I Believe in Love at First Sight
Malvarrosa Beach - Valencia, Spain (photo from the private gallery of Alina Pele)
12 September 2026 by Alina Pele
I really do believe in love at first sight. For me, it happened with Valencia.
My story began in January 2001, when I moved from the United States to Castellón, on the Costa de Azahar. At the time, Valencia wasn’t part of the plan. It was simply the city where my car would arrive a couple of months later, shipped across the Atlantic to the Port of Valencia.
In March, I came down to collect it. I still remember driving into Valencia for the first time and having a feeling I couldn’t quite explain. This is it. This is where I want to live. There was no carefully thought-out decision, no long list of pros and cons. I simply felt at home. I spent the day discovering the city almost by instinct. I wandered around the Cathedral and Plaza de la Virgen, explored the streets surrounding the Ayuntamiento, and slowly made my way towards the port. I passed the beach, watched the city change from historic streets to Mediterranean light and open sea, and somewhere along the way, Valencia stopped feeling like somewhere I was visiting. It felt like somewhere I belonged.
I went back to Castellón that evening, but something had changed. For the next two years, Valencia stayed in the back of my mind. Eventually, I sold my apartment in Castellón and made the move, even though it meant commuting back there for work. It was worth it.
And I have been faithful to that first feeling ever since. I travel a lot, both abroad and around Spain, and I have seen many beautiful places. But Valencia still has something different. Something warm, familiar and deeply homey. I love its historic centre, its plazas, its beaches, its neighbourhoods and its extraordinary architecture. I love that you can move from centuries-old streets to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences and somehow it all still feels like the same city.
Valencia is elegant without trying too hard. Lively without feeling overwhelming. Beautiful, but still real. More than twenty five years later, I still understand what I felt that first day. Valencia has an unusual way of giving you everything at once: history and sea, energy and calm, beautiful architecture and everyday neighbourhood life. It is big enough to keep discovering, but small enough to feel like home. Perhaps that is why I understand so well the people who arrive here thinking they are only visiting, only renting for a while, or simply trying something new.
Sometimes a place surprises you. Sometimes three days become three months. Sometimes a practical trip to collect a car changes the direction of your life. And sometimes, you drive into a city and simply know. For me, that city was Valencia. And all these years later, it still is.
Three Days, Three Months, Six Months: How I Ended Up Living in Valencia
Three Days, Three Months, Six Months: How I Ended Up Living in Valencia
Love at first sight
I came to Valencia by accident, more or less. It was a stop on a three-week long motorcycle trip around Spain, and I gave it three days. That was supposed to be enough.
But it wasn't. I spent those three days wandering streets I hadn't planned to wander, eating longer lunches than I'd budgeted time for, and quietly recalculating my route so I could stay one more night. By the time I rode out, something had already been decided, even if I hadn't admitted it to myself yet.
Three months later: Torrent
Signing a lease is a very different feeling from riding through a place with a tank bag and no fixed plans. Three months after that trip, I put my name on a rental in Torrent, just on the edge of the city.
Torrent was the sensible choice. I didn't know Valencia well enough to know which neighbourhood I actually wanted, and taking a place on the edge gave me time to figure that out without committing to somewhere I'd regret. It did its job. I got my bearings, I worked out how the city fits together, and I learned the difference between the Valencia you see as a visitor and the Valencia you live in.
But it wasn't where I wanted to be. I knew that fairly early on, and I spent the rest of the lease looking.
Six months later: the Old Town
Then I found it. A place in the old part of the city, with centuries of history and some genuinely beautiful architecture on every side of me.
Walking out of my building is like stepping into a postcard. This is not something I've got used to, and I hope I never do.
Why Valencia in the first place?
From the outside, the appeal was simple. History. Architecture. The Mediterranean on one side and mountains within reach on the other. For someone who wants both a beach and beautifully twisty mountain roads to ride, that combination is hard to beat.
That was the pitch that got me here. What I've learned since is that it was only the start.
What I didn't know until I lived here
It's built for getting around under your own steam. Valencia is flat, and the cycling infrastructure is genuinely excellent rather than the usual painted-line afterthought. Walking is a pleasure. Cycling is easy. I use the car far less than I expected to.
The Turia is extraordinary. A river was diverted, and instead of filling the old bed with a new road and 6 lanes of traffic, the city turned it into a park that runs right through the middle of everything. Cycling and running paths, football training grounds, a full athletics track, and, of all things, a baseball diamond. Cities talk about green space. Valencia actually did it, at scale, in the best possible location.
The food is a genuine strength at every price point. There's real choice here whether you're spending five euros or fifty. And here's the thing nobody warned me about: Valencia's burger bars turn out some of the best burgers I've eaten anywhere in the world. I didn't move to Spain expecting that to be a highlight. It is.
