# Break in Valencia or???



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Hi there,
I'm planning a trip with my daughter and thought about Valencia - a bit of beach and the *oceanografic. *Does anybody know it? Is it worth a visit? 
Any other ideas for a break for a couple of nights for Mum and 16 yr old, bearing in mind we're in Madrid. I didn't really want to take the car 'cos I've got NO sense of direction and no parking skills.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hi there,
> I'm planning a trip with my daughter and thought about Valencia - a bit of beach and the *oceanografic. *Does anybody know it? Is it worth a visit?
> Any other ideas for a break for a couple of nights for Mum and 16 yr old, bearing in mind we're in Madrid. I didn't really want to take the car 'cos I've got NO sense of direction and no parking skills.


the Oceanografic is brilliant!


we've been there as a family & both kids have been for school trips


also, within walking distance there are tons of other things - fantastic!!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> the Oceanografic is brilliant!
> 
> 
> we've been there as a family & both kids have been for school trips
> ...


 
Thanks xabiachica.

There are some places to stay near the oceangrafic. What do you think?? Would it be better to be in the town? Is there a beach near the oceangrafic?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Thanks xabiachica.
> 
> There are some places to stay near the oceangrafic. What do you think?? Would it be better to be in the town? Is there a beach near the oceangrafic?


I don't know 

we've always just driven in - gone to where we want - then driven out again

I know there is a beach - but no idea where...............

I don't drive at all - & have to admit to not paying much attention to where we're going

I think I'd rather be in town - the metro is supposed to be really good


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## fourgotospain (May 4, 2009)

I'll second the Oceanographic :clap2: - just a m a z i n g and we've seen most of it in the wild. Really clean tanks/enclosures and very informative conservation. Kids gobsmacked....

Can only say we stayed at the Novotel near the Palacio (cos it was cheap) but drove around town as we were only there for the night (last year before we moved..) If you find somewhere good let me know - my mum & dad wouold like a break up there. Don't know if it's worth looking on Easyjet site or similar as they fly there, might be a starting point??


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

fourgotospain said:


> I'll second the Oceanographic :clap2: - just a m a z i n g and we've seen most of it in the wild. Really clean tanks/enclosures and very informative conservation. Kids gobsmacked....
> 
> Can only say we stayed at the Novotel near the Palacio (cos it was cheap) but drove around town as we were only there for the night (last year before we moved..) If you find somewhere good let me know - my mum & dad wouold like a break up there. Don't know if it's worth looking on Easyjet site or similar as they fly there, might be a starting point??


Thanks, good idea to look on Easyjet


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Yes my daughter went there 5 /6 years ago with the girl next door for the weekend & said it was excellent !


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

Hi Pesky,
Haven't been to the Oceanografic but had a short break in Valencia and thought it was a beautiful place. The beach is enormous, dont know where it is in relation to the Oceanografic but wouldnt have thought it could be that far? I know it's a massive city but the beach stretches for miles. Its a very arty place with beautiful architecture and there always seems to be a lot going on in the centre - when I went, we went to see a contemporary dance group, not exactly my cup of tea but interesting all the same. Hope you have a good time.


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## neilmac (Sep 10, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hi there,
> I'm planning a trip with my daughter and thought about Valencia - a bit of beach and the *oceanografic. *Does anybody know it? Is it worth a visit?
> Any other ideas for a break for a couple of nights for Mum and 16 yr old, bearing in mind we're in Madrid. I didn't really want to take the car 'cos I've got NO sense of direction and no parking skills.


The metro goes most of the way round I am pretty sure since the Americas cup so that should include the port and beach area. Some of our well travelled visitors went to the Oceanografico and said it was the best 'seaworld' they have ever been to and that includes their American travels!
I don't think you will need a car but do get a street map. The train station at Valencia Nord goes right into the city by the bullring. From this train station you can also get to Cullera a lovely resort just south of Valencia - although as others have said, Valencia has a huge beach which may satisfy your requirements.

