FAQ's

THE INFORMATION GIVEN HERE COMES FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. COMPANIES MENTIONED ARE NOT SPONSORS.
IMAGES OBTAINED FROM THE INTERNET. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THEY NEED TO BE REMOVED BY COPYRIGHT.

How do you fly to Valencia?

We usually fly Air France from Ottawa-Montreal-Paris-Valencia. From Ottawa to Montreal, Air France takes us by bus, included in the same price. Usually this airline has the shortest lay over times and we total between 12 to 14 hours. There's also Swiss Air and Lufthansa.
There are many flight combinations you can choose from different parts of Canada and different airlines. We even went by Iberia once, but it took us from Ottawa to Toronto to Chicago and then Madrid. Most USA flights go to Newark, NY, but we like to fly from Canada to Europe direct.
The price varies with the season, and THE HOUR OF THE DAY you buy it. Try checking for it at different times of the day and you will notice variations of up to 20%, even if the flight is to be made months ahead. It ranges in the 800-1200 dls.
As we get older, we'd rather pay the 100 extra dollars for more leg room on the flight to and from Paris. If you are paying the extra fee, pay it in Canada. If you wait, you will pay 100 euros instead of 100 dollars

do you need to rent a car?

The transportation system in Valencia includes buses and metro. Cabs are not as expensive as in Canada. Nothing is more expensive than in Canada. You can rent a car, but I try not to. The City attractions are best visited on foot.
In Spain you walk, and you walk a lot. Very healthy. Everybody walks there. I rent a car when visiting other cities. My wife has limited range of movements, but we try to walk as much as possible.
We don't have a parking spot, because parking is allowed on the streets. It gets quite busy, but I have always managed to park my rental within one block from the building. If you really want to have a parking space, the University Hospital, one block away may be able to provide that space for a fee.

any rental recommendation?

We have tried different companies in many different trips. We have driven more than 55,000 Km in Spain up until 2019. Some American companies (i.e. Hertz) have good specials every now and then, but usually American companies are the most expensive in Europe.
There are also "economy" companies that are extremely tricky. Once you have signed with them, and they've taken you to their parking lot, you are confronted with fees that you never expected, and since they are not at the airport, you would have to go back and try another company. Hence, you have to pay, and it becomes very expensive.
The companies we most like are Sixt.com , CarRentals.com and EuropCar.com. These companies charge you in advance, but there's nothing else to pay at the front desk as per our last experiences. My latest search told me CarRentals.com is the least expensive. We have also tried Air France Auto Rentals and they are very competitive.
If you rent a car, make sure to bring your up to date Google Maps or Waze. It's very easy to get lost.
Also, if you have a Handicapped Permit, bring it along. It is respected all throughout Spain and you don't pay for street parking when there's a meter.

are there any restaurants, stores near, and are they open in winter?

Yes. The apartment is located in a non-touristic, middle class neighborhood that has all the benefits of living IN the city. There are more than 5 restaurants and bars within 1 block of distance. There's a bank one block away. The Supermarket is three blocks away. The University's General Hospital is one block away. Pharmacy, Dentist, bakery, hair dresser, bicycle rental, metro station, bus stop, taxis, etc are within walking distance. Even the zoo is within walking distance (~25 minutes).
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain, it's climate is very temperate, with the lowest temp. in winter of +4º C for a few hours only, but climbing to 13-15º C in the same day. Because of all this, and because the apartment is not in a touristic area, commerce is open every working day of the year. And you won't find that ugly white stuff on the ground in winter. At least not for the last 50 years.
In the Location page, please check Know your Surroundings with maps indicating the businesses around the flat.

can you drink water from the tap?

Yes. According to the Water Department, and my personal experience, tap water is safe to drink, although there is this different taste in the beginning for the amount of Calcium salts in it. For that, we installed a Purifying System under the sink, but it didn't make much of a difference, but at least it's there. By this I mean it's really safe to drink from the tap.

is there a contract to sign?