It feels safe. Use the same sense you'd use in any city, obviously. But stand still on a street here for a minute or two and I'd bet money you'll spot police nearby. That presence is quiet and constant, and it changes how a place feels to live in.
Honestly, if I were doing life over again, Valencia is where I'd want to raise my kids.
Getting here, and getting out
The flight from Edinburgh is short, which matters to me a lot! And being easy to visit is what keeps family and friends visiting.
The airport deserves a mention on its own. I'd rate it one of the best I've ever passed through. Quick lines, efficient security, staff who are actually friendly. I've spent enough of my life in bad airports to appreciate a good one properly.
Beyond the UK, the connections open up the whole map. The rest of Europe is straightforward, and North Africa is right there. It's a very good place to start an adventure from.
The roads, and a bit of snow
Some of the best motorcycling roads I've ridden are effectively on my doorstep. That was part of the original appeal and it has more than held up.
And then there's skiing, which I did not expect to be part of the deal at all. It's about ninety minutes' drive, usually on artificial snow, and "adequate" is the honest description. But it's enough to get your legs working again before a proper trip to Andorra or the Pyrenees.
Where I've landed
Three days as a tourist. Three months later, a lease on the edge of the city. Six months after that, an apartment in the old town surrounded by the history that pulled me here in the first place.
Looking back, the Torrent year wasn't a false start. It was how I earned the knowledge to choose properly the second time. If you're thinking about doing something similar, that's probably the most useful thing I can pass on: give yourself a place to land before you pick a place to stay.
Valencia was love at first sight. It's held up to a much closer look, which is the rarer thing.
John´s motorcycle during his first trip to Spain (photo from John Logan’s private gallery)
Love at first sight
I came to Valencia by accident, more or less. It was a stop on a three-week long motorcycle trip around Spain, and I gave it three days. That was supposed to be enough.
But it wasn't. I spent those three days wandering streets I hadn't planned to wander, eating longer lunches than I'd budgeted time for, and quietly recalculating my route so I could stay one more night. By the time I rode out, something had already been decided, even if I hadn't admitted it to myself yet.
Three months later: Torrent
Signing a lease is a very different feeling from riding through a place with a tank bag and no fixed plans. Three months after that trip, I put my name on a rental in Torrent, just on the edge of the city.
Torrent was the sensible choice. I didn't know Valencia well enough to know which neighbourhood I actually wanted, and taking a place on the edge gave me time to figure that out without committing to somewhere I'd regret. It did its job. I got my bearings, I worked out how the city fits together, and I learned the difference between the Valencia you see as a visitor and the Valencia you live in.
But it wasn't where I wanted to be. I knew that fairly early on, and I spent the rest of the lease looking.
Six months later: the Old Town
Then I found it. A place in the old part of the city, with centuries of history and some genuinely beautiful architecture on every side of me.
Walking out of my building is like stepping into a postcard. This is not something I've got used to, and I hope I never do.
Why Valencia in the first place?
From the outside, the appeal was simple. History. Architecture. The Mediterranean on one side and mountains within reach on the other. For someone who wants both a beach and beautifully twisty mountain roads to ride, that combination is hard to beat.
That was the pitch that got me here. What I've learned since is that it was only the start.
What I didn't know until I lived here
It's built for getting around under your own steam. Valencia is flat, and the cycling infrastructure is genuinely excellent rather than the usual painted-line afterthought. Walking is a pleasure. Cycling is easy. I use the car far less than I expected to.
The Turia is extraordinary. A river was diverted, and instead of filling the old bed with a new road and 6 lanes of traffic, the city turned it into a park that runs right through the middle of everything. Cycling and running paths, football training grounds, a full athletics track, and, of all things, a baseball diamond. Cities talk about green space. Valencia actually did it, at scale, in the best possible location.
The food is a genuine strength at every price point. There's real choice here whether you're spending five euros or fifty. And here's the thing nobody warned me about: Valencia's burger bars turn out some of the best burgers I've eaten anywhere in the world. I didn't move to Spain expecting that to be a highlight. It is.
It feels safe. Use the same sense you'd use in any city, obviously. But stand still on a street here for a minute or two and I'd bet money you'll spot police nearby. That presence is quiet and constant, and it changes how a place feels to live in.
Honestly, if I were doing life over again, Valencia is where I'd want to raise my kids.
Getting here, and getting out
The flight from Edinburgh is short, which matters to me a lot! And being easy to visit is what keeps family and friends visiting.
The airport deserves a mention on its own. I'd rate it one of the best I've ever passed through. Quick lines, efficient security, staff who are actually friendly. I've spent enough of my life in bad airports to appreciate a good one properly.
Beyond the UK, the connections open up the whole map. The rest of Europe is straightforward, and North Africa is right there. It's a very good place to start an adventure from.
