Last checked against the sources: 12 November 2026.

In short: with your school shortlist done, three days are enough to visit two or three schools, travel the axes where you would live and see houses in person. Go during term time, book appointments in advance, do the real commute at rush hour and bring your documents ready so you can reserve a house if it fits. If you cannot sign during the trip, there are alternatives, but always verify who the owner is.

This article is for information only. We do not recommend any particular school and have no arrangements with any of them. For visas, taxes or legal questions, consult a professional.

When to go

A school is best visited with the pupils in. According to the Generalitat’s school calendar for 2026/27, classes for Infantil, Primaria, ESO and Bachillerato (nursery, primary, lower and upper secondary) run from 9 September 2026 to 18 June 2027. Avoid these non-teaching dates at schools that follow that calendar:

  • 9 and 12 October 2026, and 8 December 2026.
  • Christmas: 22 December 2026 to 6 January 2027.
  • 19 March 2027.
  • Easter: 25 March to 5 April 2027.

International schools may have their own calendar and town councils can add up to three local non-teaching days. Ask each school for its term dates before you buy flights.

How to book school visits

  • Write 3–4 weeks ahead. State each child’s year, the curriculum you are looking for and the dates of the trip.
  • Ask for a visit with admissions, not just a generic tour. Ask about places available in each child’s year.
  • Group them by area. Two schools on the same axis in the same day save journeys.
  • Bring your questions. Calendar, timetable, lunch, school bus, languages and admissions process. The school confirms the fees (map of schools and areas).

3-day plan

Day 1: arrival and the city. Land and head to the centre. The airport has a Metrovalencia station inside the terminal, and lines 3 and 5 reach the centre (Àngel Guimerà, Xàtiva, Colón). In the afternoon, walk the neighbourhoods of the city that interest you and, if one of your schools is in the city, go and see it from the outside. It is a good day for a first viewing of a home near the centre.

Day 2: north-west axis. In the morning, visit a school in Godella, Rocafort, Paterna (La Cañada), Bétera or L’Eliana. In the afternoon, see houses in the same area. The two metro lines linking it with the city:

  • Line 1 (Bétera – Castelló): Bétera, Rocafort and Godella, among other stops, as far as Àngel Guimerà.
  • Line 2 (Llíria – Torrent Avinguda): L’Eliana and La Canyada, as far as Paterna, and from there to Àngel Guimerà.

Hire a car or use one you trust the same day: many developments are not next to the station.

Day 3: north axis and return. In the morning, the Puçol and Los Monasterios axis, with its school and the houses around it. Puçol has a station on Cercanías line C-6 (the Renfe suburban rail network), which runs from València Nord to Castelló. Keep the afternoon for a second viewing of the house you liked most, or for paperwork if you have decided to reserve.

If you can only explore one axis, choose the one with the school you are most interested in. If your shortlist has schools on both axes, give each one a day.

Test the commute at rush hour

It is the test that changes decisions most. Do the home-to-school journey once at drop-off time and the return from work once at the end of the working day. Note the real time, not the one the app gives at midday. If the school offers a bus, ask whether there is a route and stop for the area where you are looking for a house.

What to look for when viewing a house

  • Damp, windows and insulation. Look at corners, ceilings and bathrooms.
  • Heating and cooling. What type, in what condition and how much it costs to run.
  • Noise at different times of day, and the orientation.
  • Garden, pool and shared areas: who maintains them and what is paid separately.
  • Community charges and utilities: who pays them under the contract.
  • Walk to the metro or bus stop, by day and by night.
  • Inventory: insist that the furniture and its condition are put in writing.

What to bring so you can sign quickly

You can find the detail of what they can and cannot ask you for in documents to rent. Bring, at the very least, a copy of the passports of all adults and proof of income or the job offer, in the format you prefer to present. Have your bank account details to hand for the reservation payment and the deposit (how the deposit works). Go with the process clear in your mind from renting a flat in Valencia from abroad.

If you cannot sign during the trip

It is common: the school’s calendar or the employment contract is not yet settled. Options:

  • A trusted person in Valencia who sees the house for you. Have them check the points in the list above and send you photos and videos of the real condition.
  • A video-call viewing. Ask the agent to walk through the house live, showing doors, cupboards and bathrooms. It is for ruling out, not for deciding.
  • Verify who the owner is before paying anything. The nota simple from the Land Registry identifies the property and the holder of the registered rights, and can show charges such as a mortgage. It is requested online on the Colegio de Registradores website. Compare the holder with the person showing you the house.
  • Do not transfer money for a house you have neither seen nor verified. Review the rental scam warning signs.

Checklist

Before the trip During the trip After the trip
Appointments with 2–3 schools confirmed in writing Visit with admissions, not just a tour Ask in writing for the place and the fee for the year
Term dates checked in the school’s calendar Real commute at rush hour, there and back Compare times and decide the area
Documents scanned and a paper copy 4–6 houses seen in person Second viewing of the best two
Appointments with agents and owners Photos and notes on each house Nota simple for the chosen property
Plan B: a local person for viewings Questions about costs and deposit Review the contract before signing

Frequently asked questions

How many days do I need? Three days is enough to see both axes if your shortlist is small. If there are schools in both areas and several houses, add a fourth day.

Can I go in summer? The 2026/27 school year ends on 18 June 2027 and starts on 9 September 2026. Outside those dates it is hard to see pupils in class. Ask the school what it offers during the holidays.

Do I need a car? Not in the city. In the developments on the north-west and north axes it makes it easier to see houses on the same day, although the metro reaches many municipalities.

Do I need a NIE before coming? Not to visit. For the other procedures, see which comes first: NIE, TIE or padrón and talk to a professional if your case is complex.

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Sources

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