tourist information valencia spain

12 Things to do in Valencia

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The coolest nights out, the most romantic sunsets, the tastiest paella and the most original festivities all await you in Valencia – traditional, radical, always Mediterranean.

Taste a real paella next to the sea

Yes, you’ve probably already planned to have paella. But what you might not know is that our most well-known dish tastes even better with a sea view. That’s why we recommend the restaurants at Las Arenas beach, with panoramic views of the Mediterranean, or those at the Albufera Natural Park. Wherever you go, you’ll love it! 

Experience Fallas like a Valencian

Start by seeing a resounding  mascletà , take a look at some of the 750 monuments that fill the city with satire and humour, enjoy the smell of the flowers brought to the Plaza de la Virgen for the  Ofrenda , enjoy a night full of fireworks, concerts and parties, have  buñuelos  and chocolate for breakfast, and if you’re not too tired, go to a  despertà . Those are just some of the things you can do if you visit between the 15 th  and 19 th  March, are you in?   

Dance until sunrise in the coolest places

Want to find out why Valencia has a reputation for its nightlife? Before going out, have dinner by the sea, then have drinks at a terrace in the area of el Carmen, or in a XVI century house and end up dancing techno, indie or pop until you can’t carry on. And if you’re hungry before you go to bed, an “ esmorzaret ” is a great idea. 

Go shopping and find the latest trends

Valencia intense commerce is a fusion of tradition and modernity. Spend an afternoon shopping in the historic centre, el Carmen, Ruzafa or Eixample, and choose from international brands and creations of Valencian designers which are sure to surprise you. 

Have a horchata and fartons

There’s no better place to have this popular drink made from “ chufa ” a fruit that is only grown in Valencia. Have it for breakfast or for a snack, either liquid or as a sorbet texture, and remember to ask for “ fartons ” to dip which will sweeten your day. You can try it at any time because, just like Vampire Weekend sang, you can drink  horchata  in December too!

Go through the Turia Garden by bike

Would you like to see Valencia from east to west without passing a single car? Then head to the river! No, it’s not a joke. The old river bed of the Turia has been converted into a leafy 9-kilometre-long garden which connects the Parc de Capçalera with the City of Arts and Sciences. If you go by bike you can discover the fantastic museums, monuments and bridges that the river has to offer.

Take pictures of the spectacular sunset at the Albufera

The best way of getting to know this ecologically valued lagoon is taking a boat trip at sunset. The Albufera Natural Park offers a visual spectacle where the sky blends with the sea and, of course, you’ll be able to take some of the most beautiful photos of your trip.

Do a route to try tapas and beer

Grilled cuttlefish, steamed mussels, Serrano ham, clams, “ esgarraet ”, baby squid,  patatas bravas … If it’s already making your mouth water, just wait until you try them! You can start the route at the stalls of Plaza del Mercado, continue past the Lonja steps, the Plaza del Collado, Plaza Negrito and Calle Caballeros, finishing at Plaza de la Virgen. 

Take in Valencia’s views from the Miguelete tower of the Cathedral

The most emblematic tower in Valencia is a required visit. You can climb the 207 steps of the spiral staircase and reach the top of the bell tower, where you’ll have an impressive 360º view of the city. You won’t regret it!

Cheer on the best teams in the Spanish Football League

Experience the thrill of football (or soccer) in the stadiums of Mestalla and Ciudad de Valencia . From mid-August to early June, you can see the games of Valencia CF  and Levante UD and cheer on some of the world's best players. Oe, oe, oe, oeeeeee!   

You can also visit the home of the Valencia Football Club with the   Mestalla Forevertour  and discover the history of the team through its trophies, touch the grass with your own hands and feel the thrill of being a professional player. And if you want a souvenir from the club, visit the   Megastore Valencia CF temple to sports fashion with all the kits and all the accessories you need to play while wearing the shield of Valencia CF.  

Valencia Football Club  

MESTALLA TOUR

Discover our culture with the Silk Road

The Golden age of the silk trade brought an economic, social and cultural revolution along with it, which changed Valencia. Follow the hidden Silk Road route by walking through the  Velluters  area, the Silk Museum, the Silk Exchange (Lonja de la Seda, UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the typical Valencian dress shops.

Traverse the Mediterranean on board a catamaran

Listening to chill out music while the sea gently rocks the boat and the sun hits your skin, is an experience that can only be improved with a glass of wine in your hand. Get aboard a catamaran from Mundo Marino and look out over the unbeatable view: the sunset at the Juan Carlos I Marina. What more can you ask?

Enjoy an afternoon of the finest basketball

Cheer on Europe's best basketball players at the Fonteta Pavilion. From October to early June, you can take in the games of the top-flight  Valencia Basket Club's men's and women's competition. You can get yourself kitted out and buy a souvenir at the Valencia Basket store.  

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Must-see attractions in Valencia

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias

L'Eixample & Southern Valencia

This aesthetically stunning complex occupies a massive 350,000-sq-metre swath of the old Turia riverbed. It’s occupied by a series of spectacular…

Catedral de Valencia

Valencia’s cathedral was built over a mosque after the 1238 reconquest. Its low, wide, brick-vaulted triple nave is mostly Gothic, with neoclassical side…

Iglesia de San Nicolás

Recently reopened to the public after a magnificent restoration, this single-naved church down a passageway is a striking sight. Over the original Gothic…

Museo del Patriarca

This seminary was founded in the late 16th century by San Juan de Ribera, a towering Counter-Reformation figure who wielded enormous spiritual and…

This splendid building, a Unesco World Heritage Site, was originally Valencia’s silk and commodity exchange, built in the late 15th century when the city…

Western Valencia

This zoo devoted solely to African animals has an educational and conservationist remit and an unusual approach. Though, as always, the confinement of…

Museo de Bellas Artes

Bright and spacious, this gallery ranks among Spain’s best. Highlights include a collection of magnificent late-medieval altarpieces, and works by several…

Mercado Central

Valencia’s vast Modernista covered market, constructed in 1928, is a swirl of smells, movement and colour. Spectacular seafood counters display…

Jardines del Turia

Stretching the length of Río Turia’s former course, this 9km-long lung of green is a fabulous mix of playing fields, cycling, jogging and walking paths,…

Torres de Quart

Barrio del Carmen

Spain's most magnificent city gate is quite a sight from the new town. You can clamber to the top of the 15th-century structure, which faces towards…

Museo Nacional de Cerámica

Inside a striking palace, this ceramics museum celebrates an important local industry. Downstairs (which also features a decadent hand-painted 1753…

Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe

This interactive science museum, stretching like a giant whale skeleton within the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, has plenty of touchy-feely things…

Institut Valencià d’Art Modern

This impressive gallery hosts excellent temporary exhibitions and owns a small but impressive collection of 20th-century Spanish art. The most reliably…