We should go ourselves so we can be more authoritative but after administration with trafico your heart is just not in it any more so we usually end up getting the train straight back home. One day! Hope you enjoy


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## gregory18387 (Jun 15, 2009)

Valencia is beautiful I lived there 2 years ago! Oceanografic is great, 10 minutes or less on bus number 20 and possible other buses to the beach. the bus stop is beside it. But the number 20 is the bus for that area. Train to portaventura would be good.
Metro was just bein put down toward the other side of the city (beach side) when I was there I'm sure it's done now and alot easier to get around!


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## MRVT (May 17, 2008)

It's def worth the trip, Oceanographic is fantastic if a little pricey, and the City of Arts and Sciences itself is stunning.
If you are going from Madrid, Ryanair operate cheap flights to Valencia!! (cheap as in I have known it to be €3 !!).
The Metro and Buses are also excellent, the beach isn't far and the old riverbed through the City is definitely worth a visit too.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Thanks for the info everybody. 
Looks like the oceanografic is the place to go then! It is a little pricy for us, but I've seen a couple of cheapy hotels, so hopefully I'll do the booking in the next couple of days for mid/ late July. I can't wait because you've made it sound very nice. I wonder if we could stretch it to three days...
I will defo get a street map - and immediately give it to my daughter who use it much more wisely than I will!
If you have any more ideas, please add to the thread.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

What am I doing wrong?????

I'm trying to get info about Ryan Air flights. I put in the info about when and where, check the box to say that I've read the terms and conditions and hit the button for look for flights (Buscar vuelos in this case) Then it tells me to indicate whether I'm resident in the Canaries and then it asks me if I've read the terms and conditions. When I click yes it sends me back to stage 1. Why???!!!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> What am I doing wrong?????
> 
> I'm trying to get info about Ryan Air flights. I put in the info about when and where, check the box to say that I've read the terms and conditions and hit the button for look for flights (Buscar vuelos in this case) Then it tells me to indicate whether I'm resident in the Canaries and then it asks me if I've read the terms and conditions. When I click yes it sends me back to stage 1. Why???!!!


pass - worked for me, playing with any old July dates

Cheap Flights to Europe with Ryanair - Cheap Flights from UK

tick the 'I have read T&C's' box before you do anything else


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> pass - worked for me, playing with any old July dates
> 
> Cheap Flights to Europe with Ryanair - Cheap Flights from UK
> 
> tick the 'I have read T&C's' box before you do anything else


Thanks, but same story.
I think it's because I'm in Ubuntu. The other computer's kaput so Windows isn't available. I may have to give up...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> pass - worked for me, playing with any old July dates
> 
> Cheap Flights to Europe with Ryanair - Cheap Flights from UK
> 
> tick the 'I have read T&C's' box before you do anything else


Thanks, but same story.
I think it's because I'm in Ubuntu. The other computer's kaput so Windows isn't available. I may have to give up...
Should be working anyway!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Thanks, but same story.
> I think it's because I'm in Ubuntu. The other computer's kaput so Windows isn't available. I may have to give up...


oh.................

can you open my link?

http://www.bookryanair.com/skysales/FRSelect.aspx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> oh.................
> 
> can you open my link?
> 
> Ryanair.com


Yes, but the same thing happens


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yes, but the same thing happens


ah - it's knackered for me now too!


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> What am I doing wrong?????
> 
> I'm trying to get info about Ryan Air flights. I put in the info about when and where, check the box to say that I've read the terms and conditions and hit the button for look for flights (Buscar vuelos in this case) Then it tells me to indicate whether I'm resident in the Canaries and then it asks me if I've read the terms and conditions. When I click yes it sends me back to stage 1. Why???!!!


