Ruzafa
Art collectives, pastel façades, bakeries, courtyard concerts and bohemian bars: this is Valencia’s hip neighbourhood. This is where you come to unwind on a sidewalk terrace after a museum tour.
Ruzafa in a nutshell...
Valencia’s coolest hipster neighborhood, where historical charm meets modern bohemian energy in a vibrant melting pot of cultures. It’s located just south of Valencia's Old Town and is easily accessible on foot or bicycle, making it the perfect place to experience the city’s contemporary cultural scene after visiting historical attractions.
Historical highlights: Originally an ornamental garden during Muslim rule (its name means “garden” in Arabic), Ruzafa transformed over centuries from farmland to a working-class immigrant neighborhood before its recent gentrification into Valencia’s trendiest area.
Key attractions: The neighborhood features several important landmarks including the Mercado de Russafa (the city’s second-largest market), the baroque San Valero Church (the “Cathedral of Ruzafa”), and numerous independent art galleries, workshops, and performance spaces.
Atmosphere: Ruzafa is defined by its creative energy - pastel-colored façades, eclectic cafés (like the famous Ubik bookstore café), craft beer bars, international restaurants, quirky boutiques, and a bustling nightlife that ranges from cocktail spots to electronic music clubs.
Ruzafa (or Russafa in Valencian) is considered by many Valencia’s coolest and hippest area. Now agglomerated by the upscale Ensanche district, Ruzafa used to be the neighbourhood of immigrants and Bohemian artists. Today, in its streets you’ll find the newer waves of expats and trendy businesses coexisting with the old inhabitants.
Back when Valencia was still called Balansiya, the neighbourhood was conceived as an ornamental garden. Its construction was ordered by the Muslim ruler Abd Allah Al-Balansi. Over the centuries, it became a public park, orchard, and farmland. Finally, in modern times, it became home to the city’s most vulnerable populations.
Recently, the area has seen several urban investments and make-overs. The façades have been repainted, the shops sold and redecorated, the sidewalks expanded, and some streets were made pedestrian altogether.
All this beautification came, of course, with privatisations and consequently the expulsion of those vulnerable populations that had a home here and that made the neighbourhood so different to begin with.
Today, Ruzafa’s two identities contend with one another: the multicultural, eclectic barrio, home to Valencia’s minorities, and the trendy, temptingly remodelled hip area. Here, you’ll find alternative painter workshops, designer studios, and poetry readings.
Across the street, you’ll see foreign students living above gastro-bars and laid-back terrace bars. This is the place to go for library cafés and pop-up theatres, international food offers and second-hand stores.
Brief History
Ruzafa’s story begins as a beautiful ornamental garden under Moorish rule. In fact, the name itself comes from the Arabic رصافة (Ruṣāfatu), meaning garden.
Over the centuries, the area developed into farming land and later on a workers and immigrants neighbourhood. Today, this barrio is considered one of the coolest neighbourhoods of Valencia.
Beginning of Moorish Rule (711)
Valencia was peacefully conquered by the Muslim rulers and the city became part of the Caliphate of Damascus, and later on part of the Caliphate of Cordoba.
Ornamental Garden (9th Century)
Prince Abd-Allah Al-Balansi ordered the planting of an ornamental garden with ponds and fountains, modelled after that of his father, the Caliph Abd al-Rahman I, in Cordoba. The garden was placed two kilometres from the city and given the same name as those in Cordoba: Al-Russafa.
Abandonment (10th-12th Century)
The Prince’s sons decided not to remain in Valencia, so the gardens were left to their own devices. Still, the garden was preserved and mostly used as a recreation area and public park.
Christian Reconquista (1238)
King Jaume I chose this area to prepare the assault that would bring forward the Christian conquest of the city.
Farms and Suburbs (13th-15th Century)
After Valencia’s conquest, the Russafa gardens were turned into farms. With the expansion of the city, the area continued to develop outside the city walls and became part of the suburbs.
Land of the Hook (19th Century)
The neighbourhood saw exponential demographic growth. Over time, it developed its own identity as a hub for the importation of tree trunks. In fact, for a long time, it was known as la terra del ganxo, the land of the hook. This referred to the hooks that were used to collect and move the wooden trunks through the Turia river.
Independent Municipality (1811)
Russafa declared itself to be an independent municipality.