Oceanogràfic

Spain's most famous aquarium is the southernmost building of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. It's an impressive display, divided into a series of…

Bombas Gens

This conversion of a handsome art deco factory that once made hydraulic pumps has created an intriguing space for modern art. There's a particularly good…

Monforte Gardens

These under-the-radar ornamental gardens designed in the mid-19th century are a peaceful spot to escape the city. Marble statues, sculpted hedges and a…

Playa de la Patacona

Valencia's Beaches

The northern stretch of Valencia's main beach has a quieter, more local scene, but still gets busy in summer. It's backed by lovely traditional houses…

Torres de Serranos

Once the main exit to Barcelona and the north, the imposing 14th-century Torres de Serranos overlooks the former bed of the Río Turia. Together with the…

Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas

Quite a sight from outside, this immoderate palace has a pair of wonderfully extravagant rococo caryatids curling around the main entrance. The exterior…

Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía

Brooding over the riverbed like a giant beetle, its shell shimmering with translucent mosaic tiles, this ultramodern arts complex, grafted onto the Ciudad…

Convent Carmen

In the grounds of a former convent, this cultural space hosts everything from music and movies to yoga and debates. In the large garden, food is served…

Puente de las Flores

In a city full of impressive bridges, Puente de las Flores is one of Valenicia's most spectacular – and undoubtedly its sweetest smelling. Designed by…

Beneath the square just east of Valencia’s cathedral, the archaeological remains of the kernel of Roman, Visigoth and Islamic Valencia shimmer through a…

Ayuntamiento

Valencia’s handsome neoclassical town hall dominates the square that takes its name. Within is the Museo Histórico Municipal, a repository of items…

Plaza de Toros

This roughly 170-year-old bullring is an iconic site next to Estación del Norte. Similar in style to Rome’s Colosseum, the 10,500-capacity bullring has…

El Miguelete

Turn left as you enter the main portal of the cathedral for the climb up to El Miguelete, the emblematic octagonal tower. It's apparently 51m high,…

Mercado de Colón

This magnificent building, now colonised by cafes and boutique food outlets, was formerly a market, built in 1916 to serve the rising bourgeoisie of the…

Estación del Norte

Trains first chugged into this richly adorned Modernista terminal in 1917. Its main foyer is decorated with ceramic mosaics and murals – and mosaic ‘bon…

Museo de Arroz

This restored rice mill gives good background on the importance to the city of the grain, grown in the nearby Albufera, with a video (English subtitles)…

Playa de las Arenas

Stretching north from the marina, this is the beginning of Valencia's beach, the closest to the centre and the focal point of seaside life. Backed by…

Museo de la Seda

This visually elegant modern museum makes the most of its lovely location in the 15th-century (with baroque additions) palace that was the seat of the…

With more than 95,000 pieces on display and over a million in total, L’Iber, set in a historic palace, claims to be the world’s largest collection of toy…

Museo de Historia de Valencia

This museum is very well presented and plots more than 2000 years of Valencia’s history. Each period is illustrated with a display case that makes the…

Museo Catedralicio Diocesano

Newly reopened, this cathedral museum is a good-looking blend of the modern and venerable. There are some excellent religious paintings here; it's…

Museo Fallero

At each Fallas festival, just one of the thousands of ninots, the figurines that pose at the base of each falla (huge statues of papier mâché and…

Museo de Etnología

This ethnographic display is very sleek and modern, a welcome relief after the overly didactic archaeological museum that shares the halls in the…

The 15th-century Almudín originally served as the city’s granary, storing wheat brought in from the surrounding countryside. Writing high up on the…

Mercat Municipal del Cabanyal

Sturdy old ladies brought up in the tough streets of the fishing barrio of Cabanyal jostle each other and suspiciously prod the vegetables in this vibrant…

Las Atarazanas del Grao

Originally constructed in the 14th century in Gothic style, these five parallel warehouses have been much altered over the years, but are still an…

Centro del Carmen

Behind the church on the landmark Plaza del Carmen, this centre occupies the handsome Gothic cloister and rooms of the monastery that once backed it. It's…

More destinations you need to see

• 1.1 Visitor information
• 1.2 Climate
• 3.1 By plane
• 3.2 By train
• 3.4 By boat
• 4.1 On foot
• 4.2.1 By metro
• 4.2.2 By bus
• 4.3 By tourist bus
• 4.4 By bicycle
• 5.1 Monuments and architecture
• 5.2 Museums
• 5.3 Art museums and galleries
• 5.4 Parks and gardens
• 5.5 Neighbourhoods
• 6.1.1 Key events and dates
• 6.1.2 Falles museums
• 6.2 Other festivals
• 6.3 Performing arts
• 6.4 Planetarium and cinemas
• 6.5 Beaches
• 6.6 Spectator sports
• 7.1 Spanish
• 7.2 Cooking
• 8.1 Food markets
• 8.2 Street markets
• 8.3 Bookshops
• 8.4 Shopping centres
• 9.2 Mid-range
• 9.3 Splurge
• 10.1 Traditional regional drinks
• 10.2 Cafés and horchaterías
• 10.3 Bars and bodegas
• 10.4 Nightclubs
• 11.1.1 Hostels
• 11.1.2 Hotels
• 11.2 Mid-range
• 11.3 Splurge
• 13 Stay safe
• 15.1 Outskirts
• 15.2 Further afield

Valencia ( València in Catalan/Valencian) is a charming old city and the capital of the Valencian Community . With just over 830,000 inhabitants in 2023, it is Spain ’s third-largest city and, after Barcelona, the most significant cultural centre along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. It is the capital of the autonomous Valencian Community, and is known for tourism and cuisine. In March visitors flock to the city for the annual UNESCO-listed Falles celebration, but the city is worth visiting at other times of year for its paella, ultramodern architecture, and good beaches.

Understand [ edit ]

The Spanish name Valencia is pronounced [baˈlenθja] (bahl-EHN-thyah), while the Valencian pronunciation of València is [vaˈlensia] (vahl-EHN-see-ah).

Valentia Edetanorum was established as a Roman colony in the second century BCE. In the early 8th century CE the Moors invaded, and Balansiyya became the capital of the Muslim Taifa of Valencia, thriving as a trading centre for paper, silk, ceramics, glass, and silver. With a brief interlude of Christian control in the 11th century under El Cid, the city remained in Muslim hands until the Christian Reconquista led by King Jaime I of Aragon in 1238, and was incorporated as a kingdom under the Crown of Aragon.

Valencia experienced its golden age in the 15th century, with a growing population and flowering of Valencian culture and the arts. Significant monuments from this period include the cathedral’s Micalet , the UNESCO-listed Llotja de la Seda , and the Torres de Serrano ( Serrano Tower ). During this period it became one of the most influential cities of the Mediterranean, and helped to fund Christopher Columbus's first voyages to the Americas.

