A wine fan in Valencia

It's not about the destination, it's about the journey, right? So, Charles and I booked a city break through srprs.me . Where to? No idea. A week before departure, we get the weather forecast in our inbox: 22 degrees! Wow, sunshine! Well, one look at the European weather map tells us the sun shines nowhere as brightly as in Spain. We're not entirely sure, so at Schiphol we officially cross out the srprs.me map. And yes: Valencia! Vivaaaaa Espana! The question remains: what are we going to eat? 😉

Tranquillo at Burgers & Beer

The fun of a surprise destination is that you have absolutely no idea what you're going to (or 'should') do. Go with the flow. So, relax. As we are, upon arriving at our hotel room, we decide we're in the mood for a burger. It turns out there's a good burger place about 1.7 kilometers away. Great! We get to see a bit of the city. Charles orders the México burger with lime and spicy salsa, and I go for the New Yorker with cheddar and bacon. We have a particularly delicious beer with it: the Spanish Rosita! One to remember.

Burgers & Beer, C/ Luis Bolinches 9, Valencia – website

Brunch at Le Petite Brioche

Looking for a place for breakfast? Look no further. Le Petite Brioche has everything you need on a Sunday morning. A brunch with pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon, plus coffee and orange juice! That's the perfect way to start your day. Oh, and it's all only 6 euros. What a city!

Le Petite Brioche, Carrer de Sorní, 28, Valencia – website

Entrecote & Rioja

Unfortunately, I've forgotten the name of this restaurant, but it's on Carrer del Comte d'Altea in the Gran Via district. There's a wine barrel by the door, and I think the facade is orange. Normally, you might walk right past it. But you always have to keep in mind that restaurants with fluorescent lighting can have some surprises. We saw someone's prime rib on their table and were sold. It was lovely sitting on the terrace with a heat lamp. And that in February – the life! To complete the picture, I ordered a glass of Rioja. It turned out to be a Rioja. Crianza from Vina del Oja. Fruity and woody, deliciously juicy with the steak.

A restaurant in Carrer del Comte d'Altea, Valencia

Ola supermercado.

Besides the restaurants on Gran Via, you should definitely also visit the Russafa district. This is where our hotel was located. Casual Valencia de las Artes . A hotel with art, where we couldn't miss the life-size portrait of The Scream in the room.

Russafa is described in the guidebooks as a trendy neighborhood. There's certainly plenty to do: lots of restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. In a side street near the hotel, you'll find the Mercato de Russafa – considered by many to be a good alternative to the bustling mercado in the city center. Although we walked past it about ten times, we only realized it was actually the mercado on our last day.

Valencia has more of these indoor extravaganzas. We walked into another alley and saw this:

So beautiful. A church with all sorts of cafes and restaurants behind it. From sushi bars to gin and tonic bars. Especially the latter, the GT hype, is present here. You'll find a gin and tonic bar on every street corner.

Mercado de Colon, Calle Jorge Juan, Valencia

The best paella at Racó del Turia

In Valencia, you simply have to try paella at least once. This is where the dish originated. Tucked away in a side street off the main road, Gran Via del Marqués de Túria, we find Racó del Turia, with many different paellas on the menu. We choose the paella with chorizo, among other things, and start with a plate of freshly sliced ​​jamon ibérico. The most delicious ham you'll ever taste; it melts in your mouth!

The restaurant not only offers a wide variety of paella, but the wine list is also impressive. An unparalleled selection of whites and reds from all over the world . In the corner of my eye, I spot two bottles of Pétrus. Okay, rich bitches here. Ultimately, I choose the Elemento, made from 100% bobal. Never heard of it, but it turns out to be a very serious Spanish grape. It produces full-bodied wines, and you can taste it: black fruit, chocolate, and fleshy tannins. Also remarkable is that this wine is 100% natural—without any chemicals. Also called a "vin naturel," a term I'm encountering more and more often...

Racó del Turia, Carrer de Ciscar, 10.46005

The park that meanders through the city

The best thing about Valencia, besides the delicious food and relatively cheap living, is the park. The Turia River once flowed through Valencia, but due to a series of floods, it was decided to reroute it. Now, the Turia flows on the outskirts of the city. The stretch of river that once ran through the city has been drained and transformed into a city park, winding its way through the city. The park is also home to the Museum of Art and Science and the Valencia Botanical Gardens.

Srprs.me: Go with the flow

What are you waiting for? Valencia is awesome! Or go with the flow. and book a surprise via srprs.me . We chose the city ​​tripping Surprise trip . We paid €250 per person for 4 days (including flights and hotel). Super fun, right? They have various packages, such as adventure, broke, solo together, multi-city, and sunset. When booking, you can specify which city you absolutely don't want to visit again. Highly recommended!