1
«Not enough hustle»
Dasha Sigida, 26, Barcelona. Lived in Valencia for a year and a half.
Expats who left Valencia — on their decision to move
Valencia is a city of immigrants. It regularly wins and ranks high in ratings of the most comfortable cities to live in. But it does not guarantee that you will fall in love with the city after moving there. Many factors must coincide — the climate, the pace of life, the scale, and even the holiday calendar — and each of these points can be critical. Russian-speaking immigrants who lived in Valencia and left the city told La Cotorra what led them to decide to move again.
I’m 26, and my boyfriend is 29. Honestly, Valencia just felt too quiet and slow for where we are in our lives right now. It’s a beautiful and comfortable city, but we were craving that big-city hustle, major concerts, and creative energy.
It became pretty obvious that all the cool music, culture, and big events were happening in Barcelona, so we made the move there. It feels way more international here, with tons of young people and a massive creative scene. Plus, since Barcelona is a hub for global companies and home to some of the best universities in Europe, it just felt like the right place for our next chapter.
I’m actually planning to start a master’s in brand strategy soon, and I’m still picking the perfect school. I’m really looking forward to working in an office again. Remote work was ok for a while, but I’m ready to be around people, collaborate in person, and really feel that career momentum.
We moved for the friends, the opportunities, and that "big city" feeling, but we do still miss Valencia sometimes. We definitely miss the weather—it’s much sunnier there, and we’ve definitely hit the rainy season in Barcelona! We also miss all the greenery, as Barcelona feels a lot more like a concrete jungle.
Valencia became a very warm and cosy place for us, but over time our priorities changed.
We grew up and wanted more. But there is a feeling that once we build our careers, earn money and realise our ambitions, we may well return to quieter and warmer places — perhaps not Valencia but Benidorm or Calpe..
2
«Valencia — like a trip to your grandparents»
Elena Troyan, 35, Madrid. Lived in Valencia for five years.
I moved to Valencia when I married a Spaniard. I liked the city right away. Valencia is beautiful, located by the sea, and very welcoming. I lived there for more than five years. My fondest memory is that I got married there. After the ceremony, we had a very romantic and beautiful lunch with my husband's family, which was really great.
It was in Valencia that I started giving tours, showing people the city, making them fall in love with Spain, and conducting my first tours and gastronomic trips.
Soon, I realised that I had kind of ‘outgrown’ Valencia. I wanted something bigger, more dynamic, more business-oriented. So the decision to move was an easy one, and in Madrid I started developing my new business — organising trips.
I can't say that I miss Valencia; rather, it is now a warm memory. It's like visiting your grandparents: cosy, familiar, but you are already living a different life. I still have many friends there, and I am happy to visit for a day or two or three to eat the most delicious paella in Spain and walk by the sea. The City of Arts and Sciences has become a place of strength for me, very beautiful and impressive.
Now I see that Valencia has become even more ‘its own’ for many Russian-speaking people: many good cafes, restaurants and beauty salons have opened. But at the same time, it seems to me that the city has become dirtier, and this is very noticeable, especially compared to Madrid.
3
«After the firecracker exploded, I realised I сan't take it anymore»
Rina, 40, Madrid. Lived in Valencia for eight months.
Before moving to Valencia, we lived in Israel and tried to settle in Argentina, but the country didn't suit us. Then we spent three months in Georgia, sorting out the paperwork for moving to Spain.
We arrived in Valencia exhausted — from the war, constant moving and uncertainty. We have two small children, and the only thing we were really lucky about in Valencia was the private kindergarten. It was close to home, bilingual (English and Spanish), with comfortable sleeping and eating times, suitable activities and a large playground.
Problems gradually accumulated. We lived in a new neighbourhood, renting a flat for €1,500 without a garage, on the first floor, with construction sites all around, a rubbish bin right in front he windows. The owners promised to install air conditioning, but never did. I used to think that it couldn't be hotter than in Israel. It turned out it could. The flat got so hot that it was impossible to stay in it, and at night we couldn't open the windows because of the smells from the fields and the sewers.
In August, almost everything is closed in Valencia. We spent our weekends at the shopping centre because it was the only place with air conditioning and a children's play area. That was our ‘summer camp’.
Valencia began to seem inconvenient for us to live herer with children. I constantly compared it to Argentina, where, despite the catastrophic situation with economy, children's spaces were surprisingly well thought out: play areas with cafés, entertainers, and different activity zones. In Valencia, there is almost none of this.
There are many parks, they are green and beautiful, but there are no cafés or toilets there They are great for sports, but not so good for families with small children. Cafés with play areas can be counted on one hand.
Our neighbourhood put psychological pressure on me. There were many political slogans and protests against Israel around us, which was a trigger for our family.
After ten years of living in Israel, I developed PTSD, and the Falas period was particularly difficult for me, with firecrackers exploding in the most unexpected places. Once, my daughter and I were walking home from nursery when an explosion went off right next to us. At that moment, I realised I couldn't take it anymore. We gathered the children and left the city for the duration of the holiday.
At one point, we went to Madrid, just to see the city. And suddenly it turned out that it had everything we were missing: a dry climate that is easier to tolerate; city life that doesn't freeze in the summer; children's spaces, events, a sense of movement and energy. It also turned out that it was easier to find quality housing or services at a lower price there.
I don't think Valencia is a bad city, that's not true. For many people, it's ideal.
Perhaps if we had arrived there earlier, without the difficult experience, everything would have turned out differently.
4
«I felt cramped in Valencia.»
Daria Aloni, 38, Madrid. Lived in Valencia for 3 years.
I had very fond memories of Valencia, but I made a conscious decision to leave. We lived in the very centre, on Calle Colón, near the metro and El Corte Inglés. It was extremely convenient, especially since there were Mercadona and Rossmann shops right below our building.
But, over time, I realised that Valencia was no longer the right choice for me. The city is oriented towards the sea, tranquillity and a measured pace of life. For many, this is a plus, but at some point, it became insufficient for me.
Even living in the nice areas of the city centre, I hardly felt the business and working atmosphere there. In Valencia, you rarely see people in office attire, constantly on the move.
And it became important for me to be in just such an atmosphere, where there are more opportunities for development, more options, more energy.
After moving to Madrid, I felt this difference immediately. Here, life is different, the scale is different, and the rhythm is completely different. Yes, prices are higher: in Valencia, we rented a fully renovated penthouse for €2,000, while in Madrid, similar accommodation costs €3,000 — and not always with the same level of renovation. But at the same time, I understand what I'm paying for.
