Night Life in Valencia, Spain (Andrea Pistolesi, Getty Images / February 28, 2012)

VALENCIA, Spain — Take Paris, add palm trees and a handful of fruit to the wine. Then swap a snaking, sunken park for the Seine and paella for steak frites, and put the whole thing on the sea. The result: Valencia.

With a youthful vibe driven in part by the University of Valencia, Spain's third-largest city bursts with cultural offerings, stunning architecture, a sometimes-jarring juxtaposition of the ancient and the contemporary — and some unique eats. Here's how to eat like a local in Valencia:

Sample a signature cocktail: Check out the city's vibe at the Plaza de la Virgen. Try a sangria or, better yet, Agua de Valencia, a local concoction of sparkling wine, orange juice, vodka and gin. Beware, this firewater's gentle taste belies its potency. Take in the jumble of locals, tourists, pigeons and formally attired churchgoers attending a baptism or wedding just a stone's throw away at the Basilica de la Virgen.


Find a bargain: In Spain, 9 p.m. is early for dinner. But you're a tourist, so go ahead and head to La Carme for a bargain 19 euro (about $25 U.S.), three-course, fixed-price menu. Choices might include hake in a rich white sauce, grilled pork, roast duck or specialty ribs, with perhaps a fig, pine nut and cheese salad or a creamy carrot soup starter, capped by the requisite creme caramel.

Browse the market: The Central Market has some 1,000 vendors selling everything from Spanish cheeses, olive oils and fine hams to fruit and vegetables, spices, meats and all manner of seafood. Pick up a few packs of spices for the folks at home. Pimenton, or paprika, is a particular bargain, as is saffron, known as the world's most expensive spice. Have a light Valencian breakfast: fartons (light, elongated doughnuts), and wash it down with horchata (a cold, sweet milky brew made from tiger nuts).

Go modern: Try the sleekly modern Palo Alto, and bask in the deferential service and copious, multicourse Mediterranean offerings of pates, salads, stews, rice dishes and roasted meats.

Cheer on the team: Try the Dublin House for pre-dinner drinks. A relatively new addition to the Plaza del Patriarca, it attracts a diverse crowd ranging from families to couples to football fans, who turn out to catch Valencia C.F. matches.

Get an authentic dinner: A table at La Utielana is worth the wait, although if you get there right at opening at 9 you'll be seated straight away. With a homey vibe and warm hospitality, it's a favorite of locals and visitors in the know for hearty, authentic Spanish cuisine.

Satisfy your pizza craving: A Pomodoro is a moderately priced, bi-level pizza and pasta hot spot said by many locals to serve the best pizza in the city. Don't miss a bottle of their excellent house wine.

Breakfast like a local: Pick any local sidewalk cafe, and enjoy the traditional breakfast of coffee with hot milk, fresh bread and the ubiquitous tortilla, another Spanish favorite that is basically a potato omelet that's more tuber than egg.

Don't forget the paella: You can't visit Valencia without sampling its signature dish, so tuck into a platter of paella served at virtually any local restaurant dishing up Spanish cuisine. The best can be found seaside, at either Malva Rosa or a short ride from town, in the village of El Palmar.