Question
“Hello! Looking for communities/neighborhoods that are not touristy, and are more true to authentic Spanish daily life in the Valencia province. Also, walkable, no car required. Thanks for your ideas.”
Answers
These are the answers from Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
Neighborhoods in Valencia City
“Valencia is Spain’s 3rd biggest city. It’s where people live and work. Just avoid the centre and you will be able to experience normal life there.
We’re on La Avenida del Puerto which for us is perfect, short bus ride into town and Cabañal and the beach are easily walkable.”
“Patraix.”
“Malilla. And there’s a great gym.”
“I would stay in the city if I were you. We have been to all the areas people are mentioning and they are very quiet and maybe a bit too sleepy. The city has a ton of authentic barrios. All of them except Cánovas, El Carmen and Ruzafa are good if you are looking to avoid tourists.”
Here are the Google Maps links for these Valencia City neighborhoods:
- Avenida del Puerto – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Avenida+del+Puerto,+Valencia
- Cabañal (El Cabanyal) – https://www.google.com/maps/place/El+Cabanyal,+Valencia
- Patraix – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Patraix,+Valencia
- Malilla – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Malilla,+Valencia
- Cánovas – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cánovas,+Valencia
- El Carmen – https://www.google.com/maps/place/El+Carmen,+Valencia
- Ruzafa (Russafa) – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ruzafa,+Valencia
Towns in Valencia Province
“Try Cullera.”
“Gandia. It’s walkable, has buses, and a train directly to Valencia city.”
“Lliria & Bétera both end of metro lines.”
“On line 1 the Bétera line, Burjassot and Godella too.”
“Xàtiva.”
“Alfafar, 5 min with a train to the city center. Trains every 15 minutes till 22.40. There are buses as well, 15 min to the center. Taxi 18–20 euros.”
“Torrent is non-touristy, but within easy reach of the city by metro. It has pretty much all the shops you need, nice parks, a good programme of cultural events and activities, and accommodation is a lot cheaper than Valencia.
If you need to brush up your Spanish, there’s a good language exchange there twice a week.”
“La Pobla de Vallbona.”
“Gandia has everything. The beach is only 3 km away from the town and is regarded as one of the best in Spain.”
“Sagunto, Puerto Sagunto.”
“Oliva, the soutest city in Valencia full of orange and olive trees. Autentic village with a few tourist.”
“You will have to go inland to find non touristy.”
Here are the Google Maps links for all 13 Valencia Province towns mentioned:
- Cullera – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cullera,+Valencia
- Gandia – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Gandia,+Valencia
- Lliria – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lliria,+Valencia
- Bétera – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bétera,+Valencia
- Burjassot – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Burjassot,+Valencia
- Godella – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Godella,+Valencia
- Xàtiva – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Xàtiva,+Valencia
- Alfafar – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Alfafar,+Valencia
- Torrent – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Torrent,+Valencia
- La Pobla de Vallbona – https://www.google.com/maps/place/La+Pobla+de+Vallbona,+Valencia
- Sagunto – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sagunto,+Valencia
- Puerto de Sagunto (Port de Sagunt) – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Port+de+Sagunt,+Valencia
- Oliva – https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oliva,+Valencia
These links will take you directly to each town’s location on Google Maps where you can explore the area, get directions, and see local businesses and amenities.
Conclusion
The discussion shows that for a non-touristy, authentic, walkable lifestyle, expats have two strong options: choosing residential neighborhoods inside Valencia city or considering towns across the Valencia province with excellent transport connections. Members emphasized that many city barrios—such as Patraix, Malilla, Burjassot and Avenida del Puerto—offer daily Spanish life without the heavy tourist presence of central areas.
Outside the city, places like Gandia, Xàtiva, Torrent, Sagunto and Cullera provide affordability, walkability and a strong sense of local culture, often with direct rail or metro access to Valencia. These inland and coastal towns were repeatedly highlighted as ideal for those wanting quieter communities and a deeper cultural experience.
Overall, the Spainguru community agrees that both Valencia city neighborhoods and wider provincial towns offer excellent non-touristy options for newcomers seeking authenticity and convenience. This article is based on personal opinions from the Spainguru community and is not legal advice.
