Valencia June 2026

[Almost] every year when Susanne visits we go on a trip together to mainland Europe. This year we chose Valencia, Spain. Primarily because Spain is awesome, and partially because there is a direct flight back to LA from Madrid for Susanne. On our flight out of Dublin we went right over the wildfire in the Wicklow mountains, which was crazy to see from above.  We arrived late the first night and spent the night at the airport hotel. In the morning we took the high-speed train from Madrid to Valencia, remarking at the gorgeous countryside filled with olives and poppies.

This was during one of the first waves of the “heat dome” so after arrival we took it easy. David chose a very cool apartment in the Russafa district. We checked it out and then David and I enjoyed a nice lunch al fresco just around the corner. Following that, Sally and I explored the old town a bit in the heat.

In the evening, we took in the creative Lights of St Nicholas show (think immersive Van Gogh but on a church ceiling) and had dinner nearby. We all enjoyed the beautiful walk home through the big central Placa de l’Ajuntament.

The following morning I started with a run before it go too hot…this city is well set up for it! Stretching from basically our apartment as far as I could go were pedestrian ways with lovely tree cover. The Jardín del Turia, for example, is a dry riverbed that stretches almost 10K through the city and now contains a multiuse trail, numerous pitches, and playgrounds. Then we all walked together to the City of Arts and Sciences, a massive complex including an opera house with very cool architecture. It’s very futuristic (apparently used in the TV show Westworld), and reminded me a bit of the Sydney Opera House. We explored that then headed into the Science Museum, which had a really neat interactive exhibit about DNA, going through each chromosome and what functions it serves. While I could have spent all day there, we moved on for some lunch before heading into the aquarium. That was also a delight, just the right size and beautifully planned spaces for the animals. 

That night we ate at one of the [strangely?] many vegetarian restaurants in our neighborhood, then when to a Flamenco show across town. I’m not sure any of us knew what that was going to be like, so it was quite something! Both the singers and dancers were incredibly expressive and certainly very talented.

The final full day, Sally and I took the bus over to Malvarrosa beach. Endless white sand and lots of people but clean and the water was lovely. 

In the evening we had yet another(!) vegetarian meal near our apartment.

The final morning, David and Susanne left early for the airport, and Sally and I followed several hours later. We met up with David in Madrid and together went to Reina Sofia to show Sally Picasso’s Guernica. David and I had seen it together 9 years before when I joined him on a work trip to Madrid, and it was fun and special to revisit it all together.  

Valencia is a beautiful city full of cool neighborhoods, a gorgeous beach, pretty architecture, and endless cool art installations/murals/graffiti.