Every city seems to have one these areas; you know the place, Lower East Side, New York – Shoreditch, London – Malasaña, Madrid. The places where hip young artistic types like to hang out over a flat white and a smashed avocado flatbread. Well, we have another one for you: Ruzafa, Valencia
The Valencian neighborhood of Ruzafa is a chilled out hotchpotch of trendy bars, music venues, restaurants, and vintage shops. It’s close to the centre of Valencia, it’s a bus ride from the beach, and it isn’t all that pricey to live.
Let’s take a look at one of the most modish, upcoming places in Spain that is attracting both families and digital nomads alike.
The Streets of Ruzafa, Valencia
Summed up perfectly by for91days, the main streets to visit in Ruzafa are Calle Cadiz and Calle Sueca, these two streets are really known as the centre of the area and are filled with bars, restaurants and boutiques.
Ruzafa Market is an amazing Spanish food market where you can buy all of the produce of Valencia, oranges, artichokes, tomatoes and seafood; the building itself has got an industrial feel to it, and visiting it is a trip into the oldy-worldy Valencia of street stalls and loud chatter.
Most of the restaurants in Ruzafa serve traditional Valencian tapas, local foods such as tomatoes seafood and grilled meats. There are also restaurants from around the world serving a wide variety from Italian to Japanese to Vietnamese. Two of the standout restaurants are Maui and Copenhagen, two great places serving European fusion with the typically relaxed atmosphere and great service.
Nightlife
There are lots of clubs and bars in Ruzafa of every hue, from cocktail bars to traditional Spanish tascas, and food from all over the world.
Over the past few years in various Spanish cities there has been a backlash from residents against noise at night time in areas with nightlife. In Ruzafa, the terraces tables are brought in at 12am by law (it is a “green zone” area) and clubs are required to have wardens outside to keep the noise down from revellers. So after 12, the parties continue indoors in clubs such as The Xtra Large Playground and Piccadilly Downtown Club (a silent disco).
No surprises – Just solid investment
The Valencian government made steps in the 2000s to turn Valencia into an attractive city for international tourism. They built a Formula 1 track around the America’s Cup buildings, and spending on these events was ostentatiously made to improve the brand of Valencia, it worked. The city is now well known throughout the world, and images of the City of Arts and Sciences are seen on magazine covers everywhere.
One of the areas that has most benefited from the new international presence is Ruzafa, a hotchpotch of narrow streets south of the city that became the place to go for great food, great nightlife, and a relaxed atmosphere.
Normally these areas grow over a number of years, the locals of the place are priced out and residents are replaced with only the people who can afford the higher rents, not so in Ruzafa.
Ruzafa, Valencia is typical of many spanish places, the locals are friendly and there is a relaxed atmosphere. In Through the long summers the place is quieter as people go away for their summer holidays, and in winter there is life throughout the week and the weekends are busy for bars. Being an urban area in Valencia, there are a lot of expats in the area from across Europe so there is a real sense of character.
Holding on to its character
The Ruzafa of old was mostly known for getting your car or your furniture fixed, it was dingy, a little run down, and not really somewhere you would associate with cereal cafes. This identity still exists beneath the surface; there is still an underbelly of griminess which gives the place an edge, and an identity that exists only in Ruzafa, Valencia.
Similar to Graçia, Barcelona, (not least for the bohemian lifestyle) Ruzafa has increased sharply in price over the last two years. It took a long time to bounce back from the Spanish housing crisis, but since 2016 the whole of Spain recovered to its pre-recession level. For many places in Spain, housing prices are now outstripping 2007 levels, in Ruzafa, the rents are higher than in other places in the city, but not unaffordable. For a (unfurnished) two bedroom apartment, €850/month + expenses (how to rent an apartment in Valencia) will get you a nice long term place that is quite central. For buyers, around €215,000 for the same. (Blue Key, a one stop solution for investors in Valencia)
A bold step and a bright future
As we write this, a major urban initiative is nearing completion: Ruzafa’s new Central Park which will host 230,000m² of ornate gardens and green areas, but it’s more than just a park. The wider project is to link rail both throughout the city and further afield, making Valencia a key transport hub for Southern Europe. Prices in Ruzafa are expected to go up in coming years as this new infrastructure is likely to bring a new wave of tourism to the area. This investment marks one of the most important new renovations to the city, offering a new underground line from Ruzafa to the old town in El Carmen and south to the City of Arts and Sciences.
Ruzafa, Valencia is a great place to live; for people coming to spend time in Valencia, it is one of the best places to start out. It’s close to the city centre, it’s diverse, and it’s a great place to hang out. If you want to find out more, get in touch with us with any questions and we’ll help you out as best we can.
Invest in Valencia, Ruzafa
If you are interested in investing in Ruzafa, contact Blue Key. Fill out the online form, or send us an email to [email protected].
Blue Key is a Globexs company, established to help foreigners invest in the beautiful city of Valencia.
