One of the reasons we decided to go to Valencia was to go to the beach. Chuck asked me where I wanted to spend July, and I said somewhere with a beach. So here we are. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay right on the beach but staying in the old town has been fun, too. We are only about a mile and a half from the beach, just a short tram ride away.
Valencia is located on the southeastern coast of Spain along the Mediterranean Sea. The beaches run north and south along the edge of the city above and below a large port. There are several named beaches north of the port that are easy to get to and are popular with tourists and locals alike. The beaches that are south of the port are harder to get to and they don’t have the amenities of the northern ones, but I hear that clothing is optional…hmmm.
Anyway, the beach that we have visited is called Malvarrosa and it is located just north of the port. There are really 3 beaches but they all run together. Malvarrosa is technically the one in the middle, but everyone refers to the entire beach area as Playa Malvarrosa.
We’ve visited the beach three times now and have enjoyed it immensely. The beach is big–about 70m deep from the boardwalk to the water, and I-don’t-know-how-many miles long. There are lifeguards and wooden walkways every so often with showers and restrooms and other conveniences. On the boardwalk there are restaurants and shops: it’s very easy to enjoy lunch and a pitcher of sangria while watching the beach-goers.
The beach itself is made of a very fine almost brown sand that’s nice to walk in and very clean. The water is also nice: it’s clear, blue and warm. The whole beach is flat including the shore. The water stays shallow for quite a ways out, so it’s nice to wade or float or swim if you are so inclined. Each time we’ve been, the water has been different. The first time was after a storm so the the water was darker with big (3 foot) waves. The other times the water has been calmer and warmer.
Closer to the port, the beach has hotels and more touristy shops and, obviously, more tourists. On this end you see more families and hear different languages. The middle section of the beach (Malvarrosa proper) seems to have more locals. Valencians seem to love their beach: young and old alike come to catch a little sun as often as possible. For the young it seems to be a place to hang out, and for the old it seems a part of their daily routine to come and spend 30 minutes or so walking along the water or soaking up some sun. It’s not unusual to see people fully clothed in dresses or jeans stripping down to get a few quick minutes of sun.
Another nice thing about Malvarrosa is it’s other amenities–chairs and umbrellas for rent and refreshment stations. The chairs and umbrellas are very reasonable: 12 Euros for the day for a permanently situated thatched umbrella and a pair of cushioned lounge chairs. There are plenty of little blue and white stands that sell cerveza (beer), cold drinks, ice cream, sandwiches, etc. Unfortunately, there are other vendors that bother you with offers of massages or hair braiding or cover-ups…but they usually move on fairly quickly with a ‘no, gracias.’ Except for the Asian massage ladies: they attempt to start rubbing you! That’s just not my thing at the beach, and please don’t touch me unless I give you permission! (I wasn’t really found of strangers touching my belly when I was pregnant, either. You know the ladies in the mall that always want to rub your big belly like you are Buddha or something…)
My favorite part of going to the beach is the people watching and Malvarrosa does not disappoint! I’m amazed that people can come to the beach fully clothed, wrap a towel around themselves, and emerge in their swimsuits! I’m also amazed that you would want to wear jeans in 90 degree weather in the first place, but like I said, the locals seem to come to steal a few minutes in the sun when they can.
If you use Trip Advisor or Yelp for recommendations and reviews, the comments about Malvarrosa were correct in saying that the beach was great but they also mentioned that it was ‘European’–meaning that there would be topless women around. Some reviews were negative about this and warned people away. Now, I find this funny. For one thing, we’e in Europe! Duh! Tops are often shed at the beach by young and old…it is a part of the culture. Some toddlers even run around naked (gasp)! Only Americans would be so critical to say this was wrong especially since it’s not even their home!
So, yes, there are boobies all around–some covered, some not, some perky, some not, some young, some not. There are also guys in Speedos, girls in thongs…you name it. Most people wear as little as possible. It’s fun to watch the locals (who are comfortable) and tourists (who are trying to be comfortable) at the beach. Then there’s the guy that just stands and stares…he’s fun to watch too!
So, Playa Malvarrosa does not disappoint as a whole! I give it a 90 on my rating scale. It’s pretty close to perfect, and I can see why people love it. I can’t wait to go back tomorrow!