The roads, and a bit of snow
Some of the best motorcycling roads I've ridden are effectively on my doorstep. That was part of the original appeal and it has more than held up.
And then there's skiing, which I did not expect to be part of the deal at all. It's about ninety minutes' drive, usually on artificial snow, and "adequate" is the honest description. But it's enough to get your legs working again before a proper trip to Andorra or the Pyrenees.
Where I've landed
Three days as a tourist. Three months later, a lease on the edge of the city. Six months after that, an apartment in the old town surrounded by the history that pulled me here in the first place.
Looking back, the Torrent year wasn't a false start. It was how I earned the knowledge to choose properly the second time. If you're thinking about doing something similar, that's probably the most useful thing I can pass on: give yourself a place to land before you pick a place to stay.
Valencia was love at first sight. It's held up to a much closer look, which is the rarer thing.r
12 August 2026 by John Logan
Love at first sight
I came to Valencia by accident, more or less. It was a stop on a three-week long motorcycle trip around Spain, and I gave it three days. That was supposed to be enough.
But it wasn't. I spent those three days wandering streets I hadn't planned to wander, eating longer lunches than I'd budgeted time for, and quietly recalculating my route so I could stay one more night. By the time I rode out, something had already been decided, even if I hadn't admitted it to myself yet.
Three months later: Torrent
Signing a lease is a very different feeling from riding through a place with a tank bag and no fixed plans. Three months after that trip, I put my name on a rental in Torrent, just on the edge of the city.
Torrent was the sensible choice. I didn't know Valencia well enough to know which neighbourhood I actually wanted, and taking a place on the edge gave me time to figure that out without committing to somewhere I'd regret. It did its job. I got my bearings, I worked out how the city fits together, and I learned the difference between the Valencia you see as a visitor and the Valencia you live in.
But it wasn't where I wanted to be. I knew that fairly early on, and I spent the rest of the lease looking.
Six months later: the Old Town
Then I found it. A place in the old part of the city, with centuries of history and some genuinely beautiful architecture on every side of me.
Walking out of my building is like stepping into a postcard. This is not something I've got used to, and I hope I never do.
Why Valencia in the first place?
From the outside, the appeal was simple. History. Architecture. The Mediterranean on one side and mountains within reach on the other. For someone who wants both a beach and beautifully twisty mountain roads to ride, that combination is hard to beat.
That was the pitch that got me here. What I've learned since is that it was only the start.
What I didn't know until I lived here
It's built for getting around under your own steam. Valencia is flat, and the cycling infrastructure is genuinely excellent rather than the usual painted-line afterthought. Walking is a pleasure. Cycling is easy. I use the car far less than I expected to.
The Turia is extraordinary. A river was diverted, and instead of filling the old bed with a new road and 6 lanes of traffic, the city turned it into a park that runs right through the middle of everything. Cycling and running paths, football training grounds, a full athletics track, and, of all things, a baseball diamond. Cities talk about green space. Valencia actually did it, at scale, in the best possible location.
The food is a genuine strength at every price point. There's real choice here whether you're spending five euros or fifty. And here's the thing nobody warned me about: Valencia's burger bars turn out some of the best burgers I've eaten anywhere in the world. I didn't move to Spain expecting that to be a highlight. It is.
It feels safe. Use the same sense you'd use in any city, obviously. But stand still on a street here for a minute or two and I'd bet money you'll spot police nearby. That presence is quiet and constant, and it changes how a place feels to live in.
Honestly, if I were doing life over again, Valencia is where I'd want to raise my kids.
Getting here, and getting out
The flight from Edinburgh is short, which matters to me a lot! And being easy to visit is what keeps family and friends visiting.
The airport deserves a mention on its own. I'd rate it one of the best I've ever passed through. Quick lines, efficient security, staff who are actually friendly. I've spent enough of my life in bad airports to appreciate a good one properly.
Beyond the UK, the connections open up the whole map. The rest of Europe is straightforward, and North Africa is right there. It's a very good place to start an adventure from.
The roads, and a bit of snow
Some of the best motorcycling roads I've ridden are effectively on my doorstep. That was part of the original appeal and it has more than held up.
And then there's skiing, which I did not expect to be part of the deal at all. It's about ninety minutes' drive, usually on artificial snow, and "adequate" is the honest description. But it's enough to get your legs working again before a proper trip to Andorra or the Pyrenees.
Where I've landed
Three days as a tourist. Three months later, a lease on the edge of the city. Six months after that, an apartment in the old town surrounded by the history that pulled me here in the first place.
Looking back, the Torrent year wasn't a false start. It was how I earned the knowledge to choose properly the second time. If you're thinking about doing something similar, that's probably the most useful thing I can pass on: give yourself a place to land before you pick a place to stay.
Valencia was love at first sight. It's held up to a much closer look, which is the rarer thing.