This is how much I spent in Valencia
It’s time for another budget list! It’s a bit different than last time, since I was with my dad this time. And my dad has the habit of grabbing my credit card away as soon as I offer to pay for something. So he paid for a few things, which made it a bit harder to keep a record. But I’ve done my best to keep an eye on the prices in Valencia, so here’s an overview of how much I spent in Valencia!
To be clear: for a city trip I count a trip of three days and two nights.
Transport
Transavia: €110
Public transport: €0
We flew to Valencia with Transavia, departing from Eindhoven, The Netherlands, because this was easier for my dad who’s still living in Brabant. And generally speaking flying from a secondary airport is cheaper than flying from a capital city. You can buy a return ticket for €110 if you book on time and skip high season. We didn’t have any public transport costs because we had a Valencia City Card. Next to that, it’s quite doable to walk around the city centre. You’ll only need (public) transport if you’re going to visit the City of Art and Science or the beach. Although I’d recommend hiring a bike if you’d do that. Don’t be us and walk until you can’t walk no more.
Accommodation
€35 x 2 = €75
In Valencia I wanted to stay in the area Ruzafa, as I had heard great stories about it. It was a bit cheaper than staying in the city centre anyway, because the hotel I eventually stayed at was at least a 20 minute walk from the city centre (although there’s a bus stop right in front). I chose the Senator Parque Central Hotel, which is a business hotel at the edge of Rufaza. We found a good deal where we only had to pay about €35 euros per person (breakfast not included). It was a really good hotel with spacious and comfortable rooms. Definitely recommended if you have a bike. Emphasis on “If”…
Food
breakfast: €4
lunch: €10 (usually a bit less)
dinner: €15
snacks: €3
Valencia is quite an affordable destination! They’re not heavy on their breakfast, so in the morning you can find dodgy local pubs everywhere where you can have a croissant and an orange juice for €3 or less. One time we decided to go for a more luxurious breakfast, where we paid only €5 for a delicious brunch. For dinner (tapas or something else) you won’t have to pay more than €15 as well, depending on where you’re having dinner. But both our tapas as our pizzas and burgers (holiday diet <3) were all well within the budget.
Sights
Valencia card: €20
Oceanium + Museum of Science: €50
La Lonja de la Seda: €2
Albufeira: €4 (by boat)
Where I usually don’t spend that much money on sights and touristic attractions (the best things in life are free, you know), this time I visited many things with my dad. Seriously, we went from one touristic attraction to the other. In that case the Valencia Card really helps cutting down the costs! If you use public transport a few times and visit a few museums the card has already paid for itself, but I’d still recommend calculating it for yourself. The most expensive thing by far (and well worth it, in my opinion) was the Oceanium + the Museum of Science in the City of Art and Science. La Lonja de la Seda didn’t have that much to show, but it was still a beautiful building, and the courtyard gave me all the Game of Thrones flashbacks. A boat trip of an hour on the biggest lake in Spain for just €4 should be on your list as well.
Total per person: €361
I was quite surprised by the costs. This is about the average amount I calculate for city trip weekends. As soon as you decide to go by plane it’s a bit more expensive anyway. With your plane ticket and a visit to the City of Art and Science (don’t miss it!) you’re already halfway through your budget, go figure. But hey, that’s why we travel isn’t it? To see the special places on this earth, so in my opinion it’s not worth it to skimp on sights and attractions. To be honest, I can’t recommend any way to save more money. Maybe you can decide to stay in hostels, and have a picnic in stead of lunch at a cafe or restaurant. All in all Valencia is a lovely city with a real ‘holiday feeling’.