10 Reasons to Invest in Property in Valencia
One of Spain’s most beautiful, vivacious and magical of places, Valencia is the country’s third largest city after Barcelona and Madrid. That in itself assures a continual visitor and tourist presence – and which is promising financially if you’re planning to turn your Valencian property into a holiday or short-term let. But it’s by far the only thing that gets people flocking to this most vibrant and colourful of cities.
One of the most striking parts of Valencia – apart from its beautiful architecture is the pathway running through it. Like a large artery connecting different regions, this was once a river so deep it flooded the city. Dried out and concreted over, today it is home to numerous green, play, rest and picnic areas, as well as the astounding City of Arts and Sciences (a stunning contemporary architectural feat in itself).
Another picturesque area of the city is the former fishermen quarter El Cabanyal, which is packed full of history and atmosphere (including the much-visited Casa Montana) is also ripe for renovation and should certainly appeal to property investors with an eye to future development in Valencia, especially considering its shoreside and reasonably central location.
So, apart from these initial fantastic offerings, why else should you invest in this gorgeous Mediterranean city?
1. Transport connections. The city has its own airport and high-speed rail link, meaning it’s very easy to get around. The buses too are good and it’s perfectly possible to walk from one end of the centre to the other without much difficulty.
2. Great employment opportunities. People want to come to live and work in Valencia thanks to the fact it has a wide range of opportunities, from micro businesses to big multi-national companies. The latter include the likes of Apple, Ford, Ikea and Hewlett-Packard.
3. Education links. Both the University of Valencia (UV) and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) make the top 10 universities in Spain list. Young people come here to study, and many of them decide to stay on afterwards.
4. Modern outlook. Valencia is regarded as the ‘City of Arts and Sciences’ (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias). This gives it a dynamism and means both students and workers continue to gravitate towards the city and its innovative tech companies.
5. Port area. Valencia’s large seaport – the fifth largest in Europe – sees it attracting more and more tourist traffic from cruises (and which is growing year by year).
6. Amazing beaches. La Malvarrosa beach is a huge, clean, family-friendly stretch of sand and water at the edges of the city. A promenade provides plenty of food, drink and sitting places. But there’s beautiful beaches nearby too, such as El Saler, Port Saplaya and Sagunto beach (the latter just a 20-minute drive from the airport).
7. Beautiful climate. Whether living there, going on holiday or popping to the city for a few day’s work, you can be assured a warm Mediterranean climate offering plenty of sunshine and outdoor living. And that puts everyone in a good mood.
8. Fantastic food. How could Valencia’s food not be wonderful considering the green vegetation that surrounds the city and where some of the most wonderful fruit and vegetables in Spain are produced (and can be found in the daily Mercado Central or Central Market).
9. It’s people. Perhaps it’s because of the sun beaming continually down on them, or the fact they are surrounded by beautiful blooms, architecture and fresh air, but the Valencian’s are a friendly and accessible lot, never happier than when they are showing off their home city’s wares – and in an air of generous hospitality.
10. It’s not expensive. Certainly, in comparison to living in Seville, Barcelona or Madrid, Valencia won’t leave you as out of pocket either for property, accommodation or general living expenses. That’s not to say Valencian’s don’t have high living standards. They do. They’re just not as expensive, meaning you’ll get more for your money in this most gorgeous of cities in Spain today.