Internet in Valencia: eSIM, roaming, prepaid SIM and wifi

Do I pay roaming in Valencia if I'm coming from the EU?

No. Under “roam like at home”, customers of carriers in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway use their minutes, texts and data in Spain at the same price as at home. Regulation (EU) 2022/612 keeps this in place until 30 June 2032.

There are two caveats. Your carrier can apply a fair-use policy: on plans with lots of data or on prepaid plans, roaming data may be capped, and beyond that cap you pay a small surcharge per GB. And Switzerland is not in the EU: Swiss carriers charge for roaming separately.

When you land, your carrier texts you the roaming terms of your plan. That message shows the data cap, if there is one.

What if I'm coming from the UK, the US or outside Europe?

Then you pay for roaming, so it's worth comparing before you travel. You have three options:

• Your carrier's roaming pass: the easiest, because you keep your number. But you pay per day: in the UK, £2–£2.50 with EE, Three or Vodafone; in the US, about $12 a day with Verizon TravelPass or AT&T's International Day Pass.
• Travel eSIM: a data plan you buy online and install on your phone. For a week it usually works out cheaper than a pass, and you keep your SIM to receive calls and bank texts.
• Spanish prepaid SIM: worth it for long stays or if you need a Spanish number. You have to buy it in a shop and show your passport.

What a travel eSIM is and how to install it

An eSIM is a digital SIM card: your phone downloads it instead of using a plastic chip. Travel eSIMs are data-only plans for one country or region, paid once, with no contract. Here's how to install one:

• Check that your phone supports eSIM (in Settings, look for “Add eSIM” or “Mobile plan”) and that it's unlocked. Most recent mid-range and high-end iPhone, Pixel and Samsung phones qualify.
• Buy the Spain or Europe plan on the provider's website or app.
• Install it by scanning the QR code or through the app. Do it at home, on wifi: with most providers, the plan doesn't start counting until your phone connects to a Spanish network.
• When you arrive, select the eSIM for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. On your home SIM, turn data roaming off so you don't get charged by mistake.
• Keep your usual SIM active for calls and texts, so your bank's security codes still reach you.

WhatsApp and other messaging apps keep working with your usual number even when the data comes from the eSIM.

Travel eSIMs for Spain compared

All five work across Spain on the big carriers' networks. What changes is the type of plan and the extras. Prices change with promotions, so compare them on each website before you buy.

How much data do you need? For a week of maps, messaging, photos and social media, 5 GB is usually enough. If you watch videos or share data with a laptop, go for 10 GB or an unlimited plan.

Is it worth buying a Spanish prepaid SIM?

Only if you're staying several weeks or need a Spanish number, for example for bookings or to be called from here. Movistar, Vodafone, Orange and cheaper brands such as Digi sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at many retail outlets.

By law you have to identify yourself to activate it: bring your passport or national ID card. Expect a queue and shop opening hours. For a short trip, an eSIM is quicker and you don't have to find a shop.

Free wifi in Valencia: where to find it and when not to use it

The city council runs 310 public wifi hotspots, according to its open data. Most belong to the EU's WiFi4EU network, in municipal museums, libraries, neighbourhood centres and at around twenty points along the seafront promenade. At the airport the network is “Airport Free Wifi Aena”, and almost every café and hotel has its own. It's a useful backup, but an open network has risks:

• Anyone on the same network can try to see what you send, or set up a fake network with a name almost identical to the official one so that you connect to theirs.
• Most websites and apps are already encrypted (HTTPS), which lowers the risk. But it doesn't protect you if a fake network asks for your details on its login page.
• For banking, payments or any password, use mobile data.
• Turn off automatic connection to open networks and forget the network when you're done.

To get around the city without interruptions (maps, real-time bus times, your bookings), an eSIM is more reliable and safer than hunting for wifi.

Tips so you don't lose connection

• Download the offline map of Valencia in Google Maps or your maps app before you travel.
• Save your boarding pass and accommodation booking on your phone, in case you have no data when you arrive.
• Carry a power bank: with GPS and the camera on, your phone drains fast on a day out.
• Sockets are type C and F, at 230 V: European chargers work without an adapter.