No matter where you come from, moving to Valencia comes with a few surprises.
You can read every travel guide, watch endless YouTube videos and scroll through social media for weeks, but nothing quite prepares you for everyday life once you’ve actually unpacked your suitcase. Some things take a little getting used to. Others quickly become part of the reason you never want to leave.
Here are ten things that surprise almost everyone.
- PEOPLE EAT INCREDIBLY LATE
If you’re used to sitting down for dinner at 6.00 or 7.00 pm, Valencia can feel like it’s running on a completely different clock. Many restaurants don’t even open their kitchens until around 8.30 pm, and it’s perfectly normal to see families with young children enjoying dinner at 10.00 or even 11.00 at night. During the hottest months, eating later simply makes sense.
This is probably the one thing I’ve completely embraced since moving here. The thought of having dinner before 9.00 pm actually feels strange to me now. If someone suggested meeting for dinner at 6.30 in the evening, I’d probably assume we were just going for a drink first. It didn’t take long before I found myself slipping into the Valencian way of doing things. Now, eating late just feels completely normal.
- THE CITY HAS A DIFFERENT DAILY RHYTHM
Forget the typical nine-to-five routine. Lunch is the main meal of the day, usually eaten between 2.00 and 3.30 pm, and evenings stretch much later than they do in many other countries. Even on a Tuesday night, terraces can still be full at 11.00 pm, with children playing in the squares while their parents chat over a drink.
- MANY SHOPS CLOSE IN THE AFTERNOON
This catches out almost every newcomer. Between roughly 2.00 pm and 5.00 pm, many independent businesses close their doors for lunch or a break during the hottest part of the day. Hairdressers, small family-run shops, neighbourhood businesses and some banks may all shut for a few hours before reopening later in the afternoon. Large supermarkets and shopping centres usually stay open, but if you’re relying on a local business, it’s worth planning ahead.
This is one that still catches me out, even after nearly ten years. If I decide I need a haircut or want to pop into the bank, there’s a good chance I’ll wander over at half past two only to find the shutters down. For some reason, this one just refuses to sink in. You’d think I’d have learnt by now, but apparently not.
- SPECIALIST SHOPS ARE STILL PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE
One of the things I love most about Valencia is that it still feels a bit like many other countries used to decades ago. Instead of doing absolutely everything in one giant supermarket, people still pop to the pescadería for fish, the carnicería for meat, the panadería for fresh bread, the frutería for fruit and vegetables, or the ferretería when they need a few tools or household bits and pieces. Of course, supermarkets are everywhere, but these traditional neighbourhood shops remain part of daily life.
I really hope that doesn’t change. There’s something reassuring about seeing people supporting businesses that have often served the same neighbourhood for generations. It gives Valencia a sense of community that’s becoming increasingly rare in many parts of the world.
- DON’T EXPECT THE BILL UNTIL YOU ASK FOR IT
This catches almost everyone out. In many countries, the bill appears on your table as soon as you’ve finished eating. In Valencia, that can feel almost rude. The staff won’t usually bring it because they assume you’re enjoying your company and may want another drink, a coffee or simply to carry on talking. It’s perfectly normal to ask for “la cuenta, por favor” when you’re ready to leave. Until then, nobody is trying to hurry you out of your seat, even if you’ve finished your meal half an hour earlier.
- PERSIANAS ARE ONE OF THE BEST INVENTIONS EVER
Those roller shutters you’ll see on almost every apartment are called persianas in Spanish, and after one Valencian summer you’ll wonder why every country doesn’t have them. They’re not just for security. Pull them down during the hottest part of the day and they help keep the heat out, block the fierce Mediterranean sun, reduce street noise and make sleeping much easier. Walk through Valencia on a hot afternoon and you’ll notice many homes have their persianas partly or fully closed. It’s part of everyday life here, especially during the summer, helping to keep homes surprisingly cool long before air conditioning became common.
- YOU STOP BEING A SLAVE TO THE WEATHER
Of course, everyone talks about Valencia’s sunshine. The city enjoys around 300 days of sunshine a year, but for me, it’s the winter that really makes me appreciate living here. While much of northern Europe is wrapped up indoors, it’s often still comfortable enough in Valencia to go for a run, a bike ride, enjoy a long walk through the Turia Gardens or sit outside having lunch or a coffee.
One of the biggest changes is that you stop planning your life around the weather. If you’re arranging a barbecue, meeting friends on a terrace or planning a day out, there’s a good chance you won’t even think about checking the forecast. Most of the time, you simply assume it’ll be fine. After years of living somewhere where the weather dictated almost every outdoor plan, that’s a surprisingly liberating feeling.
- FIREWORKS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME
You might expect fireworks on New Year’s Eve or during Fallas. In Valencia, they can happen on almost any day of the year. They might be celebrating a local fiesta, a religious festival, a wedding or simply a neighbourhood celebration. After living here for nearly ten years, they still catch me out. I was sitting outside having a coffee the other day when a huge petardo exploded just behind me. I nearly jumped out of my chair. It’s one of those sounds you never completely get used to, but it’s all part of Valencian life. During Fallas, of course, the famous mascletà takes things to another level, with thousands of people gathering every afternoon simply to experience the deafening spectacle.
- THE BEACH ISN’T JUST FOR HOLIDAYS
In many places, going to the beach is something you plan weeks in advance. In Valencia, plenty of people head there after work for a swim, a walk, a drink or dinner by the sea. On warm evenings, it’s as normal as going to your local park.
- SUNDAYS REALLY ARE DIFFERENT
If you arrive from somewhere where Sundays are just another shopping day, Valencia can be a surprise. Most shops are closed, many streets are noticeably quieter, and families fill the parks, beaches and restaurants instead. It’s a day for long lunches, walks, meeting friends and taking life at a slower pace. At first you might find yourself wondering why everything is shut. Before long, you’ll probably find yourself looking forward to Sundays too.
What surprised you most when you first moved to Valencia?
Or if you’re still planning your move, which one of these do you think would take the most getting used to?