Annexation (1877)
Russafa was officially annexed to the city’s neighbourhoods and became part of the Eixample district.
Neighborhood Identity (20th Century)
During this period, Ruzafa developed its multicultural identity. The area, where rent used to be cheaper than other parts of the city, was home to Romani and immigrant (especially Latin-American, North African, and Chinese) communities, as well as other vulnerable parts of the population.
Gentrification (21st Century)
Renewal plans ultimately geared towards private capital gains were put in place. This began the process of gentrification in Russafa.
As a result, the neighbourhood has today lost some of its social fabric and multiculturalism to make room for tourist flats and trendy businesses. Still, many locals fight to maintain their cultural identity and keep old businesses alive.
Sights
Ruzafa is much appreciated for its bohemian atmosphere and it is mainly frequented for its cool cafes and nightlife. Nonetheless, the neighbourhood isn’t lacking in traditional sights, like museums, historical buildings, and churches.
Plaza de Toros
Plaza de Toros, also known as the Plaça de Bous is Valencia’s bullring, one of the most beautiful and largest in Spain. It is still active to this day, meaning you can see corridas and bullfighting events in it. It bears a strong resemblance to civil Roman architecture, particularly the Colosseum.
The Plaza de Toros is just next to Estación del Norte, at the northern edge of the neighbourhood, close to the Old Town (view map above).
If you want to know more about Valencia’s bullring, you can read our article about the Plaza de Toros.
Estación del Norte
Valencia’s North Station is the city’s main train station, as well as one of the city’s most recognisable Modernist buildings. Dating back to the early 20th century, the station is considered to be one of the most beautiful in Spain.
The North Station is characterised by delicate and meticulous decorations, depicting the local landscape (the Huerta), agricultural traditions, and folklore. The natural curves and shapes of plants and flowers coexist with the use of modern materials, like glass, iron, and ceramics.
Estación del Norte is just next to Plaza de Toros, at the northern edge of the neighbourhood, close to the Old Town (view map above).
If you want to know more about Valencia’s main train station, you can read our article about its history and architecture.
Parroquia de San Valero y San Vicente Mártir
Commonly known as the Church of San Valero, this building is considered the Cathedral of Ruzafa. It was built, like many other churches in Valencia, on the site previously occupied by a mosque.
The initial church was destroyed by a fire, rebuilt in the 15th century, and then rebuilt again in the 17th century to allow for an expansion.
As a result, the building we see today is a Baroque church built in brick and stone, with a dome covered with blue and white tiles. The interior is Churrigueresque, an extreme form of Baroque which became typical in Spain after the colonisation of the Americas. On the façade, you can see the sculptures of the two titular saints: San Vicente and San Valero.
The church is located in the heart of the barrio, across Mercado de Russafa (view map above). In fact, many describe the neighbourhood as having developed around the church itself.
Casa Judía
The Casa Judía (which translates to Jewish House) is a hidden gem of Valencia. Despite being on one of the main streets that connect Valencia’s North Station with Ruzafa’s centre, the building is not very well-known. You can find it near Plaza de Toros, on Calle Castellón (view map above). The construction, its explosion of colours and its unexpected lines force bypassers to look at it in awe.
The property, which unfortunately can only be admired from the street (it is privately owned), is one of the most unique buildings in Valencia and it hardly fits into a defined architectural canon. With its colourful and eclectic façade, it shows Valencia Art Deco influences.
The reason for its name can be found among the geometric shapes and the green, yellow, and light blue lines: a Star of David. The reason for it is unclear, but according to some sources the architect Juan Guardiol wanted to honour the initial commissioner’s Jewish origins.
Markets and Galleries
Some of the main attractions in the neighbourhood are its markets, art galleries, and art workshops. They are colourful, bohemian, alternative, and hip; in other words, Ruzafa’s essence.
Markets
If you’ve heard about Ruzafa, then you must have heard about Russafa’s Market, a source of local pride offering all kinds of fresh products at a great price. But the neighbourhood also has a weekly street market and locally-organised flea market.
Russafa Market
A descendant of the daily market that stood at the foot of the parish, the Mercado de Russafa is a staple of the neighbourhood, the second largest market in Valencia. The current building, initially designed in 1957, is made of concrete in Brutalist style. The paint that gives the blinds their recognisable colour gradient was later added in the 2000s.
