Expat Valencia – Living and Working in Valencia

Las Fallas de San José

Las Fallas de San José is held in the week of 19 March when papier mâché figures (ninots) are placed in the streets and squares of Valencia to celebrate of the arrival of spring. On the last day all but one of the figures are burnt in public bonfires. Before the festival the public can see the figures on display at the Fallero Museum (Museo Fallero) in Plaza Monteolivete 3 and chose which one to save from burning. During the week there are parades, fireworks, dances and food events.

* Museo Fallero
At: Plaza Monteolivete 4, 46006 Valencia
Tel: 963 525 478 extension 4625
Open: Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-14:00 and 16:30-20:30, Sundays and festivals 10:00-15:00
Website

La Semana Santa (Holy Week)

A week long religious festival which starts on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Day. There are costumed parades throughout the week with a musical parade through Valencia’s main streets on Easter Sunday.
El Corpus

El Corpus is held in June and dates back to 1355 when Bishop Hugo de Fenolet issued a public invitation to celebrate. Celebrations start with a Mass, followed by a horse ride (cabalcada del convit) and by the dwarves’ and giants’ dance (Els Nanos i Gegants) at midday. Other types of dances are also performed: Els Cavallets, Els Pastorets, La Magrana and the most original of all, la danza de la Moma y los Momos, which symbolises the conflict between virtue (Moma) and the seven deadly sins (Momos). This is followed by several re-enactments from the Old and New Testament and a parade to the Plaza de la Virgen.

Unemployment is very high in Spain and is particularly high in the tourist areas out of season, however this should not stop you heading to Valencia looking for work.

The easiest sort of work would be teaching english and working in a bar.

Teaching English is big business throughout Spain as most profressional jobs now require it as part of their requirements in the job. Business ENglish is particularly in demand and you are expected to have a native tongue and an EU passport.

However it is not impossible to get work with an American or Canadian passport as many employers prefer the North American accent.

Bar work is plentiful in the city of Valencia and the English pubs on the Costas, however you should have a good command of Spanish as many Valencians like to frequent Irish pubs.

Eating in Valencia is awesome! There is a great range of foods, you can eat the local paella or even English people are well catered for across the city with many Kebab shops or Kepab (in Spanish).

Valencia has a little bit of everything in terms of food and restaurants. There are some constants, though. I found that Valencia has a very Mediterranean cuisine, with lots of seafood, olives, olive oil, vegetables, and rice. Tapas (small rations of food) are, of course, famous in Spain, and Valencia is literally FULL of tapas bars and restaurants.

Valencia is famous for its paella, a rice dish made in a special pan, also called a paella. While there is paella in all of Spain, it is said that paella originated in the area of Valencia. Paella comes in all forms and ingredients, but traditional Valencian Paella contains chicken, rabbit, special beans and vegetables, and saffron. Another famous food here is aioli, a garlic mayonnaise.

Eating times in Spain are different than what you may be used to. Breakfast in the morning usually consists of only a coffee and croissant. Lunch, “La Comida” is usually eaten between 2-4 pm, and is the big meal of the day. Many stores and businesses close for the time of the comida, the famous Spanish “siesta.” Dinner, or “La Cena” is typically a lighter meal and eaten around 9-11 pm.

So have you just arrived in Valencia either looking for work and settling or just as a tourist looking to gain your bearings?

Well check out our walking tour of valencia below, it should take around 2-3 hours.

You could start from either end but since most hotels are around Pz Ayuntamento, you will probably start there (you could also make a quick step towards the Bullring before you start)

Once you have appreciated the glory of the Plaza, walk its length to the north where it forks out and follow left to arrive to the charming Plaza del Mercado where you will find three amazing buildings – La Lonja, Mercado Central and Church of Santos Juanes. Walk around all three to appreciate their full beauty – they all show you a different side as you go around. While the market is just a market and the church will be closed, do go into La Lonja even if only for a few moments – you can’t leave without seeing the interior.

Then dive into Southern Carmen, via atmospheric Plaza Redonda (make sure you remember where you entered it! – it has three exits and since it is round it is the absolute Valencian Bermuda triangle) and elegant Sta Catalina tower to flourishing Pz de la Reina, where you will find the spectacular Cathedral. Go in (or go up – the bell tower) if you have time. The Cathedral is also worth seeing from all four sides.

Then follow behind it to the stunning Pz de la Virgin – Valencia’s Old Town postcard to appreciate the square, the Basilica and the Palace. It is a good place to have a coffee if you are tired.