Turns out it was a cookie problem...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Well, we went and have come back!
It was a great visit and we'd like to go back sometime to see some of the stuff we didn't get round to.
We went to the beach, which is very long with clean water and sand. We didn't go all the way along, but we were struck by the lack of seasidey type shops (not one along the part we were!) and few restaurants (about 10 on the prom, but none on the other side of the road). It was however, boiling hot, so we wouldn't have wandered around the area much anyway.
We spent _*5*_ exhausting hours in the oceanografic!! I particularly loved the shark bit, the dolphin exhibition, the walruses and the aviary in the middle. We had a nice bocata in the café which was nicely air conditioned. Didn't want anything else as it was too hot to eat.
We also went to Barrio El Carmen, had paella, went to the mercado, estacion del norte, torres Serrano....
We were surprised how busy the streets were, not with holiday makers, but locals. It was more stressful than Madrid at times! And so many motorbikes and scooters that seem to spend 50% of their time zooming around on the pavements. I suppose it's one of those things that you get used to when you live there. Also surprising was the huge number of Italian restaurants and apparently small number of places offering paella and arroces in comparison.
Oh and we stayed in 50 flats near the old part, near Torres Quart. Good place. We got an apartment with kitchen, flat screen tv, air conditioning etc etc for 50€ the night from booking dot com. It was a little far from the beach, but they have other similar places in Valencia.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Well, we went and have come back!
> It was a great visit and we'd like to go back sometime to see some of the stuff we didn't get round to.
> We went to the beach, which is very long with clean water and sand. We didn't go all the way along, but we were struck by the lack of seasidey type shops (not one along the part we were!) and few restaurants (about 10 on the prom, but none on the other side of the road). It was however, boiling hot, so we wouldn't have wandered around the area much anyway.
> We spent _*5*_ exhausting hours in the oceanografic!! I particularly loved the shark bit, the dolphin exhibition, the walruses and the aviary in the middle. We had a nice bocata in the café which was nicely air conditioned. Didn't want anything else as it was too hot to eat.
> ...


Aha!!! It sounds lovely!

Jo xxxx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jojo said:


> Aha!!! It sounds lovely!
> 
> Jo xxxx


Yes, it was a very nice mother - daughter experience.

Today however, she's had a strop on all day. She phoned from a friend's house to say she was going to be coming back some fiestas between 2 and 3 in the morning with a friend's mother. I said, no! Then she said "well you come and pick me up at 1:30!" I said, no! When she started arguing I said I'd go and pick her up there and then! The idea didn't go down too well...

At least I can look back on our little holiday and remember she really can be very nice when she wants!


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## valencia-hombre (Sep 10, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hi there,
> I'm planning a trip with my daughter and thought about Valencia - a bit of beach and the *oceanografic. *Does anybody know it? Is it worth a visit?
> Any other ideas for a break for a couple of nights for Mum and 16 yr old, bearing in mind we're in Madrid. I didn't really want to take the car 'cos I've got NO sense of direction and no parking skills.


oceanografic is wonderful. but expensive 26 euros admission. unless u are rich the botanic gardens might be a better bet at 2 euros

if you want cheap accomodation try the youth hostel indigo its about 14 euros a night


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## valencia-hombre (Sep 10, 2010)

gregory18387 said:


> Valencia is beautiful I lived there 2 years ago! Oceanografic is great, 10 minutes or less on bus number 20 and possible other buses to the beach. the bus stop is beside it. But the number 20 is the bus for that area. Train to portaventura would be good.
> Metro was just bein put down toward the other side of the city (beach side) when I was there I'm sure it's done now and alot easier to get around!


the numbrer 20 only runs in the summer along with 21,22,23 to the coast it shows destination "platges" the catalan word for "playa" the all year bus to la ciudad de las artes y las ciencias is the 95 which passes by the bus station also the 190 yellow bus from plaza canovas passes by there.

there is no metro line to the beaches only tranvia to get that you need to go to empalme by metro from angel guimera plaza españa o turia. the tranvia you need shows destination dr lluch the stop eurgenia vines is 2 minutes walk from the beach cabañals or for las arenas get the next stop les arenes. both these stops are on the second line of the beach.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

valencia-hombre said:


> oceanografic is wonderful. but expensive 26 euros admission. unless u are rich the botanic gardens might be a better bet at 2 euros
> 
> if you want cheap accomodation try the youth hostel indigo its about 14 euros a night


Thanks for the info. I've already been, but hope to go back to Valencia at some point so I'll file the info away. 
BTW my daughter and I spent 5 hours in the oceangraphic which I worked out to be about 4.65 € the hour each, so I don't think it's that bad, after all.


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