In 1609 the Spanish government ordered the expulsion of all Jews and Moriscos from the kingdom to north Africa. Muslim descendants made up about a third of the population of Valencia and the surrounding region, and their forced removal brought about a major economic downturn, and in some nearby communities, economic collapse. It was more than a century before the city began to recover.

In the 20th century, Valencia was the capital of Republican Spain from 1936 to 1939, and during the Spanish Civil War sustained heavy bombardment by Franco’s forces, both by air and sea. Franco retaliated for Valencia’s Republican past with cultural and ideological repression, and forbade the use of the Valencian language. In 1957 the Túria River overflowed its banks leading to catastrophic flooding of the old city centre with more than 80 dead. The river was consequently diverted to the south of the city, but it was not until the return of democracy that the original abandoned riverbed was finally converted into a park – now one of the city’s most outstanding features.

In the 21st century Valencia has continued to evolve. In 2007 and 2010 the city hosted the America’s Cup , and from 2008 to 2012 hosted the Formula One European Grand Prix . Architecturally, too, the city has changed, most notably with the construction of the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències ( City of Arts and Sciences ) by internationally-renowned Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. The 2015 election of a new leftist coalition city council, after decades of control by the conservative Partido Popular (PP), brought renewed focus on expanding and improving existing infrastructure, including adding three new metro lines and expanding the city’s already extensive bicycle path network. This ongoing transformation has turned a once little-considered medium city into a meatier and more interesting destination.

Visitor information [ edit ]

• 39.47453 -0.37512 1 Tourist Info Valencia - Reina , Plaça de la Reina, 19 ( main office ), ☏ +34 963 153 931 , fax : +34 963 153 920 , [email protected] . M-Sa 09:00-19:00, Su and holidays 10:00-14:00; closed 25 Dec and 1-6 Jan . ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.46957 -0.37599 2 Tourist Info Valencia - Ayuntamiento , Plaça de l'Ajuntament, s/n ( booth in the plaza by city hall ), ☏ +34 963 524 908 . M-Sa 09:00-19:00, Su and holidays 10:00-14:00; closed 25 Dec and 1-6 Jan . ( updated Dec 2015 )
• Tourist Info Valencia - Airport , Planta de Llegadas ( arrivals hall ), ☏ +34 961 530 229 , fax : +34 961 598 451 , [email protected] . Mar-Oct: M-F 08:30-20:30, Sa Su and holidays 09:30-17:30; Nov-Feb: M-F 08:30-20:30, Sa 09:30-17:30, Su and holidays 09:30-14:30; closed 25 Dec and 1-6 Jan . ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.46012 -0.38058 3 Tourist Info Joaquín Sorolla , Carrer de Sant Vicent Màrtir, 171 ( in the Joaquín Sorolla train station ), ☏ +34 963 803 623 , [email protected] . M-F 10:00-17:50, Su and public holidays 10:00-14:50; closed 1-6 Jan, 25 Dec . ( updated Jun 2017 )
• 39.46759 -0.3241 4 Tourist Info El Cabanyal , Passeig de Neptú, 3 ( near the Hotel Balneario Las Arenas ), ☏ +34 628 789 837 , [email protected] . Mid-Jun to mid-Sep: Tu 10:00-13:50, W-Sa 10:00-13:50 14:50-16:50, Su and public holidays 10:00-13:50; closed M . ( updated Jun 2017 )
• 39.44387 -0.32839 5 Tourist Info Puerto , Moll de Ponent, s/n , ☏ +34 963 674 606 , [email protected] . Open only during cruise stopovers . ( updated Jun 2017 )
• 39.47275 -0.37087 6 Tourist Info Comunitat de València ( Tourist Info Valencian Community ), Carrer de la Pau, 48 , ☏ +34 96 398 6422 . M-Sa 09:00-18:50, Su and public holidays 10:00-13:50; closed 25 Dec, 1 Jan, 6 Jan . Can offer advice and information about other destinations within the Valencian Community , including day trips from the city. ( updated Jan 2018 )

Climate [ edit ]

• Summer — Like most European countries, August is a slow month as many of the residents are on vacation. At this time of year Valencia is hot and humid with temperatures averaging between 30-35°C (86-95°F) by day and 20-25°C (68-77°F) by night.
• Fall — September and October are more active months and the weather can permit beach outings as late as late-September. Important events take place during this season. November can be quite gloomy and does not receive a lot of sunshine.
• Winter — Average temperatures revolve around 10 °C and the weather is mostly cool and damp. Some sidewalk cafés remain open.
• Spring — The annual Falles festival unofficially marks the beginning of spring. Cafés and restaurants open their terraces and life spills out onto the street once again.

Talk [ edit ]

Valencia's official languages are Valencian , which is considered a dialect of Catalan by many linguists, and Spanish . Even though it is similar to the Catalan spoken in Catalonia, Valencians are very particular about their language being referred to as "Valencian", and often find it offensive when people refer to it as "Catalan". In the capital of Valencia, which is the third largest city in Spain, not many people speak Valencian, nor are they offended if addressed in Spanish. However, outside the capital, Valencian is often preferred. As in Barcelona with Catalan, it helps to be sensitive to this language dynamic. However, the linguistic issue is not as controversial as in Barcelona and most people in Valencia speak Spanish as their first and often their only language. Road directional signs are generally bilingual in Spanish and Valencian.

The English-speaking skills of the locals can be hit or miss. Most people under 50 speak some English and some quite a bit, but most would prefer being addressed at first in Spanish or Valencian. French is also spoken or understood by some.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ].

Metro Valencia lines   3   and   5   go directly to the town centre and link the airport to the main train station, Estación del Norte (beside the Xàtiva metro stop), running every 8 minutes and taking about 21 minutes. A one-way ticket to the city centre costs €3.90, plus an additional €1 for the cardboard ticket with rechargeable chip; tickets can be purchased at a manned service counter (English spoken) and at vending machines which do accept credit cards - don't get confused, the paper tickets with magnetic strips are recharchable. There are no trains between the hours of midnight and 05:30.

Fernanbus operates bus line 150 [dead link] , with buses departing every 15 minutes and terminating at 39.46976 -0.38863 2 Àngel Guimerá, 48 , with a full schedule and route map online. Tickets cost €1.50 and the journey takes about 30-40 minutes.

A taxi stand is just outside the arrivals hall. A ride from the airport to Carrer de la Pau, in the heart of the historic city centre approximately 11 km away, costs around €20-23 with an additional 'airport supplement' of around €5 (Jan 2015). The tariffs are on display in the taxi in Valencian, Spanish and English but are difficult to see. The same journey back from Carrer de la Pau to the airport is half the price!

Book a taxi by calling a radio taxi company or book online at BookTaxiValencia .