Walk through a short stretch of charismatic Calle Caballeros to behind the Palace, a charming Plaza de Manises. From here the atmospheric ancient street of Serranos will take you to the grandiose Torres de Serranos. You can go in if you have time. You could also check out Museum of Corpus just by its side to appreciate the ancient Rocas.

While you are there there is a great view and a photo shot accross the river – the spectacular Museum of Fine Arts.

Make sure you have travel insurance for over 80 if you are heading out to Spain as your EHIC card might not be enough!

Valencia is looking forward to Feb as it will be hosting the 33rd Americas Cup which always brings much excitement to the city.

The next America’s Cup looks set to take place in the Spanish Mediterranean port of Valencia in February, after more than two years of legal wrangling over the conditions and venue for yachting’s most prestigious event.

Defender Alinghi of Switzerland said on Tuesday it is ready to hold its three-leg duel with Oracle in Valencia from February 8, the site and date favoured by the US challenger.

Oracle responded by saying it was “very pleased to see that SNG/Alinghi have finally agreed with us that Valencia in February is the correct venue to hold the 33rd America’s Cup.”

Travel information.

Summertime in Valencia are hot, but not unbearable because of the cooling of the Med (we love the Med!). Throughout the summer months the average daily temperature is about 30 ºC, accompanied by mild humidity.

When the heat and humidity do become a nuisance do as the Valencians do and hop into the Mediterranean Sea which during summer has an agreeable average water temperature of above and over 20 ºC. June sees Valencia with an average daily temperature of 22 ºC, July 25 ºC and August is the hottest month averaging 26 ºC with an average maximum temperature of 30 ºC.

Valencia, like many Med cities, is cooled down by the local sea breeze with starts blowing at about midday and begins to calm by 4pm.ailing being postponed when it was thought that the strength of the wind would cause damage to the racing yachts.

Valencia has a fantastic beach, loved by residents and tourists alike, it is a multi-faceted city rather than a purely beach resort, but it still has some great nightlife in the summer months.

The beach and port area have a small enough choice to fit it all on this page. However, these few places are all strong personalitites, varied enough and vibrant enough to make for a good night out.

Most of the places use open air spaces (roofs, gardens, terraces) as their trump card and, naturally, lose them when the summer is over. The area is best enjoyed from June to August.

The nightlife here is spit between two small clusters – the more traditional beach area and the new modern, trendy port.

So head down to the Valencia beach area for some great summer partying.

European expatriates in Spain’s Valencia region who were under threat of losing free access to healthcare have won a partial reprieve.

Restrictions announced last month on the right to state healthcare provision were aimed primarily at non-working expats below pension age.

From June 5, foreign nationals not contributing to the Spanish social security system lost their right to healthcare in the region unless they had one of two forms:

• the E121, issued to British men at 65 and women at 60; or

• the E106, extending access to state health services for up to 2½ years after an individual ceases working. So if you go to spain make sure you take out travel insurance over 60 or you may pay dearly.

The British Embassy in Madrid advised individuals affected to buy private medical insurance.

Negotiations appear to be ongoing between Swiss champions Alinghi and challenger Oracle on the format of the next edition of the America’s Cup, days after the US team won a court ruling in their long-running legal battle.

Oracle and its representative, the Golden Gate Yacht Club, “remain committed to negotiate with the Defender, Societe Nautique de Geneve/Alinghi, a conventional mutual consent protocol for the next America’s Cup that would involve all teams,” the GGYC said in a statement Tuesday.

“This follows the April 2 decision of the New York State Court of Appeals confirming the Golden Gate Yacht Club as the Challenger of Record for the 33rd America’s Cup,” it said.

The owners of Oracle and Alinghi, Larry Ellison and Ernesto Bertarelli, “have communicated with each other since the court ruling.

Valencia is no longer the poor relation when it comes to comparing it with its bigger rivals of Madrid and Barcelona.

Catalan and Valencian may be the same to some, but people in this neck of the Spanish woods take pride in a culture and city they feel hasn’t been given its due attention.

At one time, this city on the Mediterranean coast was the most important city in Spain and one of the most vital in Europe. But time passed. Madrid became the big star. Seville was always sexy. And Barcelona staged a coming-out party with the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Now, suddenly, due to a tragic accident and some aggressive tourism marketing, the world is beginning to find out that this city can deliver a solid punch with a mixture of stunning new architecture and an alluring, historic centre with an elaborate series of courtyards, cafés, markets and countless churches.