, many people now consider this area to be a secondary “downtown”. 

Here are my thoughts on this area:

Personally, I do believe that L’Eixample is one of the best districts in Valencia. After all – there’s a reason it’s trendy! 

But let’s look at the 3 neighborhoods in a bit more detail. 

Russafa

Russafa (sometimes called Ruzafa in Spanish) is one of the most famous neighborhoods in Valencia.

Between the vibrant architecture and the atmosphere, plenty of people love being in Russafa. 

Here’s what Russafa has to see:

• Mercat de Russafa
• Església de Sant Valeri

Now while it doesn’t seem like many monuments, I think the most impressive part of Russafa is simply the streets. It’s the perfect place to do some strolling, get lost, and admire the buildings. 

This is the perfect neighborhood if you’re looking for nightlife and excitement. But if you’re looking for a more relaxed, long-term stay – Russafa could get a bit overwhelming. 

It’s also one of the most expensive areas if you’re looking to live here long-term, although the hotels remain relatively affordable.  

Pla del Remei

This is another one of the best neighborhoods in Valencia for some shopping. 

It’s known for the modernist architecture, neogothic churches, and quiet luxury brands. 

The most notable monument to see in el Pla del Remei is el Mercat de Colom, a modernist open-market that’s a must-see on your Valencian itinerary. 

This area is well-connected, has several supermarkets, and is right next to some of the most important monuments in the city.

This means that the only barrier to this area of the city is the higher price point. Long-term residence will certainly be much higher, as well as the hotels in this area.  

Gran Via

The last neighborhood in l’Eixample is Gran Via. It takes its name from the major roads that border this triangular neighborhood. 

There are no major monuments to visit in the area, although there are plenty of green spaces. 

The most convenient part of this neighborhood is that it is located halfway between the historic center and the City of Arts and Sciences. 

There are convenient options for just about budget size when it comes to hotels. 

However, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for digital nomads or for long-term living, as the public transport options here are slightly more limited. For a tourist, this isn’t such a big deal – but for day-to-day living, this can be an inconvenience. 

Extramurs

Extramurs is a mostly residential area that, in my opinion, is the best place to live in Valencia. 

But I may be a bit biased since this is my neighborhood! 

The area has a mix of modern and historical buildings, maintaining a nice mix of daily conveniences and traditional designs. 

Here are some of the pros and cons about this district:

I’d consider Extramurs to be the last big district that has a little something for everyone. So let’s dedicate a bit of space in this Valencia neighborhood guide to taking a deeper look.

El Botànic

El Botànic (my neighborhood!) is just one street away from La Ciutat Vella. This makes it one of the best neighborhoods in Valencia for its centric location, convenient access to transport and daily needs, and options for both tourists and residents. 

This Valencia neighborhood is named after the Botanical Gardens. These are visitable and are great to see in the springtime! 

There aren’t many other monuments in this area. Although you do have a great view of the Torres de Quart, plus access to a small food market (Rojas Clemente). 

Since this neighborhood isn’t in the center, but it’s still very close – it’s perfect for daily life. You can still access the city center, but you can still get here by car or public transport easily. So for me – it’s the ideal location. 

There are also a few Airbnbs and hotels. Since it’s not directly in the center, you can find better rates here. 

La Roqueta

This is another one of the best neighborhoods in Valencia for tourists. Some of the areas are a bit cheaper, but it’s still very close to the city center. 

This is the southern tip of Extramurs and the Estació del Nord is the boundary line. 

It’s also a great neighborhood for people looking for more affordable long-term housing while still being near the center. 

Finally, this is where Valencia’s “China Town” is. This is a great spot to find many international cuisines and specialty supermarkets. 

During Les Falles festival, these streets get incredibly packed. The Falla commission from Convent de Jerusalem is one of the largest falles. So definitely something to consider! 

La Petxina

La Petxina is a much more traditional neighborhood. Even though it’s not the oldest part of the city, this is a classic example of what your average neighborhood looks like in Valencia. 

However, the façades in this area still maintain that classic style, similar to Russafa. This makes it the perfect spot for people looking to live more long-term in Valencia. 

The prices are more affordable, it’s less touristy, and much more calm compared to other areas of the city. 

This neighborhood is well-connected, has quick access to the public gym, and is also bordering the river. 

That’s why this is one of the best neighborhoods in Valencia to live in. It’s not the most convenient for a tourist, but if you want to stay long term, definitely check it out. 

Arrancapins

This neighborhood is similar to La Petxina. It maintains some traditional façades, making it (generally) a nice area to live in. 

Arrancapins is the 3rd circle of the city, which means depending on the zone, you could stay to get pretty far away from the center. 

In my personal opinion, it’s not nearly as nice as the other neighborhoods in Extramurs, but it’s still a good option for people looking to stay long term in the city. 

The most notable part of this neighborhood is the Finca Roja – an enormous building with a bright red exterior. It was created to be affordable housing for the working class, while maintaining a bourgeois style. 