• Direct Taxi Valencia , ☏ +34 960 077 705 , [email protected] . Reservations can be made online. ( updated Nov 2016 )
• Radio Taxi Manises , Carrer de Villafames, 56 ( Manises ), ☏ +34 961 521 155 , [email protected] . 24 hrs. ( updated Jan 2018 )
• Radio Taxi Valencia , Carrer dels Gremis, 8 , ☏ +34 963 703 333 . 24 hrs. Reservations can be made online , or via their smartphone app (iPhone and Android). ( updated Jan 2018 )
• Taxis de Valencia , ☏ +34 961 119 977 . Reservations can be made online . ( updated Nov 2016 )
• Taxi Valencia , ☏ +34 661 719 393 , [email protected] . Reservations can be made online . ( updated Nov 2016 )
• Andy offers transfers to Valencia city and other major cities around. Reservations and payment can be made online.

By train [ edit ]

The main train station is 39.46611 -0.37745 3 València - Estació del Nord ( Valencia - Estación del Norte / Valencia - North Station ), which is in the city centre, next to Plaza de Toros and near the Town Hall ( Ayuntamiento ). The main building is a well-preserved modernist structure dating from 1917, and had been declared a National Historical Building. This station is only used by suburban, commuter, regional and mid-distance trains. Facilities include a tourist information office, storage lockers, several cafés and a car rental office. The access to underground station Xàtiva , served by Metro València lines   3   ,   5   and   9   , is just in front of the main entrance of the train station. Being an important hub for the public transport network of the city, the location is served by several bus lines which allow connection to any district or neighbourhood of Valencia.

Long-distance and high-speed (TGV, Euromed) trains arrive at 39.45901 -0.38129 4 València - Joaquim Sorolla (Valencia - Joaquín Sorolla) train station, 800 m from the main station. Facilities at this station include storage lockers, a café and car rental office. A free shuttle bus connects the station to València - Estació del Nord with a departure every 10 minutes. This station is served by Metro València lines   1   ,   2   and   7   , using the underground station Jesús .

The national train company is Renfe . Tickets can be booked online on their website, where significant discounts ('Web' and 'Estrella' fares) are available for early bookings. Valencia is connected with Madrid by AVE high-speed trains, that run over the Madrid–Levante high-speed rail line. The journey takes approximately 1 hour 35 minutes. Other major cities, such as Barcelona , are connected with Valencia by Euromed , Alaris, or Talgo trains. The journey to Barcelona takes approximately 3 hours.

By bus [ edit ]

By boat [ edit ]

Get around [ edit ].

Streets in Valencia have two names, Valencian and Spanish, but most street signs are in Valencian only. Maps may list street names in Valencian or Spanish and rarely both, while addresses may be given in either language, which could create some confusion. Addresses in this guide are generally listed in Valencian.

The city has begun changing some Franco-era street names to those commemorating other figures, especially women. By late 2017, about 50 streets had been renamed, with more planned; online mapping services are largely up-to-date but printed maps will likely not be.

On foot [ edit ]

Aside from going to the beach and the City of Arts and Sciences, exploring the hub of the city requires no public transportation. Much of this city can be done walking, stopping for a coffee or a beer, and then walking more, all very leisurely. It's not necessary to have the mindset of mastering a complex public transportation system. However, for longer trips, see below for some pointers.

By public transportation [ edit ]

Travellers visiting for a short period may want to consider purchasing a Valencia Tourist Card , a one-, two- or three-day pass which allows for unlimited travel on all metro and bus lines, including to/from the airport, over a period of 24 hours (€15), 48 hours (€20), or 72 hours (€25). The card also includes free admission to public museums and monuments, discounted admission for other tourist attractions, and additional discounts at some shops and restaurants. The card can be purchased at any tourist office, including at the airport, or purchased online for a discount and picked up on arrival at a tourist office.

For travellers not interested in the package, or staying longer than three days, the rechargeable SUMA 10 card provides a flexible means of getting around. It is valid for both metro and bus travel. This card allows for ten journeys, including transfers begun within 90 minutes of commencing your journey. The included transfers comprise unlimited transfers between metro (or tram) lines, and a single transfer to or from bus lines (i.e. between buses or to/from the metro). Cards are not personalized, and a single card can be used by multiple people (deducting multiple journeys, of course).

The SUMA 10 cards are sold in ticket offices in metro stations, and as of 2022 cost €8 for a single zone. There is an additional fee of €1 for a cardboard cart and €2 for a plastic card. The cards can be recharged at any metro ticket machine. Since 2022, this ticket replaces the previous Bono transbordo and Bonometro cards, so guides still referencing these are outdated.

The public transport network is divided into zones A, B, and C (see map , remodeled in 2022). There is a significant overlap between zones A and B. Most tourist destinations, including the beach, are located in zone A. Zone C consists solely of the airport.

The EMT (bus) website has a very helpful route-planner [dead link] , useful for planning journeys not only by bus but also by metro, bicycle, and Valenbisi (see the bicycle section below).

By metro [ edit ]

The Metro Valencia [dead link] consists of nine lines (three of which are tramlines) and connects the suburbs with the city. This metro system is not extensive, but can get you to major points within the city. Maps and timetables can be downloaded here . As of 2018, the one-way fare for a single zone is €1.50. The ticket costs an additional €1 and contains a rechargeable chip.

Make sure to always keep your ticket, as you must present it when getting off as well. If you want to enter the tram, you must buy a ticket from the machine (at each tram stop), and then validate it before you get on.

If you use the metro a lot, you should consider getting a 10-fare SUMA 10 card (see above).

Standard bicycles are permitted during the workweek only on portions of the network which operate above ground. On Saturday, Sunday and holidays they are permitted throughout, while folding bicycles may be transported at any time. No bicycles are permitted at all during Fallas and the night of San Juan. Pets in carriers and guide or personal assistance dogs are also permitted.

EMT [dead link] runs buses to virtually every part of the city, both day and night. A single ticket costs €1.50 (no transfers), payable to the bus driver on entry.

For frequent travellers, a the rechargeable Bonobús card is available in kiosks and tobacco shops. It will allow you ten rides for €8.50 (as of early 2018). However, the SUMA 10 , which is also valid and metro and tram lines, usually is the cheaper and more convenient option (see above). Bonobús cards can be recharged at kiosks [dead link] or online.

For travellers with smartphones, there is a very helpful official EMT app (iPhone and Android), which has a route planner and a QRT reader.

Most bus stops now have digital displays listing the arrival times for the next bus. At those stops lacking the digital display it is still easy to find out the next arrival times, by using either a QRT reader (like the one built into the EMT app), or by sending a SMS with the unique number of the bus stop to a number displayed next to the posted route plan.

