To live like a local in Valencia you need to adapt to its timetable, its food and its neighbourhoods. Here are the secrets I share with my guests.
Many travellers arrive in Valencia with the same list: visit the City of Arts and Sciences, wander around El Carmen and eat a paella by the sea. And that’s great. But Valencia has some “small print” you can only read if you live here. It’s a way of enjoying life, of fitting your day around the sun and of understanding certain rituals that make you feel part of the place.
If on this trip you want to stop being a tourist for a few days and dive into authentic Valencian life, this is your ultimate guide. Take note.
How to live like a local in Valencia
1. The basic dictionary (and our language)
Valencia has two official languages: Spanish and Valencian. You’ll hear lots of people speaking Valencian in the street. If you want to win the locals’ hearts, learn these magic phrases:
- “Bon dia” / “Bona vesprada”: Good morning / Good afternoon.
- “Adéu”: Goodbye.
You also need to know three words that aren’t in the official dictionary but are the cornerstone of how we communicate:
- “Ye”: Our all-purpose greeting. A cheerful “Ye” as you walk into a bar replaces any “Hola”.
- “Nano”: The equivalent of “mate” or “buddy” (“Ye, nano, long time no see!”).
- “La Terreta”: This is how Valencians affectionately refer to their homeland. It means home and pride in what’s ours. That’s why we’re called Terreta Flats: we want our apartments to be your little Valencian home.
2. The Valencian clock (and the art of the siesta)
If you come in summer, you’ll notice it fast: the sun is in charge. True Valencians know that between 2 pm and 6 pm the streets are for the brave.
- The strategic siesta: It’s not a myth, it’s survival. After lunch, the best thing to do is enjoy your apartment’s air conditioning and rest.
- Evening life: Our social life starts when the sun goes down. If you book a dinner table before 9 pm, you’ll probably eat alone. Most people sit down for dinner between 9:30 and 10:30 pm.
3. The soundtrack: volume, gunpowder and brass bands
If there’s one thing that defines us, it’s that we live life intensely, and you can tell (and hear) it. Valencians are expressive and we talk loudly; if you hear us at the next table in a bar, don’t worry, we’re not arguing, we’re passionately putting the world to rights!
Partying is also in our DNA, and for us there’s no celebration without two key ingredients:
- Firecrackers: We love gunpowder. Even if you don’t come for Fallas, there’s a good chance that on any weekend you’ll hear firecrackers or see fireworks celebrating a wedding, a christening or a neighbourhood festival.
- Charangas: Groups of local musicians (brass and percussion) who take to the streets to liven up any event. If you hear trumpets in the distance, follow them: there’s bound to be a good atmosphere. In Valencia, silence is overrated.
4. Everyday food: much more than rice
Paella is queen, but daily life rests on two other delicious pillars:
Almuerzo (Esmorzar)
Forget the idea of brunch. Between 10:00 and 11:30 am, bars fill up for “esmorzar”, the Valencian mid-morning breakfast. It’s not a snack, it’s a ritual.
- Close to home: Natzaret, where you’re staying, still keeps the essence of an old fishermen’s neighbourhood untouched by mass tourism. Just step out of Terreta Flats and sit down at any local bar to order your picaeta (peanuts and lupin beans), your half-baguette sandwich (try the “Brascada” with beef and ham) and your Cremaet (coffee with flamed rum and lemon), although we recommend “Casa Martinot”.
Horchata and granizados
Mid-afternoon, the official snack is Orxata (tiger nut horchata) with fartons. If you find it too sweet, the alternative is a lemon granizado (slush). You can have one anywhere in the city, but we recommend going to the Mercado de Colón.
5. Sunday is Paella Day
For us, paella is the reason to get the family together on Sundays. If you want a top-notch paella away from the apartment, you have excellent local options:
- Head to the Huerta: Leave the city for a bit and book at traditional farmhouses such as Alquería del Pou or El Brosquil. Pure authenticity.
- By the sea: Staying in Natzaret, you’re a stone’s throw from the coast. Head to the Malvarrosa promenade to enjoy classic rice dishes with the sea breeze.
👉 The Terreta Flats secret: Imagine eating an authentic wood-fired Valencian paella in your apartment’s living room or on the terrace, without cooking or getting dressed to go out. We have the contact of the best paella makers, who cook it in a traditional iron paella pan and bring it piping hot to your door. If you fancy this treat, send us a WhatsApp and we’ll give you their direct contact.
6. Free time: neighbourhood plans and getaways
Valencians love to make the most of weekends and long evenings.
- On two wheels from Natzaret: There’s a Valenbisi station just 100 metres from the apartment. A 100% Valencian plan is to grab a bike in the late afternoon and ride to La Marina de València (right next to the neighbourhood) or follow the green route along the old Turia riverbed.
- From beach bar to mountain: In summer, afternoons are spent having a drink by the sea (like at Chiringuito El Ocho in Patacona) or on trips to the coves of Dénia or Xàbia. In winter, we swap the sand for mountain hikes.
7. Sunsets you can’t miss
To end the day like a true local, watch the sun go down from one of these magical spots:
- Right on your doorstep: Take a walk from Terreta Flats to La Marina de València. Watching the sunset colours reflect on the water and on the iconic Veles e Vents building is a luxury just a few minutes away on foot.
- L’Albufera: The great classic. Watch the sky turn orange over the calm waters of the lake, surrounded by rice fields.
- El Garbí: If you prefer heights, head up to the Garbí viewpoint in the Sierra Calderona for a spectacular panoramic view of sea and mountains.
Book direct with Terreta Flats: See apartments and prices
