Valencia.
Palms, tiles and the Mestalla.
Valencia (September 2026).
Lads' trip with Dave, JD and Tony, built around one thing: Valencia v Barcelona at the Mestalla.
The city.
Plazas lined with palms, tiled doorways, street art and a Central Market that is worth an hour on its own. Easy to walk, with plenty of places to stop along the way.
The Mestalla.
One of the steepest grounds in Europe. The stands go almost straight up and you feel right on top of the pitch. Big atmosphere for a big game.
Good city, great ground. A proper lads' weekend.
Getting there.
Wizz Air from Gatwick, about two hours. We landed before check-in and left the bags at a luggage drop in town until we could get in.
Other options: easyJet, Vueling and BA also fly from Gatwick, Wizz from Luton, BA and Iberia from Heathrow and Ryanair from Stansted. From the airport, metro lines 3 and 5 get you to the centre in 20 to 25 minutes for under €6, and a taxi is €20 to €30. By train, it's Eurostar to Paris, the TGV to Barcelona and on to Valencia, with an overnight stop.
Where to stay.
Five of us shared an apartment on Calle San Vicente Mártir in the old town, near Plaza de la Reina, for three nights.
Budget: Purple Nest Hostel on Plaza de Tetuán, around £85 a night. Mid-range: Hotel Dimar on Gran Vía, around £150. Fancy: Caro Hotel, in an old-town palace with Roman and Arab remains, around £265.
Worth doing.
The Mestalla, the Central Market and a wander round the old town.
With more time: the City of Arts and Sciences, paella on Malvarrosa beach (La Pepica is the classic), the Turia gardens by bike, and the Mestalla stadium tour on a non-match day.
