Valencia Valencia on the Mediterranean coast is often mistaken for the challenger to Barcelona but that is not quite the case as the city is culturally far from the Catalan capital. Valencia is a truly Spanish city that shares a lot of sympathy with Madrid. Valencia is a combination of old and new, traditions and young vibes. It is a city also in between the sea and the mountains, as the city center is not by the sea but once you take tram to the beach you feel being in a completely new destination.