Valencia On a Rainy Day: 10 Things To Do
When you're unlucky enough to wake up, look out of your hotel window, and realize that the sunny days you expected to spend in Valencia have deserted you, try not to be too disappointed.
The good news is, rain doesn't stop play in Valencia, not even during the Fallas festival. Intermittent showers or a constant damp drizzle isn't going to be a big enough distraction to prevent you from having a good time. There are so many things you can do in Valencia in bad weather, and once you know what they are, you may well find yourself hoping for a few dark clouds to appear and shed their watery load on a daily basis.
Don't let your non-waterproof bags or personal belongings get saturated in a Spanish downpour. Store them somewhere dry like in one of the Bounce luggage lockers in Valencia. They'll be safe in a security-tagged locker and you'll have two hands-free to manhandle your umbrella until the sun decides to shine again.
What To Do In Valencia On A Rainy Day
There are a mega 34 museums in Valencia so you could, in reality, visit a different one every day even if it rained non-stop for a month. Even with options for modern art or works from the 14th century, museums are not to everyone's taste. While there are a couple included below, there's much more to do in bad weather than just visit museums in Valencia.
Brunch Corner
Rainy days are the ideal days for staying in bed just that little bit longer before heading out and spoiling yourself with the best brunch in Valencia. Why rush? You have hours ahead of you to fill so start the day in a leisurely, laid-back way.
Brunch Corner has two premises in the city center, one in the Plaza Sant Bult and the other on the Carrer del Comte d'Almodovar which is near the cathedral. While neither of Brunch Corner's restaurants are huge, they do have that cozy appeal that's perfect for a rainy day and that encourages you to linger over a second cup of coffee for a few hours.
At either Brunch Corner, you can tuck into some homemade comfort food like an all-American breakfast with pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon, or take the healthier route and have avocado, poached eggs, and smoked salmon. Not a bad start to a rainy day at all.
Oceanografico
If you brunched at Brunch Corner in the Plaza Sant Bult, you'll be within walking distance of the Tetuan metro stop from where you can jump on the number 95 service to Oceanografico. If you ate at the other Brunch Corner, you can board the same service at the Torres del Serans station. If you didn't know that Metrovalencia was one of the best ways to get around Valencia, you'll soon find out how convenient it is when it's raining.
You can easily spend four or five hours in Oceanografico. Part of Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences, the Oceanografico aquarium complex covers an enormous 100,000 square meters with distinctive marine habitats.
To be fair, Oceanografico isn't just an aquarium but a massive marine park that as well as exhibiting underwater fauna is involved in research and conservation. Wander at will from the Arctic to the Antarctic, then through the depths of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea passing through continental islands along the way, but without getting wet. That pleasure is reserved for marine life only.
Oceanografico opens from ten in the morning to six in the evening. If you don't think you'll be there that long, consider purchasing a combined entrance ticket to the Museum of Science. It's right next door and buying the dual admission ticket will save you money.
Museum of Science
The Museum of Science is the place to be if you want to stimulate your drowsy brain cells on a rainy day in Valencia.
As the rain patters against the building's glass wall, you can explore floor after floor of interactive exhibits that will really make you think. Compose music, explore the planet Mars, experience zero gravity, learn about ants and human DNA, and be partially hypnotized by the Foucault's pendulum.
If all of the above are not enough, at this science museum in the City of Arts and Sciences you can take a trip into the universe on the International Space Station simulator. Now that's one very exciting way of escaping the rain that not everyone will have thought of.
Hemisferic
Where you need to go for an out of this world, and out of the rain, cinematic experience is the Hemisferic in the City of Arts and Sciences.
The screen at the Hemisferic measures a whopping nine-hundred square meters which is a size that’s hard to imagine. All visitors are given 3D glasses with which they can also change the language of the presentation.
No, you won't be watching the latest Marvel film, but amazing productions about the universe, the oceans, dinosaurs, or unique environments like the Amazon.
Nuevo Centro Plaza
There's nothing like a hefty dose of retail therapy to chase away rainy day blues. One of the best places to go shopping in Valencia where you won't get wet while doing it is the Nuevo Centro Plaza shopping center.
The Nuevo Centro Plaza shopping center is on Carrer de Menendez Pidal which is a strong-armed stone's throw from the city's Museum of Fine Arts. The two places are a great combination to pass a rainy afternoon.
The shopping center doesn't close until ten at night so you can stretch out your visit for as long as you like. In the the shopping center there's a good selection of international brand name stores as well as more boutique-style Spanish stores, cafes, restaurants and several activity centers for kids.
