Living in Ruzafa, Valencia: cafes, a market and nightlife
Living in Ruzafa, Valencia: the fashionable district south of the centre, with a market, galleries and bars. The upsides and three scored addresses.
Contents 10 sections
What the district is like
Ruzafa, or Russafa in Valencian, lies south of the historic centre, right behind the Estació del Nord. Twenty years ago it was a modest district of cheap rents; today it is the most fashionable in the city.
The streets are straight and the buildings date from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with balconies and tiles. The ground floors hold coffee shops, bookshops, galleries, bars and restaurants from half the world. In the middle stands the market with its colourful facade.
On foot
Ruzafa is made for living on foot. The market, bakeries, shops, gyms and coworking spaces are a few blocks apart, and the centre and the station are minutes away. Valencia is flat and many people ride a bicycle.
Greenery is what Ruzafa lacks. Inside the district there are almost no trees and not one planted square. The new Parque Central on the western edge, built over the old railway tracks, makes up for it.
What we measured
The addresses are on Carrer de Sueca, Carrer de Cádiz and Carrer de Cuba, three parallel streets in the middle of the district where the cafes and bars cluster.
| Address | Score | Groceries | Station or stop | School | Park | Noise and air |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrer de Sueca, 30, Valencia | 90.4 | 1 min | 6 minBailén | 3 min | 4 min | −2.2 |
| Carrer de Cadis, 40, Valencia | 91.7 | 2 min | 7 minBailén | 3 min | 6 min | −2.1 |
| Carrer de Cuba, 30, Valencia | 88.2 | 3 min | 4 minBailén | 5 min | 3 min | −2.5 |
Map numbers match the table rows. Use the plus button to zoom in.
The park column tells you how far these streets are from anything green. The other figures and their weights are explained on How the score works.
Who it suits
- Newcomers who want to land in the middle of city life.
- People working remotely from a laptop and a cafe table.
- Young professionals without children.
What it costs you
The district is loud at night, at weekends above all and during Fallas. Rents are among the highest in Valencia. There are no trees or parks inside the district. Residents talk more and more about holiday lets.
The housing
Buildings of four to six storeys with high ceilings and patterned tile floors. Many flats have been refurbished to let. Not every building has a lift, and inner rooms look onto a light well.
What to check
Walk down the street on a Saturday night. Ask whether there is a bar terrace below. Check the air conditioning and the double glazing: without them, summer and Fallas feel long.
Winter and summer
Summer in Valencia is hot and humid, more so on streets without shade. Winter is mild, and the terraces stay open.
Without a car
Parking is hard and everything is within reach, so a car is more hassle than help.
Neighbours
To the north, past the squares of the centre, is El Carmen, the bohemian part of the old town.