Valencia is the 3rd biggest city in Spain, with many affordable, child-friendly accommodations like cheap hotels or hostels. Some people even say it will be the second Barcelona soon - La Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias (the City of Arts and Sciences) is certainly one of the wonders of the modern world. It consists of five different parts: the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía (opened in 2005), with opera performances; the Hemisfèric, a 3D IMAX cinema with digital projections; the Umbracle, that displays exotic plants from all over the world; the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum, centre of interactive science; and the Oceanográfico, the largest aquarium in Europe with over 500 marine species.

Other sights and buildings in the city next to the area where the most cheap hotels are: the bustling and lively market, El Mercado Central; then the Plaza de Ayuntamiento, which has many impressive 19th century buildings; the Torres de Serranos that are said to be the biggest gothic gates in whole Europe, and the cathedral, which was built on the place of a previous mosque and according to some researchers, the original Holy Grail is guarded here!

Of course Valencia not only disposes cultural sights but also an enchanting seaside, with many good quality beaches like the Levante or the Malvarossa , but the best ones with golden sand beaches and blue flag labelling are a bit further from the city centre, so car rental might be a good idea in this case – you can compare the prices of different car rental companies and that of the low cost airlines or cheap hotelrooms here on Liligo.com.

Some things to take care of when planning your trip

To have a holiday without setbacks, it helps a lot to take into consideration what simple measurements can be done that would save you many bad shots.
First of all, always check your documents that will be requested at the entrance of your destination country, consult the competent government agency, and even if you do not leave the country, keep in mind that it is obligatory to carry along your identification papers. Moreover, many accommodations request documents at registration. You may also want to rent a car, so you'll have to take your driver's license with you (get informed about the international driving license, too). Do not forget your travel insurance, your health insurance card (we strongly recommend you to take your health card). There are some countries where a visa is required to be allowed to enter the country at all. But do not worry, in most countries you can enter and stay without visas or special permits for some months (usually 90 days).
A good tactic is to photocopy important documents you might need, so in case they get lost or stolen, it will be really useful. Furthermore, it is also a good idea to carry along two extra passport photos.

Thanks to the Schengen agreement, one can freely cross the borders of ‘Schengen countries’, so EU travellers travelling within this area won’t be asked to identify themselves. Even so, you should always carry along identity documents, because police might ask for identity checks, any time. The following countries form part of the Schengen Agreement:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland (non-EU), Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway (non-EU), Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland (non-EU).
EU countries that do not belong to this agreement are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, UK and Romania. Citizens outside the EU will need to apply for visas and documents to enter the Schengen area. The maximum length of stay for travellers is 3 months.
Bear in mind that some documents and visas are not that easy to get, one has to wait for them. Therefore it is recommended that you plan the travel and learn about these documents well in advance.

In addition to paperwork, when travelling within or outside the borders of the EU or the Schengen area, don’t forget to be informed of the required or recommended vaccinations in certain countries. If you know exactly the health care situation of the country which you plan to travel to, you can avoid many unpleasant surprises.
Again, please note that some vaccines require more than one dose, sometimes with large temporary spaces between them, so it is advisable to act well in advance. Be cautious with consuming food, especially fruits, and for your security, drink bottled water only.
Also, the maximum weight of your luggage is usually around 20 kilos –depending on the airline-, so it might be a good idea to make a list of most necessary things before packing your suitcase. Your passport (and anything fragile) is best to be guarded in your hand luggage that you bring along into the cabin.
Note that you can’t have scissors (or any kind of cutting or stabbing tools) with you, nor liquids of any kind (water, tee, juices and all types of cosmetics), or at least only a small amount.

Unfortunately, sometimes it happens that your luggage gets lost. In this case it might be helpful to have some clothes with you in your hand bag, until your luggage is found.

Further information:

Foreign and Commonwealth office

European Health Insurance card

Healthcare abroad