Why Valencia | Berklee Valencia Campus

Discover Valencia

Why study at Berklee's Campus in Valencia?

Berklee Valencia is a hub for launching music careers across the globe. Here, you’ll dive into your passion and meet students and faculty from around the world, with an average of 38 nationalities represented each year on campus.

The city of Valencia has around 800,000 inhabitants and is the third-largest city in Spain. Being a cultural music center, with people coming from every different background, Valencia is a vibrant place where there is always something to do and discover. You will be surprised by how warm the city is, both in its Mediterranean climate and its welcoming people.

As the home of 50 percent of Spain’s musicians, the region of Valencia has a strong musical tradition. For hundreds of years, people in and around the city have formed symphonic brass bands that now are merging with newer genres, and expanding the music offered in the city.

The city’s vibe is artistic and youthful, and there are plenty of venues, live music bars, and pubs where every music genre is welcome. Read this article from the New York Times to get an idea of how Berklee Valencia has contributed to making the music scene as exciting as it is today.

If you love history and the arts, you will find plenty of reasons to love Valencia. With more than 60 cultural spaces, the city is known for its many festivals and music events.

From March 1 to March 19, Valencia celebrates Las Fallas, which combines tradition, satire, and art. Other festivities and festivals that you shouldn’t miss include:

Festival de Jazz de Valencia
Mar i Jazz
FIB Benicàssim Festival
Cinema Jove: Festival Internacional de Cine de Valencia
Diversity València Festival
Festival de Les Arts
Rototom Sunsplash

If there was one word to describe Valencia, it would be "warm." This applies not only to the city's climate, but also to its friendly people and the close-knit vibe that will make you feel at home.

In 2020, Valencia was ranked #1 in InterNations.org's Quality of Urban Living Index. Valencia’s good weather, leisure opportunities, and ease of meeting new people put them at the top, as well as the ideal Mediterranean lifestyle: sunny days, great food, picturesque scenery, and a welcoming community.

This open-minded city embraces the diversity of its people, as a center for a wide variety of cultures, including the LGBTIQ+ community. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from; you will feel welcomed here!

Due to its relatively small size, it is safe and easy to get around. With a population of over 800,000 in 2020, Valencia is the third-largest city in Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona. You can take the bus, the metro, the tram, a bike, or just walk—nearly everything you’d want to see is within walking distance.

Useful transportation apps include EMT, Free Now, Cabify, and Moovit.

With an airport, three train stations, and a bus station, it’s easy to travel from Valencia to other cities in Spain and Europe. Relevant cultural hubs such as London, Paris, or Berlin, are just a direct two-hour flight away from Valencia, allowing you to discover what other European capitals have to offer.

Other Spanish cities, such as Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, or San Sebastián, are also connected to Valencia, either by train, bus, or national flights. Be sure to discover all the opportunities that are beyond the campus and the city.

Do you prefer the beach or the mountains? In a city like Valencia, you don't have to choose. The city offers a diverse range of outdoor sports and activities. You can join a paddle surf course, or swim and sail on the coast; or spend a day outside the city in the mountains trekking and climbing. Or go for a jog or join a yoga group at the Turia riverbed, just a couple of minutes away from the campus. Valencia's excellent weather makes it possible to participate in a variety of sports in any season.

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A campus with a strategic location

The Berklee Valencia campus is located at Valencia’s iconic City of Arts and Sciences. This landmark has become the symbol of the city, not only for its avant-garde architecture and impressive buildings, but also for being one of the largest cultural and scientific complexes in Europe.

Berklee Valencia is a magnificent 3,600-square-meter campus designed specifically for music and the performing arts, where students are not only committed to their studies, but also involved in festivals, events, and concerts happening all around them.

Discover the campus

Lili del Sol

M.M. '17

“Little by little, we musicians who graduated from Berklee have been establishing a network. We have been integrating by respecting the local culture and managing to offer the city and its people new sounds, new proposals, and a new artistic variety.”

Watch Lili del Sol performing

Sebastian Laverde

M.M. '15

“I used to live and work in London, but decided to stay here after my master's program due to the fact that the quality of life is tremendously higher here, especially for a musician. Also, there's a good niche for jazz and Latin music in Spain.”

Read Sebastian’s story

Alexey Leon Reyes

M.M. '14

“Valencia has a long jazz tradition with many jam sessions. I played a lot at Jimmy Glass, Radio City, Café Mercedes, la Vitti, Ubik Café; I participated in Jazz Eñe, played at Teatro Principal, Palau de la Música, Valencia Jazz Festival, and the UPV Jazz Festival, etc.”

Read Alexey’s story

Valencia in depth

Do you want to know what to expect from city and its neighborhoods? Or maybe discover more about what the city has to offer in terms of festivals or parties like the Fallas?
Read this article from Lonely Planet to discover more things to do and enjoy in the city.

Discover more about Valencia
 

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