There are many interesting and unique neighbourhoods in Valencia, and finding the best areas to live is not always easy. Everyone has different preferences, and so everyone will have different criteria in terms of location, local amenities, and the price per square meter they are prepared to pay for a home in Valencia.
Back in the UK, we based our home search on what area is ‘good’ in regard to education and crime. So when we started our research in Valencia, it was a little overwhelming! Everywhere have their bad and good areas right? It’s more difficult to pinpoint those areas especially if it’s in another country.
Some young families choose the buzz of the city, but some also consider living a little inland. The pros of living a little further out means that you will find bigger and cheaper homes. This prospect appeals more to families with kids who want space and a slower pace of life, while also enjoying the safety and benefits of Mediterranean living.
Below is a list of 10 of the best areas to live outside Valencia city in terms of preference from expatriates. I hope you find them useful!
1. Alfinach, Puzol
Alfinach is a luxury urbanización complex located in the Sierra Calderona. From here you can see the amazing mountain views of the Mediterranean. The urbanización (developments) offer 24-hour security.
The urbanización includes a country club with sports facilities. There are also cafes, playgrounds and community pools. An ideal place to socialise with fellow residents.
The beach is only 5 km away and the town of Puzol is a mere 2km so you’ll never be stuck!
The main train station is also located in Puzol which connects to the North Station in Valencia. Metro Valencia is 7 kms away in Rafelbunyol that connects to the city and Manises airport.
2. Urbanización El Bosque, Chiva
El Bosque is an exclusive housing development located 10 km from the town on Chiva and 20 km from Valencia. This tranquil residential area has a lot of green spaces which makes it an ideal and comfortable place to live in.
You will also find the popular Golf El Bosque. Popular with golfers from beginners to high-level players. A clubhouse is also available in the housing complex. The development provides many facilities. This includes cafes, restaurants, beauty services and rentable spaces for business lunches and events.
A great choice for expats who are looking for a lot more out of their Mediterranean lifestyle. The complex also includes 24-hour security, a tennis club and an equestrian centre.
3. Los Monasterios / Alfinach (Puzol)
Los Monasterios is an exclusive development located in the Sierra Calderona Natural Park. It’s situated at the edge of the mountains, only 7kms from the beach, 3kms from the town of Puzol and 20kms away from Valencia.
The urbanización offer 24-hour security surveillance and an exclusive country club for residents. Complete with tennis courts, community pool, bar, and restaurant.
For families with children, the prestigious American School of Valencia and Caxton College British school is only 5kms in the town of Puzol
4. Santa Barbara (Rocafort)
The prestigious Santa Barbara in the municipality of Rocafort, 6km north-west of Valencia. Like many well-developed urbanizacións they have a country club, tennis club, sports facilities and of course a 24-hour security service. It is also well connected to the city by the CV-310 and CV-35 highways.
There is also Cambridge House College, situated at the southern part of the development. Los Olivos which is about 2km away in the municipality of Godella.
5. Campolivar
Campolivar is a residential development located in the municipality of Godella. Just over 4 km from the city of Valencia. Although it is an un-gated community it has large properties with large plots. It is also very so close to the city it is ideal for families with young children.
Like many urbanizacións in Valencia, Campolivar is well connected to the Metro with two stops only 1.5 kms away in Godella and Rocafort. The area also has easy access to the A-7 and CV-35. Manises airport is also about 8 kms away.
Heron City entertainment complex is also 2.6 kms from the residential area. A convenient place to enjoy leisure activities. They have a wide selection of restaurants, a cinema, and shops without having to drive to the city.
You will also find Los Olivos International College. And the Edelweiss and Summit College which offers bilingual learning.
6. Mas Camarena
Mas Camerena is an exclusive housing development in Bétera about 9 km from Valencia. It is also ideally situated next to Paterna Technology Park, ideal if you’re self-employed and wish to rent an office near the area.
This complex is easily accessible via the CV-35 motorway. It also has a direct bus service which make travelling convenient.
This is a tranquil residential area where many of the residents stay all through the year. Like many urbanisations in Valencia, Mas Camarena offers its residents a social club, restaurant, sporting facilities and 24-hour security.
Mas Camerena also have a private and bilingual school on-site which allows children to go to school without leaving the area. Other schools such as Colegio Palma in La Cañada and Liceo Francés in Valterna are also available only a short distance away.
7. Torre En Conill
This urbanización is located in Mas Camarera in the municipality of Betera. It is home to Escorpión Golf Course. With 27 holes, it is one of the best golf courses in the province, which has made the urbanisation a favourite destination for golf lovers.
Transport connections with the city of Valencia are excellent, thanks to the CV-35. The area have shops, private security and a wide range of uniquely designed chalets, townhouses, and fincas.
8. La Cañada, Paterna
La Cañada lies in the municipal area of Paterna about ten minutes drive from the centre of Valencia. It is a large residential town that makes up several urbanizacións. This includes Montecañada, El Plantío, and La Vallesa. The town offers a direct link to Valencia via the Metro, so it’s you can enjoy the tranquillity without compromising the conveniences of the city.
