Many holidaymakers jet off to unwind and enjoy the nightlife, with beachside bars often a popular choice for an evening tipple. However, one woman’s recent trip to Spanish city Valencia left her somewhat underwhelmed by the city’s after-dark offerings.
Known as @chelsieelf on Instagram, Chelsie regularly shares videos of her travels with her 12,500 followers, documenting her experiences while working remotely. In one of her latest posts, she can be seen wandering around Valencia, visibly taken aback by the lack of bustling bars and vibrant nightlife.
The caption accompanying the video reads: “When you didn’t read the news and go to Valencia expecting amazing nightlife and late-open bars.”
Halfway through the clip, a headline appears stating: “Spanish seaside city to close bars early and remove terraces in huge tourism crackdown.”
In the caption, Chelsie elaborates on her Valencia experience, explaining that due to noise complaints from locals, police have enforced a 1am closing time for bars and clubs, with many establishments shutting their doors as early as midnight. Despite this, she managed to find a bar that stayed open until 3am on a weekday.
Chelsie also shared some other observations about Valencia, noting that the food is “relatively cheaper than other parts of Spain that tourists visit”. She praised the city’s “interesting architecture” and advised that the best beaches are ‘at least an hour South or North’.
Commenters on the post have indicated that tourism was overrunning the city, prompting measures to mitigate its impact. Locals reportedly now venture beyond the centre, which has become dominated by Airbnb rentals.
Additionally, many brought up the devastating floods in Valencia last year, which claimed hundreds of lives.
One individual pointed out: “Yeah there was also a massive flood that killed a lot of people and Valencia is still recovering from it. It never hurts to learn a bit before traveling.”
Someone else highlighted the ongoing recovery efforts, writing: “I’m in Valencia, 7 months ago we had a massive flood, lots of people died and others lost their homes and cars and businesses… so yeah maybe partying is on our minds..”
Another comment reflected on the community’s grief as they said: “There was a huge flood that people are trying to recover from so people are still mourning.”
A Valencian resident also appealed for responsible tourism, stating: “As a Valencian, please keep coming but being respectful of the culture, nature and residents.”