Birds eye view of Valencia part 2

In this first part of this overview of the eastern Spanish city, Valencia, I looked at the history of Valencia, the sights and culture and a little about the party and festival culture there as well. In this second and final part I'll show you a little about the districts of Valencia - the beaches and a few of the most popular attractions.

There is a great mix of different types of places in Valencia, with some areas being more student friendly, others being beach focused and others being commercial and more for the economic section of the city.

La Malva-Rosa

This is the beach and sea area - plain and simple. The majority of the crowds that come here want to visit and spend time around the main beach of Valencia, called Malvarrosa Beach. Malvarrosa is absolutely massive, with the golden sandy beach stretching for kilometres along the promenade. One of my favourite things about Malvarrosa Beach is the accompanying beach walk that lines it. Long, straight and surrounded by fun bars, shops and an incredibly lively but relaxed atmosphere, the beach walk is the perfect place to wander around on sunny days (of which there are more than enough). Beach volleyball, sunbathers, watersports and everything in between can be found here.

Russafa

This is one of the fastest growing, most up and coming and most fashionable areas of Valencia, and is packed with trendy bars, restaurants and is mostly populated by young adults working in the city. This is the perfect place to eat, to see art, to experience Valencian life and to enjoy the relaxed Spanish lifestyle (although more modern and multicultural than Seville or Malaga, which can be very traditional and lacking variety). In and around the area you can find the Plaza de Toros, the huge Turia Park and also the Parc Gulliver. There are amazing street terraces with modern but not too expensive bars all over this district, and with loads of pedestrianised streets, this is where most people choose to send their free evenings and lazy days.

El Carmen

This is where you'll find the old town of Valencia, with the central market, the cathedral and a host of beautifully designed and built historical buildings. There are also the most loved museums and galleries here, the largest university and the most tourist-heavy areas of the city. This is the area to go to to find old Valencia, as well as do some more of the touristy activities. Although this is not the best place to see 'normal' living in Valencia, it is amazing for seeing the past glories of the city, as well as the exceptional way that these historical parts have been incorporated into the modern parts as well.