Fallas Museum
The Fallas Museum is dedicated to a unique Spanish culture and a definite don't miss when you visit Valencia whether it's raining or not. The main reason for that being, unless your stay falls on the festival weekend in March, the museum is the only way you'll get to see any of the amazing figures.
There are now around 100 figures or more in the collection as only two are saved being burnt every year. Some are as beautiful as a Michelangelo sculpture, others are hilarious caricatures or based on famous animated film characters. It's a diverse collection and absolutely fun to see.
The Fallas museum is located in the Plaza de Monteolivete which is close to both the City of Arts and Science and the Mercado de Ruzafa. If you're considering dropping by the Mercado de Ruzafa before or after your visit to the Fallas Museum, you should know before you go that the only thing on sale is fresh produce. Think about going to the Mercat Central instead, the reason why is coming next.
Mercado Central
The Mercado Central, Central Market, in the Plaza City of Bruges is the biggest covered market in Valencia and stays open until three in the afternoon. That's not the only reason for suffering the pitter-patter of the rain falling on its metal and glass roof though, you'll get some good food too.
Arrive at this food market about midday and as well as viewing all the local produce that goes into Valencian gastronomy, you can take a self-guided tour around some of the best street food stands in Valencia. Here you can try tapas in the Central Bar, get huge rolls stuffed with Spanish omelet or traditional soups from Moderna, and taste the local drink of horchata in its original form with some fartons or as a beer at Polo.
It's a great way to spend a couple of hours and even though you might not have intended to buy anything else, get lots of food goodies to take home. They're really the best souvenirs of Valencia you can get.
Balneario La Alameda
Stop worrying about getting damp in the rain and go and submerge yourself in the therapeutic waters of the Balneario La Alameda.
This public spa bath is located on the Carrer d'Amadeu de Savoia just a quick sprint through the rain from the Alameda metro station, so it's reasonably accessible from most parts of the city.
Once you take a dip in the warm, magnesium-rich waters of the spa you'll begin to relax and soak away all the stress and muscular pain of sightseeing in Valencia on foot. The waters are reputed to have rejuvenating effects and make you look and feel younger too, which is another added bonus.
As well as taking a soak in the magnesium pool, you can also get a massage, a Japanese facial lifting massage, an anti-cellulite massage, or a foot massage to name just a few of the treatments available.
NB: Due to ongoing Covid restrictions, it's necessary to make a reservation to use the thermal pools. Check the weather forecast daily and if it talks of showers, get booked in. There's no better way to spend a rainy day in Valencia than pampering yourself.
Visigoth Crypt
There's one place you won't get wet when it's raining in Valencia and that's underground. If you wake up to a rainy day during your visit, plan a visit to the Visigoth Crypt. It's not as creepy as you might expect, but provides a fascinating insight into the more ancient history of the city.
The Visigoth Crypt is a structure that was once under the now non-existent Visigoth Cathedral and dates back over thirteen centuries. The stone walls and arches are carved with intricate designs reputedly created by Vicente Ferrer, a clergyman who was incarcerated there, and then, just like Joan of Arc, burnt to death at the stake.
The Visigoth Crypt, also known as St Vincent's Prison is open for public viewing from Tuesday to Sunday between nine-thirty in the morning and seven in the evening. It's definitely worth taking a look at even when you don’t want to get out of the rain.
Get Classical
When it's raining in Valencia one way to pass a few hours is to download an English version of one of the Spanish classics, sit in the nearest quiet cafe that serves great coffee and try to decipher what it's all about.
While you might go straight to Don Quixote, that's understandable, there are alternative options. Try the contemporary poems of Vicent Andrés Estellés or the ancient texts of Rodrigaz Diaz de Vivar, otherwise known as El Cid. You'll find an unexpected insight into Valencian culture that will leave you completely captivated and searching for more.
To accompany your reading of the classics with great coffee, try the Bluebell Coffee Roasters on Carrer de Buenos Aires, the Cafe ArtSana on the Carrer de Denia in the Ruzafa district, or the Cafe de las Horas on the Carrer del Comte d'Almodovar.
If you're not a coffee drinker, the Cafe de las Horas make the best Agua de Valencia you'll find in the city. What could possibly be better on a rainy day than sipping freshly squeezed orange juice laced with sparkling wine and gin while reading a book?
Conclusion
If after reading through this guide on what to do in Valencia on a rainy day, you’re not hoping tomorrow’s weather is cloudy and gray, there may be something wrong with you. Valencia is a city that can be enjoyed in all weathers so don’t let a little bit of drizzle put a damper on your visit.