Behind the colourful blinds of the building is a wide selection of locally sourced produce, with fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and speciality products. The market distinctly caters to locals and is thus more authentic than other upscale markets in the city.
The market is in the heart of Ruzafa, just across the street from San Valero Church. You can access it from Plaza del Baró de Cortés (view map above).
If you’d like to read more about this market, you can check our article on it.
Street Market
In Valencia, street markets are installed every morning in a different neighbourhood, offering their products at very good prices. Normally, these street markets are open from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm (3:00 pm if it’s a Holiday Eve).
In Ruzafa, you can enjoy these temporary stalls every Monday in the following streets: Calle Barón de Cortes, Calle Padre Perera, Calle Dr. Serrano, Calle Carlos Cervera, Carrer de Mossèn Femenia, Carrer Dels Tomassos, Calle de Sevilla, and Calle Dénia (view map).
Keep in mind that this is not a flea market, but rather a travelling market. It is organised by the community to help small entrepreneurs and businesses trade directly with the clients. Because of this, generally prices are quite low and you can even bargain.
Flea Market
Il Market, run by the cultural association Il Quartiere, is Valencia’s flea market. Sometimes held in a sunny courtyard known as El Patio or other times in Carrer del Cap Jubi 4, this pop-up market gives locals a chance to sell, exchange, and buy second-hand items.
The flea market also hosts upcycling workshops, small concerts, poetry readings, and talks on social issues. Il Market is usually held on Sundays, but not every week, so if you’re interested we suggest you keep an eye on Il Quartiere’s website or social media pages.
Art Galleries and Workshops
Nothing says Rusafa quite like independent art galleries and small art workshops. The neighbourhood offers a diversified selection of spaces, and here are some of them.
Color Elefante
Color Elefante is an art workshop and open space for artists to display their work, as well as for jazz musicians to perform on weekends.
The venue is super close to San Valero Church, on Carrer de Sevilla.
Mia Morena Art
This one is an upcycled art gallery. The artist takes old objects or parts of them and upcycles them into art pieces.
You can find this gallery at the corner between Carrer de Sueca and Carrer de Dénia (view map above).
Trentatres Gallery
Trentatres is a gallery café, where you can enjoy good food and coffee alongside whichever art exhibit is showing for the day.
Like Mia Morena Art, Trentatres is also on Carrer de Sueca. In fact, they are at either corner of the same block (view map above).
The Sporting Club Valencia
The Sporting Club is a coworking space for almost a dozen artists and various art forms, including sculpture, painting, performance and scenic arts, architecture, and photography. At the gallery, you can enjoy all the different kinds of exhibitions as well as buy directly from the resident artists.
This coworking space is on Carrer de Sevilla (the same street as Color Elefante, just a few numbers up). It is very close to Gran Via de les Germanies, one of the largest avenues in Valencia (view map above).
Cafés
As mentioned before, cafés are a highlight of the neighbourhood. Whether you want to indulge your sweet tooth or try out a culturally-inclined café, Ruzafa has it. You’ll find anything from American-style bakeries to mismatched-furniture bohemian cafes, to bookstore cafés.
La Más Bonita
Also called La Més Bonica (in Valencian), this is an open-kitchen café, known for its mouth-watering breakfasts and brunches, enormous cake slices, and vegan menu options.
You can find it on Carrer de Cadis, just a couple streets down from Russafa Market (view map above).
Ubik
This is possibly Ruzafa’s most famous café. It is part of the barrio’s Bohemian scene and is very active in its event hosting. However, its defining characteristic is the books that occupy its walls, shelves, tables, and chairs: it is a bookstore meet café meet cervecería.
You’ll find this gem on Carrer del Literat Azorín, close to one of Ruzafa’s cutest corners (view map above).
Jardín Urbano
This one is an eccentric plant café. The venue, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, offers a vast vegan menu. Inside, old books, oil paintings, and outgrown plants make the environment cosy and relaxing.
It is located a bit further away from the majority of the bars and cafés in Ruzafa, on Carrer de Pere III el Gran (view map above).
Dulce de Leche Boutique
Dulce de Leche is a homemade patisserie café. This is the place to go for specialty coffee, decadent cakes and pastries, and a modern-boho atmosphere.
This one is on Carrer del Pintor Gisbert (view map above), but you can find many other Dulche de Leche cafés all over Valencia’s city centre.
