The Hidden Corners of Valencia - A Trip to Marchalenes and Turia Park

Hello everyone. Greetings from Valencia. As soon as I arrived here, I decided to do something I hadn’t done in a long time: explore Valencia’s neighborhoods. I started with Turia Park, a former riverbed that now stretches across the entire city. On the other side of it lies Marchalenes neighborhood, where I took a stroll.

By the way Marchalenes was the first neighborhood I explored in Valencia. I stayed with a friend here for a few days. The neighborhood is located near the city center and was once considered one of Valencia’s outskirts. The name Marchalenes has Arabic origins and means swampy area, which makes sense because this area used to flood frequently due to the overflowing Turia River. After a massive flood, the riverbed was relocated outside the city, a turning point for Valencia’s residents. The disaster caused significant damage and even loss of life, prompting this major decision.

The neighborhood transformed significantly after the riverbed was relocated and especially towards the end of the 20th century. Today it’s a small but fully integrated part of the city, home to around 11000 people. It has everything one might need for daily life. One of the most significant developments for the neighborhood was the creation of Turia Park.

It’s late November and the weather is cooling as the evening approaches. Rain was expected, but for now everything remains dry. A tram runs through the neighborhood, connecting it to Valencia’s central beaches.

Speaking of real estate, I want to touch on housing prices. Back in 2017 we bought a house here for my friend, paying €24,000, including all expenses. The house needed some renovations, but it was still quite affordable. At that time construction materials and labor were reasonably priced. However, prices have risen sharply since then. A quick look at websites like Idealista shows that even the cheapest homes have seen significant price hikes. Some apartments now start at €80,000 and can go much higher.

I passed by a small children’s park, marking the end of today’s walk. I’ve shared some of the green spaces, streets and the atmosphere of the neighborhood with you. I’ll cover more of Valencia’s neighborhoods in my upcoming posts. See you soon. 😊