If you’re looking for a calm neighborhood in Valencia, this is a nice area to live in. But if you’re a traveler on a tight itinerary, I wouldn’t spend time coming out here.  

Campanar

Note: The first 3 districts are generally the best neighborhoods in Valencia. The remaining districts are less noteworthy (comparatively). 

So from now on, we’ll be looking at just the districts as a whole, rather than dedicating time to the remaining 70+ neighborhoods. 

Campanar is a quieter district that used to be a separate town up until the 1890s. It has a relaxed atmosphere with lots of green spaces and quick access to the Túria Gardens. 

It’s made up of the following Valencia neighborhoods:

• Campanar: With a classic poble (small town) vibe and a cute church
• Les Tendetes: Residential neighborhood
• El Calvari: Residential neighborhood
• Sant Pau: Residential neighborhood

The neighborhood of Campanar (not the entire district) is definitely worth a visit if you have time. The small-town vibe is completely different from anything else in the city! 

During Les Falles, one of the largest Falles are set up here, as well (Falla L’Antiga de Campanar)

La Saïdia

La Saïdia is a primarily residential area just north of the River Túria. It gets its name from a now-destroyed palace that an old Arab king had in Valencia. 

For the most part, this neighborhood features affordable housing options, a few parks, and access to public transport. 

However, there are a few notable spots in this district. For example, Deseo 54 is one of the most popular LGBT clubs, which is found in Morvedre. 

And if you’re looking to learn a language, the Escola Oficial d’Idiomes (The Official School of Languages) is found in Marxalenes, right in front of the riverbed. 

Finally, one of the best art museums in Valencia is in Trinitat – Museu de Belles Arts de València. 

Here are the neighborhoods in La Saïdia:

• Marxalenes
• Morvedre
• Trinitat
• Tormos
• Sant Antoni

El Pla del Real

Next up on our Valencia neighborhood guide is El Pla del Real – one of the most important areas in Valencia. 

This district includes the university area, some residential districts, and the Mestalla Football Stadium. 

In other words, this is a great place to study abroad in Valencia. Some of these are the nicest neighborhoods in Valencia, so definitely a place worth considering! 

Here are the neighborhoods in El Pla del Real:

• Exposició – Holds the Jardins Reials
• Mestalla – Features the soccer (Football) stadium 
• Jaume Roig – Residential neighborhood 
• Ciutat Universitària – Has the university campus

This is a dynamic and youthful district with a lively atmosphere. 

l’Olivereta

Whiel L’Olivereta isn’t one of the prettiest districts in the city, it is an important one to know for residents.

If you’re planning on staying in the area for a while, you’ll likely need to head to Nou Moles to head to the administrative buildings. 

These neighborhoods are considerably more affordable, especially depending on the area. Here is a list of the neighborhoods in l’Olivereta:

• Nou Moles
• Soternes
• Tres Forques
• La Fontsanta
• La Llum

This is one of the poorer districts, but it is still a safe place to live. If you have a low budget for housing, then you can safely consider one of these neighborhoods. 

Patraix

Patraix was an independent town up until 1870, with many of the areas still maintaining that charming small-town essence. 

Here are the neighborhoods in the district of Patraix:

• Patraix
• Sant Isidre
• Vara de Quart
• Safranar
• Favara

In this Valencia neighborhood guide, I want to be as honest as possible. 

And in my opinion – I would avoid staying in this area. It’s a completely residential area with nothing super special. While it may be cheaper, there are other areas that are also affordable and have other benefits to them. 

Jesús

Jesús is another purely residential district that is hard for me to recommend to anyone. 

The problem with these neighborhoods is that they are found right on top of the train’s entrance to the city. 

In other words, they’re a bit loud. So they’re not the most comfortable place to live in. 

While there are some important religious buildings, such as the cemetary and the crosses that mark the entrance to the city – it’s not the best neighborhood in Valencia for a tourist. 

Jesús is made up of:

• La Raoisa
• L’Hort de Senabre
• La Creu Coberta
• Sant Marcel·lí
• Camí Real

If you’re looking for minimal pricing on housing, this would be the district to look in. 

Quatre Carreres

Quatre Carreres has a mix of residential areas and modernist tourist attractions. 

Here, you’ll find everything from La Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències to the primary Hospital La Fé. 

Here are the Valencia neighborhoods in Quatre Carreres:

• Monteolivete
• En Corts
• Malilla
• Fuente de San Luis
• Na Rovella
• La Punta
• Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències

While there are some nicer homes and hotels in this area, I personally still advise against staying here. 

Mostly because it’s pretty far away from the rest of the city. 

My suggestion: Visit this area to see the City of Arts and Sciences and Parc Gulliver. But don’t let hotels fool you – this area is NOT “downtown” OR “centric”. 

Poblats Marítims

This is one of the best districts in Valencia in my opinion. 

Although it’s relatively far away from the city center, these neighborhoods get direct access to the Mediterranean Sea. 

Not only that – but many of the neighborhoods still maintain their small town charm and traditions. 