By tourist bus [ edit ]

39.47453 -0.3759 8 Valencia Bus Turistic , Plaça de la Reina, 10 , ☏ +34 699 982 514 , [email protected] . Daily 09:30-20:00 (office) . In cooperation with the city's official tourism office Valencia Bus Turistic operates a hop-on, hop-off bus service which covers two routes: the Historic Route , which covers most of the centre of the city (schedule available here ), and the Maritime Route , which visits the Royal Marina, the City of Arts and Sciences, and the beaches (schedule available here ). Each route includes a guided commentary in multiple languages, and the two routes intersect at three locations; it is permitted to combine both routes, if desired. Tickets can be purchased at any bus stop, tourist information centre, and in many hotels. 24/48 hour tickets: €17/19 (adults), €10/11 (children 7-16), free (children under 7); 12% discount with the Valencia Tourist Card (available at tourist information centres) . ( updated Jun 2017 )

By bicycle [ edit ]

Valencia is essentially flat, and cycling has become a popular way for visitors to get around. The city has established a comprehensive network of dedicated bicycle paths and lanes, and the Turia river park very conveniently cuts across the city, making it possible to get from one end to the other with minimal time in traffic. Drivers are now accustomed to interacting with cyclists in traffic, although pedestrians still occasionally wander into bike paths. Riding on sidewalks without demarcated bicycle paths is not permitted, but this is generally not enforced. At night lights are required, and a helmet and reflective vest are recommended. A bicycle route map can be downloaded here [dead link] .

The city operates Valenbisi , a popular bicycle sharing program, with 275 stations distributed throughout the city. No reservation is necessary – once you have a Valenbisi card, go to the interactive station terminal, follow the instructions in Valencian, Spanish or English, and choose a bicycle. You can return the bicycle to the same or any other station with available docks.

A short-term subscription costs €13.04 and gives you access to unlimited use of the bikes for 7 days; the first half-hour of any journey is free, then €1.04 is charged for the first two additional half-hours, with €3.12 charged for every additional hour. However, if you park the bicycle in an available dock before the first half-hour is up, you can take out a new bicycle and reset the clock for no additional fees.

Weekly cards can be purchased at any station terminal with a credit card. For periods longer than one week, an annual subscription is necessary and costs €27.12, with reduced tariffs for each additional half-hour. These cards must be purchased online and are sent by mail; however it is possible to bypass this hassle and attach your Valenbisi subscription to a valid Bonometro , Bonobús , or Bono transbordo card – see the website for details.

There are also many bicycle rental shops in town, with most charging around €10-15 a day, depending on season.

• 39.47382 -0.37401 9 DoYouBike , Carrer del Mar, 14 ( near the cathedral ), ☏ +34 963 155 551 , [email protected] . Daily 09:45-14:00, 17:00-20:15 . Rents bikes. Other locations at Carrer de la Sang, 9; Avinguda del Port, 141 €2/hour, or €9/day during the week, €12/day on weekends, helmet and pump €1 .  
• EcoBikeRent , Carrer d'Ercilla, 23 (near Central Market) , ☏ +34691773051 . Daily 09:30-20:00 . Also offers electric scooter rental. Other locations at Carrer de Roteros, 1; Carrer de les Avellanes, 6; Carrer de Quart, 9 from €5 . ( updated Jun 2020 )
• NOT EXISTING LISTING IMAGE Bike in Mind Valencia , Calle Donoso Cortés 12 46005 Valencia , ☏ +34 684054683 , [email protected] . Every Day from 09:30 AM to 08:00 PM . Bikes and E-Bikes Rental in Valencia. from €6 / 4 hours, €9 / all day . ( updated Mar 2023 )
• valenciaGUiAS , ☏ +34 963 851 740 , fax : +34 963 850 827 , [email protected] . ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.47691 -0.39144 10 Valencia BIKES Pechina , Passeig de la Petxina, 32 . Daily 09:30-20:00 . Another location is at Carrer de la Tapineria. €5/hour, or €10/day . ( updated Dec 2015 )

By car [ edit ]

In the city, especially the centre, having a car is more of an impediment than an advantage, and visitors may well find it easier to just park it and walk.

See [ edit ]

Monuments and architecture [ edit ].

• 39.47516 -0.37503 8 Capella del Sant Calze ( Capilla del Santo Cáliz / Chapel of the Holy Chalice ). The focus of this side chapel is a chalice of agate, believed by the devout to be none other than the Holy Grail. Of the handful of similar chalices with the same claim, this is deemed by many scholars to be the most likely candidate as it has been dated by experts to the 1st century BCE. ( updated Aug 2015 )

• 39.47335 -0.37058 20 Casa de Sant Vicent Ferrer ( Casa Natalicia de San Vicente Ferrer / Home of San Vicente Ferrer ), Carrer del Pouet de Sant Vicent, 1 , ☏ +34 963 528 481 . M-F 11:00-13:00, 17:00-20:00 . Sant Vicent Ferrer, the principal patron saint of Valencia, was born in this house in 1350. The house was renovated numerous times, and has a chapel, well, and 18th-century ceramic tile panels depicting the life of the saint. Free . ( updated Nov 2015 )

Museums [ edit ]

• 39.472 -0.3617 28 Museo Histórico Militar de Valencia , Carrer del General Gil Dolz, 6 , ☏ +34 96 369 1904 , [email protected] . M-Sa 10:00-14:00 16:00-20:00, Su and holidays 10:00-14:00 . Built in 1898 for an infantry regiment, the building now houses a collection of over 3,000 objects, most of them from the 19th and 20th centuries. Free . ( updated Sep 2015 )
• 39.463193 0.331897 29 Museo de l'Arròs ( Museo del Arroz / Museum of Rice ), Carrer del Rosari, 3 ( EMT bus 2/19: stop Dr Lluch-Armada Española; Metro line 5: stop Marítim-Serradora; Metro-Tram line 6: stop Grau-Canyamelar ). Tu-Sa 09:30-14:00 15:00-19:00, Su and holidays 09:30-15:00 . The Museum of Rice of the City of Valencia is in the refurbished and restored old Serra’s Mill. It tells the story of the industrial process of rice processing, a cereal whose growth goes deep into the wetlands of the City. €2 (adults), €1 (seniors, children, students, groups) . ( updated Apr 2019 )

Art museums and galleries [ edit ]