The town is well equipped with shops and near to Heron City. A modern leisure and entertainment complex, with shopping centres, supermarkets, cinemas, restaurants, gyms and more.
For families with school-aged children, it’s an ideal location as it’s home to some of the prestigious schools in Valencia. Such as El Plantio, British College, Santo Tomás de Aquino and French Lyceum.
La Cañada is a popular choice for many families offering an ideal combination of residential comforts and traditional Valencian living.
9. El Vedat, Torrent
El Vedat is located in the municipality of Torrent, about 9 kilometres from Valencia. This sought after residential area is situated 142 metres above sea level on the edge of the Sierra Perenxisa.
This urbanización combines the advantages of living in a quiet natural environment with the proximity to all services and leisure possibilities. Good restaurants, schools, a shopping centre, surveillance and just 5 minutes from the town Torrente.
The area is also renowned for its well-established schools that tend to have better facilities than those in the city. Among the various institutions, the most prestigious bilingual Julio Verne school, Santa Teresa and the Colegio El Vedat.
10. L’Eliana
La Eliana is located 13 kilometres north-west of Valencia and it’s made of several residential areas. Though it’s a little further from the city, the town offers quick and easy access to all necessary amenities. And with 4 metro stations, it is well connected to Valencia city.
The shopping centre El Osito, as well as the towns supermarkets, shops and boutiques, can be found nearby. The best thing about living in any part of Valencia is the closeness to nature and here you will find the Vallesa forest. A beautiful park and beauty spot surrounded by trees and greenery.
Final Thoughts…
These are just 10 of the most distinctive neighbourhoods outside the city, but there are many more to discover. I have also written a personal insight on what it’s like to live in an urbanisation in Valencia to give you an idea of what you might expect if you choose this type of neighbourhood. Wherever you choose to live in Valencia, you will definitely find a wide range of experiences and adventures waiting for you.
Map Of The Best Area To Live Outside Valencia City
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8 Comments
This is really helpful! My family and I are thinking about moving from the UK to the Valencia region in July. We are going to Valencia next month for a week to drive around a few towns and get a feel for these places. Thank you!
Hi Matt, thanks for leaving a comment. I’m glad that you found the post useful. It really encourages me to write more and help other families who are thinking of living in this beautiful city :). Good luck with your trip and I hope you find somewhere ideal for you and your family.
Hello Maria
It was nice to read about your miss/not miss UK. We live in Sweden (used to live in London) and have been a foreigner for half of my life in different countries in Europe (including France. Belgium and Portugal). So I do resonate with things you wrote. We plan to come to Valencia in about a week to look for buying a winter place – probably a flat in La Eliana as the place would be empty 6 months. We do not know this part of Spain at all. Have you ever been there – it is listed on your list of nice places close to Valencia to leave.? We picked it up because it seems to have good public transport to Valencia, seems calm and easy to walk in a safe environment with good infrastructure. Do you know if there are other foreigners there – I speak a bit of Spanish, but a melting pot of nationalities always help a foreigner to feel less ‘being the only odd one’. Where do you live yourself? Hope to hear from you soon. Best wishes, Mariana
Hi Mariana, thanks for your comment. We actually live about 10 minutes from L’Eliana. Its a great place to live, its a neighbourhood with an equal mix of Spaniards and foreigners. They have lots of facilities, near shopping, parks and things to do. They also have a metro that connects to Valencia, so it’s easy to get to the city. 🙂
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Hi Maria, thanks for your interesting post on neighborhoods near Valencia. We are a family of five living in Hawaii, and are making the big move to Spain next year ( I am originally from South Africa and my husband from Dallas, TX). My husband and I are coming out in October to get a feel for where we want to live. I have three kids, ages 10, 10, 12. It is SO hard trying to get a feel for a place just by reading blogs and pouring over google maps, haha! We were thinking about hiring a car and just driving around these neighborhoods to get a feel of the place. Thanks again for the info!
Hello Maria,
It has been very helpful reading all of your experiences. We relocated to Spain in January, to the Murcia region. We are finding it a little too quiet, and the kids have been at a private school, but are not learning Spanish very quickly. We are relocating to the Valencià region in the next month or so, and we would love to have some recommendations of good public schools for my 8, 7 and 3 yr olds. Which one did you choose?. I like the fact that they helped them to transition with learning Spanish. My kids have been learning since January but we will look into getting them a tutor when we get settled too, to support them.
Do many of the public schools offer support for English kids? I know we will have to help them a lot too.
Many thanks for all of your information.
Ruth
Hi Ruth, thanks for your comment, and sorry for the delay in my reply. In regards to public schools, the best thing to do is to choose one in the town you wish to settle. This is what we did. At first we placed our boys in a private concertado school which didn’t work out. As your kids are still quite young, then I think a total immersion to Spanish will be good for them. It will take a while but work out in the long run. It really depends on how willing the school is with helping the kids, my boys school (my youngest is now 12) have about 2 hours a week tutoring within the school, this is with Spanish and Valenciano. I cannot say whether ALL public Spanish schools offers tutoring, but you can always ask. I hope this helps 🙂 P.S we live about 30 mins from the city in the Camp de Turia region.