When October ends, Valencia changes pace. The heat eases, the light turns golden and a weekend arrives that smells of almonds and chestnuts: Saturday 31 is Halloween and Sunday 1 November is All Saints' Day. In Valencia, Monday 2 is a normal working day, but other regions, such as Madrid, have it off, so many travellers take the chance to get away for a few days.
What people eat on All Saints'
At this time of year the pastry shops fill with panellets, small almond sweets topped with pine nuts, and with huesos de santo, filled with egg yolk or cream. It's also the season of roasted chestnuts and sweet potatoes, a tradition shared by Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
If you love good food, the month ends with another date: Gastrónoma, the Mediterranean food fair, held from 26 to 28 October at Feria Valencia, with live cooking and tastings. Check its website for which areas are open to the public before you go, as part of the fair is aimed at professionals.
An afternoon at the Albufera
To round off the plan, get out of the city. The Albufera Natural Park, declared a natural park in 1986, lies about 20 kilometres south: a freshwater lagoon surrounded by rice fields, with pine woods near the sea. Its heart is El Palmar, a small fishing village with traditional barracas and jetties.
You don't need an organised tour to get there: the EMT city bus (according to Visit Valencia, line 25, free with the Valencia Tourist Card) takes 30 to 40 minutes from the centre. Check the line and timetable on the EMT website, as some guides also mention line 24.
Boat trips leave the jetty from 10:00 until sunset, with no fixed timetable. After the clocks change on Sunday 25 October, the sun sets early, a little before six at the end of the month, and it's the best moment to be on the water: the light over the lake is the kind you remember. And don't leave without trying the paella in El Palmar. Arrive early: the sooner you sit down, the calmer lunch will be.
A day without a suitcase
This is where luggage becomes a problem. If you arrive on Friday or leave on Sunday, your room probably won't be available for part of the day. And getting on a bus with a suitcase, only to board a boat, is not a good idea.
At Center Lockers (Calle Maestro Sosa, 33, about 200 metres from Joaquín Sorolla station) you can leave your things in a space staffed by our team. We're open every day from 6:30 to 23:00. A full day costs from:
- Small size: 2.50 €
- Medium size: 4.00 €
- Large size: 6.00 €
A plan that works: arrive in the morning, drop your bags and take the bus to El Palmar with just a daypack. Spend the day, watch the sunset, head back into the city, have dinner and, on the way to your train or hotel, pick everything up calmly before 23:00.
Before you go
- Check the last bus back from El Palmar: in winter it can leave early, and the last thing you want is to miss it.
- Bring a light jacket: it gets cool by the water as soon as the sun goes.
- Wear comfortable shoes, as the last stretch is on foot.
This season, Valencia tastes of almonds, smells of chestnuts and looks best from the water. Leave the weight in good hands and keep the best parts.
Book your space at centerlockers.com
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