• 39.48076 -0.37894 36 Casa-Museu Benlliure ( Casa-Museo Benlliure ), Carrer de la Blanqueria, 23 ( El Carme ), ☏ +34 963 911 662 , [email protected] . Tu-Sa 09:30-14:00 15:00-19:00, Su and holidays 09:30-15:00 . This was once home to two generations of the Benlliure family, headed by prominent Valencian artist José Benlliure. The early 20th-century residence has been maintained in three distinct sections, including the primary house with original furnishings and artworks, a lovely courtyard and garden, and a second building with a private study and more artworks. €2 (adults), €1 (concessions), free on Su and holidays . ( updated Nov 2015 )
• 39.47362 -0.37018 37 Centre Cultural Bancaixa ( Centro Cultural de Bancaja ), Plaça de Tetuán, 23 , ☏ +34 96 064 5840 , fax : +34 96 387 5578 . Tu-Su and holidays 10:00-14:00 17:00-21:00, M 10:00-14:00 . The former 19th-century residence is a cultural centre which hosts excellent, well-curated temporary exhibits of contemporary art and photography, by Valencian, Spanish and international artists. Free . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 39.47463 -0.38048 39 Fundación Chirivella Soriano ( Palau Joan de Valeriola ), Carrer de Valeriola, 13 , ☏ +34 96 338 1215 , fax : +34 96 338 1217 , [email protected] . Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00 17:00-20:00, Su 10:00-14:00 . This well-preserved 14th-century Gothic palace houses a permanent collection of contemporary Spanish art, with rotating exhibits. €4 (adults), €2 (concessions) . ( updated Oct 2015 )
• 39.47628 -0.38011 41 Galería del Tossal , Plaça del Tossal, s/n ( entrance in an above-ground glass structure in the middle of the square ), ☏ +34 963 981 803 . Tu-Sa 09:30-14:00, Su and holidays 09:30-15:00 . This unique underground gallery has been designed around the remains of a city wall from the Moorish period, complete with arches. The gallery is a venue for temporary exhibits of Spanish and international contemporary art. €2 (adults), €1 (concessions), free (children under 12); free on Su and holidays . ( updated Dec 2015 )

Parks and gardens [ edit ]

Neighbourhoods [ edit ]

Other [ edit ]

• 39.4709 -0.37621 58 Mirador Valencia ( El Mirador del Ateneo Mercantil / Ateneo Viewpoint ), Plaça de l'Ajuntament, 18 ( entrance between Café Rialto and Café & Tapas ), ☏ +34 963 520 488 , [email protected] . Daily 10:00-20:30; last lift to the top at 20:00 . The viewpoint is on the rooftop of a private social club, and offers excellent 360° panoramic views of the city. €3 (adults), €2.5 (seniors, disabled, children 11-16), free (children under 10) . ( updated Oct 2017 )
• Street art . Valencia has become a magnet for street artists both homegrown and those hailing from abroad, many of them internationally-renowned. Works range in size from smaller stencils to giant murals, with the greatest concentration in el Carmen (Carme). There are also clusters of great art in Ruzafa, Benimaclet, Cabanyal, and other neighbourhoods. ( updated Aug 2017 )

Do [ edit ]

Falles [ edit ].

One of Spain’s most spectacular fire festivals, Falles (Spanish: Fallas ) can be best characterised as a fire-fireworks-gunpowder street party extravaganza. The festival draws up to two million visitors annually, and is listed as a UNESCO ‘intangible cultural heritage’.

Its origins date to the Middle Ages when the city’s carpenters burned piles of scraps in the streets and plazas near their workshops on 19 March, the eve of the day of San Josep (Spanish: San José , or St. Joseph ). In the 18th century, it became customary to fashion these piles of junk with papier mache into human figures and sculptures, called ninots (Valencian for 'dolls'), which were assembled to form larger fallas . Eventually these fallas began to take on a satirical nature.

Around 1870, Falles and Carnival were banned. In response to this, a popular movement arose to revive and preserve these traditions, resulting in a competition in 1885 for the best and most artistic falla. This prompted the development of casal fallers , neighbourhood associations which work year-round raising money and designing their fallas. Today there are about 400 casal fallers which each design an adult falla ( falla mayor ), and a smaller children’s falla ( falla infantil ); more than 400 of these fallas are burned on public streets every year. Many fallas reach 25-30 m in height – the best of these are in a special category Secció Especial (Spanish: Sección Especiál ) and compete for the top prize, awarded annually by the City Council.

A secondary feature of Falles are daily fireworks events, including gunpowder demonstrations ( mascletàs ) and large nightly fireworks displays ( castillos del fuego ). Along with these displays, people set off fireworks all day in the streets, beginning early in the morning and continuing throughout the day, making the city seem like a war zone and making it very difficult to catch any sleep.

Key events and dates [ edit ]

• La Despertà ( the 'wake-up call' ). Last Sunday of February . Beginning at 07:30, brass bands parade down Carrer de la Pau and Carrer de Sant Vicent Màrtir to the Plaça de l'Ajuntament, followed by falleros and falleras throwing firecrackers. At noon more bands perform at the central square, and the season's first mascletà takes place at 14:00. ( updated Mar 2018 )
• 39.45984 -0.37553 3 Falla Cuba-Literat Azorín , intersection of Carrer de Cuba with Carrer del Literat Azorín ( Ruzafa ). ( updated Aug 2016 )
• 39.46035 -0.37434 4 Falla Sueca-Literat Azorín , intersection of Carrer del Literat Azorín with Carrer de Sueca ( Ruzafa ). ( updated Aug 2016 )
• 39.46107 -0.37639 5 Falla Cuba-Puerto Rico , intersection of Carrer de Cuba with Carrer de Puerto Rico ( Ruzafa ). ( updated Aug 2016 )
• 39.46645 -0.37952 6 Falla Convento Jerusalén-Matemático Marzal , intersection of Carrer del Convent de Jerusalem with Carrer del Matemàtic Marzal ( La Roqueta ). ( updated Aug 2016 )
• 39.45616 -0.35253 7 Exposición del Ninot ( Ninot exhibit ), Sala Arquerías, Museo Príncipe Felipe ( City of Arts and Sciences; venues can change ). 1-14 March . The current year's ninots are placed on display, with visitors voting for their favourite ninot. The winning ninot is spared the flames of the Cremà and added to the permanent collection of the Museu Faller de València (listed below). €3 (adults), €1.50 (children/seniors) . ( updated Aug 2016 )
• Els Castells ( fireworks displays ), Passeig de l'Albereda . 15-18 March . A nightly fireworks display between midnight and 01:30, with each night more impressive than the previous one, until culminating in the final display on the 18th, which is known as La Nit del Foc (the Night of Fire). This is also very crowded and you should arrive early to see it. The best location to view this is from pedestrian bridges crossing the Turía Park riverbed, or even better, from below the Palacio de la Musica. ( updated Aug 2016 )
• Cavalcada del Foc ( Cabalgata del Fuego / Fire Parade ), Route: Carrer de Russafa, Carrer de Colón, Porta de la Mar . 19 March, 19:00 . A parade featuring all types of spectacles involving fire. This parade may be canceled in inclement weather. ( updated Apr 2017 )

Falles museums [ edit ]

If you can't be in Valencia at the time of the festival, you can at least get an idea of what it's all about by visiting one or both the following museums.

