alencianos are not huge fans of rain, so when the raindrops make their entrance, the Valencian life takes a different turn. Expect empty streets, little to no free parking spots, canceled plans (they even cancel classes), and extremely slippery streets. Trust me, we learned the hard way ;-)
The rainiest month of the year
As a Dutchie this is all very weird to me, a little bit of a culture shock to say the least.
Now, it’s good to know what the rainiest month of the year is – that’s definitely April. There’s even a famous Spanish saying: “En Abril aguas mil”, which means: in April it rains hundreds of liters of water. And yeah, I’ve seen a lot of rain in my life, but Valencian rain is something else. Madre Mía!
Another culture shock for me was the fact that sometimes you’ll see dogs wearing little raincoats, I find that hilarious. May’s dog is quite the diva and doesn’t like going out in the rain, I guess she has a Valencian attitude now.
The good thing is that it doesn’t rain for a very long time, the water party usually stops within a couple of hours. Fun fact: I used to hate rainy days, but now they’re so rare that I really enjoy them. It’s just so cozy – you can stay inside, watch Netflix on the couch and curl up with a cup of tea. Ever experienced those rainy Summer days? Oh my, so refreshing – yes, please! I also love walking or swimming in the rain now. Who have I become?
So the burning question is: what else do you do when it rains? Is there anything to do besides watching dogs flaunting raincoats? Well, of course! Tap into that creative brain of yours and you’ll find there are plenty of things to do. We’ll help you out ;-)
- Go to the movies. There are plenty of movie theaters in the city, go check out Cines Lys Valencia (close to Plaza Ayuntamiento), it’s huge and they offer 3 hours of free parking when you buy a ticket. They even have a mini-club for kids so you can enjoy the movie while the kids are playing.
Cines Babel (close to the Mestalla stadium) shows original, European indie movies with Spanish subtitles.
There are a few more movie theaters that show movies in English but with Spanish subtitles. These are listed as VO (versión original), VOS (versión original subtitulada) or lengua originale movies.
- Go to the mall. Check out our blog post about Aqua Multiespacio.
Another great mall is Saler Centro Comercial which is much bigger. Go shopping, visit the gym, go to a beauty salon, get a massage, have the kids play in the indoor playgrounds, do your groceries and test out the massage chairs. You can definitely entertain yourself for a few hours in a mall.
- L’Oceanographic. This is the biggest aquarium in Europe and it’s absolutely gorgeous. So, worth a visit. It’s located in Turia park. For more information, please click here.
- Fun physical activities. Go try out one of these fun activities.
Fun jump is a trampoline park where you can do lots of other activities too. Check out their website for information.
La Bolera is a small bowling center in the neighborhood Campanar. They have a little bar too, so you can sip on a drink while cheering your friends on.
El Hachazo, check out our blog post in which I explain how exciting axe throwing is ;-)
Madagaspark is an indoor playpark for kids, perfect if they need to release some energy.
- Visit museums
Museo Bellas Artes: Museum of Fine arts, second largest art gallery in Spain.
Museo de Las Ciencias: Science museum. Learn about the evolution of life, science, and technology.
Museu Fallero: The Fallas museum. Fallas is a traditional celebration in Valencia and it’s huge. It’s one of the biggest street festivals in Europe and it’s all about the incredible statues. If you wanna explore more, go visit the museum.
Museo de la Seda: Valencian silk museum, located in the former Higher Art College of Silk which dates back to the 15th century.
Centre Carme Cultura Contemporania: Contemporary Culture Center. It’s several museums in one, covering all artistic disciplines: visual arts, performing arts, music, design, books, and a wide range of artistic languages and practices.
- Go follow a fun workshop or class.
Think of a ceramics or paella workshop, dance class, or whatever you’re interested in. Just google it and you’ll find plenty of options. You can also check our telegram group and ask if there’s anything going on for that day.
- It would be weird if I wouldn’t suggest going to a great restaurant or cafe. La Fábrica de Hielo is one of those places that’s perfect for rainy days – just like Ubik cafe : this is an artsy bookstore cafe where you can sip a coffee while reading a book in peace. If you have kids, they can play in the kid’s area.
- Visit indoor markets. Valencia’s indoor markets are little treasures.Go visit:
Mercado Central, Mercado Ruzafa, Mercado Cabanyal and Mercado Colon.
- Theater plays for kids. The Flumen Theater and the Estrella Theater are two of the best theaters with plays for kids in Valencia. They offer musicals, theater, and marionette shows for kids.
- Sing your lungs out at a karaoke bar. Who doesn’t like a bit of showtime? Whether you wanna show off your vocal skills or simply applaud your friends, it’s never a bad idea to go to a karaoke bar. Fun guaranteed! We recommend karaoke bar Malos Pasos.
There you go, we hope you’ll enjoy your cozy, rainy days. You can find all recommended places and activities on our Google Maps lists as well.
Is it raining men or cats and dogs? Whatever the case may be, there’s one thing you should always remember: dancing in the rain can be great fun too ;-)
Un abrazo,
Stephanie
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