You read that right. It does rain.
But don’t worry! Valencia has plenty of indoor activities that will save you from being caught in the rain and allow you to enjoy the city in a different way.
So get out your umbrella, put on your boots and get ready for the good stuff.
#1 Soak up culture in the city’s museums
The museums of Valencia are the perfect refuge when the skies turn grey.
Start with the classics: The Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange), the Fine Arts Museum, the Soldaditos de Plomo Museum and the IVAM, where there are always exhibitions to ponder over and enjoy both the local artistic heritage and national and international creations.
If you fancy something more interactive, head to the City of Arts and Sciences and discover the Science Museum. Here you can learn about technology and the universe while having fun.
And if you’re looking for something different, don’t miss the museums of illusions in Valencia, the Iluziona Museum and the Museum of Illusions, two interactive spaces in which art, science and technology manage to create optical illusions, 3D scenarios and visual experiences that trick the brain and make you the star of the show.
More museums in Valencia
#2 Enjoy theatre plays and films under cover
Armchairs are also a great refuge when the weather is bad.
Choose between a good theatre play at the Teatro Olympia, the Teatre Talia or drop by one of the city’s classic cinemas such as Babel or ABC Park.
Fancy some comedy? There are shows in small venues like the Sala Russafa that will make you feel like you’re in your living room, but with live applause and laughter.
And if you prefer the big screen, Valencia’s cinemas have everything from independent films to the latest releases, so there’s no excuse to get bored.
You can even enjoy an immersive cinema experience in the IMAX Laser theatre (Spain’s second of its kind) or in Kinépolis‘ 4DX theatre, a true visual spectacle!
#3 Music sounds better in the rain
Is Valencia really Valencia without music, even (or especially) when it rains?
Check the calendar of concerts and festivals, you’re sure to find something interesting in indoor venues such as La Casa de la Mar, the Loco Club or the Palau de la Música.
We have something for everyone!
From jazz to accompany a glass of wine to Valencian indie or acoustic concerts that will make you forget all about the rain.
And if huge stages are your thing, you have to come and see the Roig Arena, the new multi-purpose space and epicentre of the city’s major concerts.
Even if it’s pouring outside, inside any of these venues you’re only going to hear a shower of applause.
#4 Comfort food for rainy days
You can brighten up a rainy day in Valencia with a horchata and fartons at Horchatería Panach or Horchatería Daniel. Yes, even if it’s not summer! You can also score extra points with a typical meal such as a delicious all i pebre or a good Valencian paella.
Try it at restaurants such as Racó de L’Arnau, Pelayo Gastro Trinquet, La Cigrona, and if you want, learn how to make it yourself!
There are workshops such as the Paella Experience or My first Paella, where they teach you step by step how to cook the city’s most emblematic dish.
If hunger strikes at teatime, there’s nothing better than taking refuge in the Colón Market and ordering a hot chocolate with churros in one of its cafés.
If you’re looking for something a bit more exciting, pop into El Café de las Horas and order their Agua de Valencia, which is misleadingly sweet but... It contains cava! — one of the best in the entire city.
#5 Go shopping without getting soaked
If shopping is your thing, you’re in luck too!
Valencia’s shopping areas range from boutiques and shops selling sustainable clothing to covered galleries where you can stroll without getting wet.
Explore Colón, Poeta Querol or Ruzafa if the rain is intermittent, or take complete shelter in department stores such as El Corte Inglés or shopping centres such as El Saler, Aqua Multiespacio, Nuevo Centro, Arena Multiespacio or Bonaire.
If you’re looking for something more authentic, take a stroll around the Mercado Central, a modernist gem full of produce from Valencia’s orchards and the Mediterranean, as well as sausages, meats, breads, cakes and spices. It is closed on Sundays, of course.
I’m going shopping
#6 Visit an exhibition
Grey days are perfect for getting lost in one (or several) exhibitions.
Besides museums, Valencia always has something new happening in galleries and cultural centres.
From photography exhibitions at La Nau to contemporary art at the Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània, there are plenty of options to look at the world through different lenses.
If you’re more into digital and experimental art, pop into Bombas Gens Centre d’Arts Digitals or the Bancaja Foundation to see exhibitions by the great masters, two spaces that never fail to surprise.
How wonderful to be able to discover new artists while you take shelter in Valencia when it rains, eh?
#7 Visit the best monuments without getting wet
Not all monuments require umbrellas.
Better still, visit Valencia Cathedral and get a first-hand look at the history of the Holy Chalice, a 1st-century cup that is thought to be the one used by Jesus at the Last Supper. If you want to go deeper, there is also the recently inaugurated Visitor Reception Centre of the Holy Chalice.
Are you more artistic? Get a ticket for the Church of San Nicolás the so-called “Valencian Sistine Chapel”, or go into the Silk Museum where a little piece of València’s commercial tradition and history is kept.
If you fancy something more stately, take a guided tour of the Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas and marvel at its Baroque façade and the ceramics inside, as it houses the National Ceramics Museum, with lots of traditional Valencian handicrafts.
And although it is not in the city centre, the Monastery of San Miguel de Los Reyes is an must-see for its architectural beauty, its historical and cultural interest, and because you will also avoid the rain in the complex.
Rain in Valencia doesn’t mean you have to cancel your plans
Next time a few drops fall, don’t lock yourself in the hotel.
Rain in Valencia doesn’t spoil plans... it just changes them a bit. It’s the perfect excuse to lose yourself in a museum, discover some of those comforting flavours or let yourself be carried away by the rhythm of the music while it’s still sparkling outside.
If any of these great ideas have caught your eye... don’t think twice and go for it!