• 39.50007 -0.3925 61 Museu de l'Artista Faller de València ( Museo del Gremio de Artistas Falleros / Museum of the Guild of Falles Artists ), Avda San José Artesano, 17 ( Benicalap ), ☏ +34 963 479 623 , [email protected] . M-F 10:00-14:00 16:00-19:00, Sa 10:00-14:00; closed in Aug . €3 (adults), €2.50 (students), €2 (seniors/disabled/children under 12) . ( updated Aug 2016 )

Other festivals [ edit ]

• 39.4759 -0.3236 9 [dead link] Festival Internacional del Viento ( International Kite Festival ), Platja de Malvarrosa ( Cabanyal ). April . Held annually since 1997, the two-day event includes exhibits, kite-making demonstrations, and competitions. Free . ( updated Sep 2016 )

• Els Focs de la Fira ( Correfoc: literally 'fire-running' ), last Friday before the Battala de Flors; parade begins at 23:00 . This energetic festival began in medieval Catalonia and is celebrated throughout the Catalán/Valencian-speaking region. Participants dress as devils with pitchforks and dance through the streets to drums, setting off fireworks and interacting with spectators. The route varies from year to year, but generally is in the area near the North Train Station and the Porta de la Mar. The many flying sparks can burn holes in clothing, so it's a good idea to wear older clothes or not get too close to the action. ( updated Jul 2017 )

Performing arts [ edit ]

• 39.47831 -0.38533 6 Café del Duende , Carrer del Túria, 62 ( Extramuros ), ☏ +34 630 455 289 , [email protected] . Th 22:00-02:30, F Sa 22:00-03:30, Su 17:00-23:00 . This café is an intimate venue for flamenco performances, with well-known dancers and musicians hailing not only from Valencia but from across Spain. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays performances begin at 23:00 and last for one hour; on Sunday they begin at 20:00. As shows are very popular, it is advisable to get there at least an hour before the show in order to secure a seat – getting to the door 15 minutes before opening is even better. €10 (includes drink) . ( updated Aug 2016 )
• 39.44713 -0.39274 7 Espai Rambleta , Bulevar Sur, esq. Carrer Pío IX ( Sant Marceli, in the S of the city ), ☏ +34 960 011 511 , [email protected] . Exhibitions: Tu-Th 10:00-22:00, F-Su 10:00-23:30; box office: Tu-Su 10:00-14:00, 2 hrs before performance . The cultural centre is a venue for music, theatre and dance performances, and hosts rotating temporary exhibits. It also has an onsite restaurant. Tickets for events can be purchased online . ( updated Nov 2017 )

Planetarium and cinemas [ edit ]

• 39.47906 -0.35342 9 Albatexas Cinemes , Plaça de Fra Lluís Colomer, 4 ( near the university in Algirós ), ☏ +34 960 627 538 . Screens second-run films, all in original languages, with Spanish subtitles. All tickets €3 . ( updated Oct 2017 )
• 39.46971 -0.35702 10 Cines Babel , Carrer de Vicent Sancho Tello, 10 ( Mestalla ), ☏ +34 963 694 530 . An art-house cinema which screens films in their original languages, including many current releases. The cinema has an adjoining café, and offers mid-week deals of dinner plus a movie for a reduced ticket price. ( updated Nov 2015 )
• 39.47734 -0.39538 11 Yelmo Cines , Avenida de Tirso de Molina, 16 ( Campanar ), ☏ +34 963 173 590 . A modern cineplex which shows the latest blockbusters, with both dubbed and original language versions ( VOS : versión original subtitulada). ( updated Nov 2015 )

Beaches [ edit ]

There are two city beaches, and several major beaches outside of Valencia.

39.4661 -0.3217 12 Platja del Les Arenes ( Platja del Cabanyal / Playa de las Arenas ), just north of the port, has a pleasant promenade with a number of traditional (and expensive) restaurants, bars, and ice cream shops. The more northern 39.479 -0.3235 13 Platja de Malvarrosa begins where the promenade ends, and is the setting for volleyball tournaments, kite festivals, and windsurfing. In the summer both beaches have lifeguards and first aid stations, toilets, and snack vendors, and are very crowded especially in the afternoons. To get there, take the metro or tram to Eugenia Vines or Arenas station, or take the metro to Maritim Serreria and continue with the tram to Neptu (all on one ticket).

To the north of and immediately adjoining Malvarossa is 39.4887 -0.3241 14 Platja de la Patacona ( Playa de la Patacona ), which, although part of the municipality of Alboraya, is easily accessible from Valencia by public transport or foot. This beach is somewhat less crowded, and is also a good place to sample horchata, as Alboraya is a major producer of chufa, a key ingredient of the drink.

The beaches south of Valencia port are all part of Albufera Natural Park . They are generally well-maintained and far less crowded than the urban beaches, and easily reachable by public transport.

Spectator sports [ edit ]

• Valencia CF play in La Liga, Spain's top tier. 39.4746 -0.3582 16 Mestalla stadium (capacity 48,600) is 1 km northeast of the city centre. They are long overdue for moving to Nou Mestalla stadium to the northwest, but ran out of money and construction work has halted. Their women's team plays in Liga F (their top tier) at Paterna training ground 5 km northwest of the centre.
• Levante UD were relegated in 2022 and now play in Segunda División, the second tier. 39.4947 -0.3638 17 Ciutat de València Stadium (capacity 26,300) is 2 km north of the centre, near the Machado metro stop. Their women's team is in Liga F, playing at Buñol 40 km west of the city.

Learn [ edit ]

Spanish [ edit ].

• 39.47563 -0.37833 8 Don Quijote , Carrer dels Cadirers, 5 , ☏ +34 963 553 174 , [email protected] . Offers courses of 4–6 hours a day. All courses, including beginner courses, are taught entirely in Spanish. ( updated Jan 2018 )
• 39.47194 -0.37136 9 Espanole ( International House Valencia ), Carrer de la Nau, 22 , ☏ +34 96 353 0404 , fax : +34 96 353 1929 , [email protected] . A member of International House, a network of language schools all over the world. The school provides the students with lots of leisure time activities and even housing can be arranged by the school, either in a studio, in a shared apartment or in a guest family. Even the beginner courses are taught entirely in Spanish, which makes it difficult to follow the lessons in the beginning. ( updated Jun 2015 )
• 39.48007 -0.36481 10 Linguaschools Valencia , Carrer Bernat y Baldoví, 11 ( next to the Universidad de Valencia ), ☏ +34 93 176 1536 , [email protected] . Office hrs M-F 09:00-17:30 . Organizes Spanish courses for foreigners, using the immersion method. The school is based in a real Spanish villa close to the old town of Valencia. Here, you can enjoy your classes, lounge on one of the terraces or study in the garden. ( updated Jun 2015 )
• 39.47091 -0.37557 11 Route 66 Idiomas , Carrer de Moratín, 15-4 , ☏ +34 96 342 7368 , [email protected] . Offers courses in both Spanish and Valencian (Catalan). Students can choose to study 10-20 hours a week, or choose a less intensive long-term option of 3-4 hours a week. ( updated Jun 2015 )
• 39.477706 -0.347924 12 Enforex , Pg. de les Facultats, 3 , ☏ +34 963 69 36 96 . Spanish courses for all ages, intensive or private. Start any Monday of the year your Spanish course. ( updated Dec 2023 )

