A different environment during a workation sometimes works wonders. Especially if you are in need of rest and focus. Then choose a workation in a green environment, as I did the other day in the countryside of Valencia. This time we didn’t go into the big city of Valencia, but rather to the interior of the country. In this blog we share with you all our tips for this green region in Spain.
Staying overnight in a typical Spanish village
About a 45-minute drive from Valencia city you will find the town of Requena. A village with about 20,000 inhabitants, where you will find a beautiful old center and village life takes place mostly outside. A nice restaurant to eat at is El Yantar, in the middle of the old center and on a nice little square. We went here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. In Spain, that means having dinner around 2:30 p.m. only, with 3 courses and a glass of wine. Inside, part of the restaurant is in a cave, which looks nice. As with many Spanish restaurants, especially in non-touristy places, the food is almost universally really good. The service and decor, on the other hand, often leave quite a bit to be desired.
Visit a vineyard in the region
This region in Valencia is known as a popular wine region. As such, you will find numerous wineries, called Bodegas in Spanish. Often a picture to see, because of the vast vineyards and historic buildings. This region is one of the few where cava can be made. I visited several, learned a lot about wine, got cool tours and, of course, delicious tastings. These are my 3 favorites:
- Bodegas Sierra Norte: This is the biggest Bodega I’ve ever been to. They have been producing exclusively organic wine for years, so they don’t use chemicals. The halls of wine barrels are huge and you can taste delicious cavas.
- Bodegas Pasiego winery.: This is a small-scale vineyard owned by a passionate winemaker. He likes to tell you all about the process of winemaking, incredibly interesting to hear.
- Bodegas Pago De Tharsys: This gem is located near Requena and is beautiful to see. You can do a tasting of 3 wines for only €11 and look around this beautiful place, from old wine cellars to green vineyards.
Fun places for digital nomads
If you are looking for a nice place in the middle of nature for your workation, the Kiko Parck Rural is a nice place. You have small cottages, chalets, glamping tents and pitches. Between work you can jump into the pool and after work you can take beautiful walks in the area or play sports on the property. Like many places in the backcountry, the wifi is sometimes a challenge, but fortunately you can always fall back on your own data bundle. The range was fine at this place though, which I’ve experienced differently in other places in the countryside. So that’s good to know in advance.
Activities in the region
If you choose to work remote in the interior of Spain, you can do an awful lot of cool outdoor activities. Whether you are looking for relaxation or something sporty, there is something for everyone. My tips are below.
- Rafting in Cabriel River. You can choose whether you want a quiet boat ride or some more adrenaline. You can also canoe or kayak there. The scenery there is really beautiful, so exploring it via water is definitely recommended.
- Hiking in nature reserve Hoces del Cabriel. The interior of Spain is breathtaking and you will find several natural areas where you can make beautiful hikes. The nice thing about this area is that it is so large that you will hardly encounter other hikers.
- Cabriel Spa – Casetas Tourist Complex. This oasis of tranquility is in the middle of the mountains, so you won’t hear much more than birds and crickets. It is a hotel, with also beautiful chalets and has its own spa and restaurant. In this spa they work a lot with sulfur, which has a healing and cleansing effect and is therefore very good for you. Only the smell takes some getting used to, but then you have something.
- Visit Chulilla. This area definitely has a wow factor. It is like a small grand canyon. A walhalla for mountaineers, who you can see bravely climbing the gigantic rock walls here. You can also hike beautifully and visit the suspension bridges.
Taking your digital nomad family to the countryside
You can travel as a digital nomad in many compositions. Alone, with your partner, a colleague, but in this region they have also thought of something for families. You can come and live in this Spanish region, for example for 3 months or 1 school year. The Rural Life project was founded for this purpose. They will help you find a house in one of the villages, a suitable school for your kids and will be happy to show you around. Read all about working and living in the Valencia region with your family here. Are you curious about the possibilities in Valencia city for your workation? Then read here all my tips for this great city, secretly one of my favorite places to work remote.
