Biarritz or Valencia?

Both cities are true beach destinations, but the seas are very different. Biarritz faces the open Atlantic: the Grande Plage and the Côte des Basques have big waves and strong currents, so swimming means staying between the flags, and the small Port Vieux cove is the only really calm spot. The water stays fresh for most of the year.

Valencia gives you the easier swim. Las Arenas, Malvarrosa and Patacona form one wide band of fine sand with shallow, warm water and plenty of space even in August. For something wilder, El Saler lies behind dunes and pine woods to the south.

Both places have a strong regional cuisine built around a covered market. Biarritz's Les Halles has Biscay fish, Bayonne ham, sheep's cheese and pintxo counters, but outside Basque and French cooking there is little choice.

Valencia offers more variety and depth. Paella and the other rice dishes are at their best at Las Arenas and in the Albufera villages, the modernista Mercado Central is among Europe's finest markets, and Ruzafa adds tapas, vermouth bars and creative restaurants. There is also horchata in Alboraya, which has no equivalent in Biarritz.

The gap between the two is wide. Biarritz's sights come from its own past as a resort: the imperial villa, the Art Deco casino, the Russian Orthodox church and the footbridge to the Rocher de la Vierge, plus the aquarium and an ocean science centre. A couple of days covers all of it.

Valencia has a real historic core. The Lonja's twisted Gothic columns, the cathedral with its Holy Grail chalice and the Miguelete tower, and the Serranos and Quart gates are all within walking distance of each other. The City of Arts and Sciences, the Bellas Artes and IVAM add modern architecture and two serious collections.

Biarritz goes out mostly in summer, with wine and pintxos around Les Halles, sundowners above the Côte des Basques and a few late clubs. Out of season most evenings end after dinner, and anyone wanting more heads to Bayonne or San Sebastián.

Valencia keeps Spanish hours all year. Ruzafa's cocktail and wine bars stay busy well past midnight, El Carmen and Benimaclet are cheaper and studenty, and in summer the open-air clubs by the port go on until dawn. Fallas in March turns whole districts into a street party.

Biarritz is the stronger choice for active days outdoors, and most of them happen on the water. It has surf schools on every main beach, beginner breaks at Anglet, and stand-up paddle and kayaking when the swell drops. On land, the clifftop path runs towards Spain and the green Pyrenean foothills around Sare and La Rhune are close at hand.

Valencia's nature is flatter and gentler. Sunset boat trips cross the Albufera lagoon among rice fields and herons, and the Turia gardens make a long green corridor through the city. For gorges and climbing you have to drive inland to Chulilla.

Biarritz has the richer choice, because two countries are within easy reach. San Sebastián is under an hour away, Bayonne is next door, and Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a short train ride. Espelette, Ainhoa, Hondarribia and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port fill other days, though a car helps.

Valencia's outings need longer journeys. Sagunto's Roman theatre and Xàtiva's castle are easy by train, and the high-speed line reaches Cuenca's hanging houses in about an hour, but Peñíscola, Elche and the Costa Blanca take an hour and a half or more.

Valencia is the easier city with children. The Oceanogràfic, the hands-on science museum and Bioparc could fill several days, Gulliver in the Turia gardens is a giant climbing frame, and the shallow beaches suit toddlers. The centre is flat for pushchairs.

Biarritz works well in summer, with an aquarium, an ocean centre for rainy days and surf lessons for older children. However, the rough main beaches send the youngest to Port Vieux, and the steep streets are tiring.

You can walk both centres, but the ground is very different. Biarritz is compact but hilly, with steps between the cliffs and the seafront, and its buses and coastal trains link Bayonne and the border, while the Basque villages really need a car.

Valencia is flat and made for cycling. There are bike lanes, a bike-share scheme and the car-free Turia route, and the metro and trams run to the airport and the beaches. A car is only useful if you are heading for the hills.

Valencia has more to shop for. The Ensanche around Calle Colón has chains, luxury boutiques and a department store, while El Carmen and Ruzafa are good for vintage and design, and Manises ceramics and painted fans are the local crafts.

Biarritz is a place to browse rather than to shop seriously: surf shops, fashion boutiques, striped Basque linen, espadrilles and gâteau basque, with no department store.

Valencia costs noticeably less. The set lunch menu with wine is a fixture, tapas and transport are cheap, and central hotels are reasonably priced for most of the year, except during Fallas and in high summer by the beach.

Biarritz charges resort prices, especially in July and August when rooms book up early. Eating at the market bars and staying in Anglet or Bayonne helps, but it remains an expensive place for a beach vacation.

Valencia has more on stage. The Palau de les Arts has a proper opera and ballet season with its own orchestra, the Palau de la Música hosts the city orchestra, and there is a small jazz circuit in Ruzafa.

Biarritz's one real strength is dance. A national choreographic centre and ballet company perform at the Gare du Midi, and there is an autumn dance festival, but there is no opera and only touring shows otherwise.

Biarritz is the place for a restorative stay. It has been a sea-bathing cure town since the nineteenth century, and its seafront thalassotherapy centres offer heated seawater pools, algae wraps and multi-day programmes. The calm months outside high summer suit them best.

Valencia offers a slow Mediterranean pace rather than spa culture: Arab-style bath houses, hotel spas, the shady Turia paths and evening walks along the promenade, with no bathing tradition still in use.