So while, personally, I would prefer staying closer to the city, this is great for people who can’t get enough of the sea. 

Here are the neighborhoods in Poblats Marítims:

• El Grau – See the port, go on watersports activities, and see some monuments
• Cabanyal – Admire this traditional town and enjoy the food
• Malva-rosa – Lay out on the beach 
• Beteró – Residential area 
• Natzaret – Residential area 

Camins al Grau

Camins al Grau sits between the city center and the beach (but closer to the sea). This is almost a purely residential area that is quite calm. 

The name literally means “Paths to the Port”, as this used to give Valencians access to the port. 

Here are the neighborhoods in Camins al Grau:

• Aiora
• Albors
• La Creu del Grau
• Camí Fondo
• Penya-Roja

Algirós

Algirós is a relatively lively residential area that faces l’Horta (the farmlands). 

It offers many green spaces, access to public transport, and affordable cost of living. This makes it relatively popular for young working-class families and students. 

Here are the neighborhoods in Algirós:

• L’Illa Perduda
• Ciutat Jardí
• L’Amistat
• La Bega Baixa
• La Carrasca

Benimaclet

Benimaclet is one of the trendiest district in Valencia. 

It has a artsy, bohemian vibe that is popular with students, artists, and expats. 

It’s one of the most authentic neighborhoods in Valencia. By that, I mean you’ll almost exclusively hear people speaking in Valencian, you’ll find lots of politically-active residents, and see plenty of traditions. Like in the picture above, where you see the Muixeranga. 

The district of Benimaclet (endearingly referred to as Beni) is made up of two neighborhoods:

• Benimaclet
• Camino de Vera

Rascanya

Rascanya is a primarily residential area that doesn’t offer much to tourists or people looking for a long-term stay. 

While you can find the Monestir de Sant Miquel dels Reis, the current seat of the Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua  – it’s not visitable. 

The Jardí d’Orriols is also quite nice, but it’s pretty far away if you’re only here visiting. So to be quite honest – I wouldn’t recommend this district to anyone.   

Here are the neighborhoods in Rascanya:

• Orriols
• Torrefiel
• San Lorenzo

Benicalap

Benicalap is another district that used to be its own town. It is primarily surrounded by farmlands.

This district is the outer north-west limit to the city. 

This area is most well known for the fact that the Artistes Fallers (the artisans for Falles) have their workshops here. 

So while this is great for people who want to get heavily involved in the trade – it’s not necessarily recommended for tourists or other residents. 

Here are the two neighborhoods in Benicalap:

• Benicalap
• Ciutat Fallera

All in all, I also would not recommend Benicalap to people coming to Valencia. 

Pobles del Nord

Pobles del Nord is the northern-most part of the city. It’s marked by small farming areas that have been administratively adopted by the city of Valencia. 

Pobles del Nord include the following neighborhoods in Valencia:

• Benifaraig
• Poble Nou
• Carpesa
• Cases de Bàrcena
• Mauella
• Massarrojos
• Borbotó

While there is a lot of history for anyone interested in agriculture, I don’t recommend coming here. 

Even if you wanted to rural tourism – there are other better areas nearby. I would recommend smaller towns or finding a rural home in the mountains instead. 

Pobles de l’Oest

Pobles de l’Oest make up two smaller neighborhoods on the western part of the city. They are:

• Benimàmet
• Beniferri

Just like Pobles del Nord, I wouldn’t really recommend coming here, either. They are mostly residential areas that don’t offer anything special to either tourists or people looking to move to Valencia. 

Because while housing is much cheaper here, personally I would recommend moving to a nearby town instead. This way, you’ll get the traditions and authentic experience of that living in a poble.

I say this because most nearby towns are still easily connected with the center Valencia,  but will offer a better quality of life than these two neighborhoods.  

Pobles del Sud

Unlike the last couple of districts, Pobles del Sud do actually offer a lot for both residents and tourists. 

These are some of the most authentic areas of Valencia. They are living reminders of Valencia’s connection to l’Albufera, the sea, and farmlands. 

You’ll also find some of the best paella in these areas. 

Here are the neighborhoods in Pobles del Sud:

• Horno de Alcedo
• Castellar-Oliveral
• Pinedo
• El Saler
• El Palmar
• El Perellonet
• La Torre
• Faitanar

Most of these neighborhoods have something unique about them. For example, many Valencians will actually rent a vacation home in Perellonet during the summer. That way, they get access to the beach AND fresh tomaques de perelló (local tomatoes that are amazing)!

Go see the pobles del sud

• Albufera Boat Tour
• Bike Rentals
• Rent a car and explore it yourself

Stick to the Best Neighborhoods in Valencia

Whether you’re coming to live here with your family or you’re just visiting for 3 days – this Valencia neighborhood guide will help you out! 

In general, the best neighborhoods in Valencia really depend on what your priorities are. Hopefully this guide helps you understand which neighborhood is the best for you. 

If you need some more help – check out my guide on where to stay in Valencia.

And as always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to send me a message. 

Bon viatge!

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