Nightlife and Drinks
You can’t really say you visited Ruzafa if you haven’t experienced the bustling nightlife and the eclectic bars.
Bars
There are so many places to choose from that naming them all would be impossible, so we suggest you walk around and make up your own pub crawl. You can’t go wrong if you move between Calle Cadiz, Calle Sueca, Calle Cuba, and Carrer del Literat Azorín.
A few honourable mentions go to Café Berlin, La Bella de Cádiz, and Olhöps Craft Beer House. The first two are probably the most well-known cocktail bars in the area, both on Calle Cádiz.The latter, a craft beer pub, has two locations, one on Calle Sueca, and the other on Calle Carlos Cervera.
Café Berlin is all defined by its retro taste and mismatched furniture, in what can only be described as a very Berlin vibe.
La Bella de Cádiz is a Mad Hatter fever dream, a maximalist explosion of colours, fabrics, and delicious, fruity cocktails.
Olhöps, on the other hand, offers an industrial-minimalist vibe, and, as the name suggests, it is the place to go for craft beers on tap.
Clubs
Once again, Ruzafa is too full of clubs to even attempt naming all of them. What we can do, instead, is give you some of the most well-known names among Valencia’s party animals.
None of the venues in this section are outright gay clubs, but at Piccadilly Downtown Club (on Carrer dels Tomasos), you can enjoy a mixed crowd. The LGBTQ+ friendly atmosphere comes with 90s hits, rock, pop, and indie music, as well as a silent disco.
Other options if you’re into indie, pop, and rock, you can start your evening at Flash (on Carrer de Sueca) and later move on to the Play Club (on Carrer de Cuba). In this second club you’ll also find a room for electronic music lovers.
If you like Electronic, Techno, and House music, your best choices are venues like Oven Club (on Gran Via de les Germanies), the avant-garde Látex Club (on Carrer de Carles Cervera), or Electropura (on Carrer del Pintor Salvador Abril), with its dream-like, trippy architecture.
Lastly, you can try out the Xtra Lrge XL Playground (simply known as XL), on Gran Via de les Germanies. The club, with its three rooms, is able to offer its patrons everything from electropop music, pop hits, urban sounds, latin music, and a space dedicated to cultural events.
If your genre is more towards latin hits and Reggaeton, you will find the perfect club on Carrer de Mossèn Femenia, Barberbirborbur Club.
Location and Transportation
Ruzafa is a neighbourhood just south of the historical centre, in the newer part of the city, the Eixample (or Ensanche) district. Because of its location, it is well connected to public transport and quite easy to navigate on foot or on a bike.
Location
Ruzafa is the western area of the Eixample district. It is delimited by Avenida de Peris i Valero to the south, Avenida del Regne de València to the east, and the train tracks to the west.
Transportation
While getting to the northern part of Ruzafa on foot from the city centre only takes about 10-15 minutes, buses and trams are also a great option to reach this part of the city.
Once you’re in the neighbourhood, the best way to enjoy what it has to offer is to move around on foot or by bike, if you prefer.
On Foot
If you are in the southern part of the Old Town, you reach Ruzafa on foot in about 10-15 minutes. If you are further away, like in the northern part of the Ciutat Vella or in the outskirts of the city, it’s better to take public transport.
Once you’re in Ruzafa we recommend you walk around to experience the neighbourhood to its fullest.
Bikes
Valencia has an extended bike path network, so whether you are in the Old Town or in the outskirts of the city, you can cycle to reach Ruzafa. As a matter of fact, biking is one of the preferred forms of transport for people to move around the neighbourhood.
There are several Valenbisi stations in Ruzafa and nearby, you can consult them on the official map.
Buses
There are quite a few buses circulating in Ruzafa, both within the neighbourhood itself and around its perimeter. The lines that pass by this area are 6, 7, 11, 15, 19, and 35.
For detailed information about tickets and how to get them, you can read our article about buses in Valencia.
Metro and Tram
The tram is one of the best ways to reach this barrio. The network’s line 10 crosses Ruzafa. Two of its stops, Alacant and Russafa, are at its edges.
Also operated by Metrovalencia are the underground (metro) stations. The nearest ones are Xàtiva andColón, both north of the neighbourhood. These metro stops are all 10-15 minutes away from Ruzafa.
For detailed information about how this urban rail system works, you can read our article about the metro and trams in Valencia.
Electric Scooters
Electric scooters are one of the most popular ways to get to and around Ruzafa. They are ideal if you want to move independently and quickly without getting stuck in traffic.
Scooter-sharing companies offer rental plans that let you pay per minute of use and nothing else. You will be able to drive and park around Valencia’s designated area, but be mindful of the no-park zones, which are off-limits for your electric scooter. You will see details on your app’s map.
If you want to know more about this, you can check out our article about electric scooter rentals in Valencia, where you’ll find step-by-step instructions and video guides to help you.
Taxi
Cabs are obviously the most expensive option to move in Valencia. Considering that Ruzafa’s charm is its streets, we recommend you use taxis only to get there, and not to actually move around the neighbourhood.
See detailed information on this in our article about taxis in Valencia.
Nearby Neighbourhoods
Being part of the Ensanche, Ruzafa is close to other famous parts of the city, namely the El Pla del Remei and Gran Vía.
Some very well known sites are found here. For example, Mercat de Colón is in El Pla del Remei neighbourhood.
In Gran Vía, instead, you’ll find a lot of popular high-end restaurants, sophisticated bars and upscale shops.
If you want to have a look at the Eixample district as a whole, you can check out our article on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here you can find quick answers to all of your questions. Linked, you’ll find the articles or the sections of the articles that can give you more detailed information.
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Ruzafa is a neighbourhood in Valencia’s Eixample district. It is the hippest area of the city.
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Ruzafa is a lively and popular area, known for its art galleries, American-style cafes, quirky bars, and artisanal businesses.
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Ruzafa is in the western part of the Eixample, south of the city centre. It is delimited by Avenida de Peris i Valero to the south, Avenida del Regne de València to the east, and the train track to the west.
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Ruzafa is not known for its churches (that would be the Seu neighbourhood, in the Old Town), but you can still enjoy the Parroquia de San Valero y San Vicente Mártir.
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While Ruzafa doesn’t have as many museums as El Carmen, there are still interesting places you can visit. One is the Museo Taurino inside the city’s Plaza de Toros.
If you’re into contemporary art, you can visit the neighbourhood’s art galleries.
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Although Ruzafa is more well-known for its vibrant community and lively streets, there is still plenty to see in the neighbourhood. Some unmissable sights are the Plaza de Toros, at the northern edge of the barrio, and the Mercado de Russafa.
But remember, the soul of Ruzafa is with its terrace bars, hipster bookstore cafes, and quirky art galleries.
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What’s for sure is that Thursday to Saturday is when the barrio is most alive. Then, depending on the kind of activity you’re interested in, there are different times to visit Russafa.
The morning is ideal for those that want to visit markets and cute cafes. Meanwhile, Ruzafa’s famous cocktail bars are best enjoyed in the evening and at night.
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Basically anywhere in Ruzafa, the neighbourhood is known for its many bars and drinks venues. We particularly recommend some streets: Calle Cadiz, Calle Sueca,Calle Cuba, and Carrer del Literat Azorín.
If you’d like to know about some specific venues, check out the nightlife section of this article.
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Absolutely. Valencia is an extremely bike-friendly city. On the official map, you’ll see that the bike path network covers the entire city. You can also cycle in pedestrian zones, as long as there is enough room for people to walk.
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There are quite a few buses that circulate in the neighbourhood. In fact, buses are one of the best ways to get to Ruzafa. Lines 6, 7, 11, 15, 19, and 35 all pass by here.
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There’s an underground tram stop in Ruzafa (line 10). Other close metro or tram stops you’ll find are Xàtiva (lines 3, 5, and 9) and Colón (lines 3, 5, 7, and 9), which are both at the southern edge of the Old Town. These metro stops are all 10-15 minutes away from this barrio.
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Trams are a good way to get to Ruzafa. The network’s line 10 has a couple of stops at either side of the neighbourhood. They are Alacant and Russafa.
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There are nine Valenbisi stations all over Ruzafa and many more in the surrounding neighbourhoods of the Old Town.
If you’d like to know more about Valenbisi, you can check out our article about it.
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Yes, absolutely. In fact, this is one of the preferred ways to move around the neighbourhood.
Just remember that there is a no-park zone indicating the areas that are off-limits for your electric scooter. You will see it on your app’s map.