Cooking [ edit ]

• 39.47707 -0.377642 13 Escuela de Arroces y Paellas , Carrer del Bisbe En Jeroni, 8 ( Carme ), ☏ +34 961 043 540 . Daily . Offers cooking classes in English for several types of paella, including classic Valencian, seafood, and vegetarian. Morning classes on M-Sa also include a visit to the Mercat Central, and all classes include tapas, wine, paella and dessert, and a take-home paella pan with apron. €50-75 adults, €30-70 under 18 . ( updated Jan 2018 )

Buy [ edit ]

• The area around 39.4721 -0.37352 1 Plaça del Patriarca ( Plaza del Patriarca ) is a good place to look for the major national brands like Loewe, LLadró, Louis Vuitton, Dolores, and Farrutx.
• 39.47497 -0.37535 3 Mercat de l’Escuraeta ( Mercado de L’Escuraeta ), Plaça de la Reina ( just S of the cathedral ). Daily from the second Sunday of May until Corpus Christi, usually at the end of May or early June . This traditional market dates back to the 13th century and Jaume I, when vendors set up extra stalls by the cathedral to coincide with the annual Festividad de la Virgen (feast of the Virgin). Items sold here include crockery and traditional cooking utensils, as well as pottery and other arts and crafts. ( updated Jun 2017 )
• 39.47745 -0.382089 4 Frutos Secos del Carmen , Carrer de Dalt, 20 ( El Carme ), ☏ +34 696 945 745 , [email protected] . A traditional local shop that sells all kinds of dried fruits and nuts. ( updated Oct 2017 )

Food markets [ edit ]

• 39.47786 -0.38052 7 Mercat de Mosén Sorell ( Mercado de Mosén Sorell ), Plaça de Mossén Sorell ( Carmen ). M-W 07:30-15:00, Th 17:00-20:00, F 17:30-21:00, Sa 07:30-15:00 . A smaller market, which was renovated in 2016, in the centre of the Carmen neighbourhood. ( updated Jun 2017 )
• 39.46204 -0.37139 8 Mercat de Russafa ( Mercado de Russafa ), Plaça del Baró de Cortés, 9 ( Ruzafa ), ☏ +34 963 744 025 , [email protected] . M-Sa 07:00-15:00 . Designed by Julio Bellot Senet and completed in 1957, the market is at the centre of the vibrant Ruzafa neighbourhood. Inside are more than 60 vendors of all types of food products, as well as a bar and café. ( updated Sep 2016 )

Street markets [ edit ]

• 39.47585 -0.35772 9 El Rastro ( Flea market ), Plaça de Lluís Casanova, s/n ( Mestalla: car park of the Valencia Football Club ), ☏ +34 962 084 736 , [email protected] . Su 08:00-13:30 . Valencia's enormous second-hand market is a good place to pick up all sorts of odds and ends, ranging from vintage toys to Valencian ceramics to bicycle parts. Vendors are licensed and there is a police presence, but do beware of pickpockets. ( updated Oct 2017 )
• 39.46253 -0.37267 10 Mercadillo de Ruzafa ( several streets NW of the Mercat de Russafa and by the parish church ). M 09:00-14:00 . ( updated Oct 2017 )
• 39.46753 -0.3322 11 Mercadillo de Cabanyal ( Cabanyal street market ) ( several square blocks E of the Mercat del Cabanyal ). Th 09:00-14:00 . One of the larger and more colourful weekly street markets. ( updated Oct 2017 )
• 39.48459 -0.35938 12 Mercadillo de Benimaclet ( Benimaclet street market ), Carrer de Juan Giner and Carrer del Reverend Rafael Tramoyeres . F 09:00-14:00 . ( updated Oct 2017 )

Bookshops [ edit ]

• 39.46771 -0.37498 13 Casa del Libro , Passeig Russafa, 11 ( centro ), ☏ +34 902 026 411 , [email protected] . M-Sa 09:30-21:30, Su and holidays 12:00-21:30 . Probably Valencia's largest bookshop and part of a national chain, it has four floors of new and used books, with a good selection of books in English and other languages. Pets are permitted. ( updated Jan 2018 )
• 39.46822 -0.38062 14 fnac , Carrer de Guillem de Castro, 9-11 , ☏ +34 902 100 632 , [email protected] . M-Sa 10:00-21:30, Sa and holidays 11:00-21:00 . This branch of the French chain has a good selection of English books on the first floor, along with DVDs and computer accessories. ( updated Nov 2017 )
• 39.46786 -0.36612 15 Librería París , Gran Via del Marqués del Túria, 74 ( Eixample ), ☏ +34 963 959 366 . M-Sa 10:00-14:00 17:00-21:00 . ( updated Nov 2017 )
• 39.4723 -0.37098 16 Librería París , Plaça d'Alfons el Magnànim, 13 ( centro ), ☏ +34 963 520 273 . M-F 10:00-14:00 16:30-20:30, Sa 10:00-14:00 17:00-21:00 . ( updated Nov 2017 )
• 39.46706 -0.3784 17 Librería París , Carrer de Pelai, 7 ( near the train station ), ☏ +34 963 525 440 . M-Sa 09:30-14:00 16:00-20:30 . ( updated Nov 2017 )
• 39.4769 -0.37502 18 Librería París , Carrer de Navellos, 8 ( centro, near the Plaça de la Verge ), ☏ +34 963 918 133 . M-F 10:00-14:00 16:30-20:30, Sa 17:00-21:00 . ( updated Nov 2017 )
• 39.47101 -0.38036 19 Librería Patagonia , Carrer de l'Hospital, 1 , ☏ +34 963 936 052 . M-Sa 09:30-14:00 16:30-20:00 . For visitors who read some Spanish, this travel bookshop is a good resource as it stocks a good range of Spanish and regional travel guides, maps, and other travel accessories. ( updated Nov 2017 )

Shopping centres [ edit ]

• 39.45664 -0.34577 20 Aqua Multispacio , Carrer de Menorca, 19 ( near the City of Arts and Science ), ☏ +34 963 308 429 , [email protected] . Shops: M-Sa 10:00-22:00, Su and holidays 11:00-21:00; restaurants: Su-Th 10:00-01:30, F Sa and holidays 10:00-04:00; gym: M-F 07:00-23:00, Sa Su and holidays 08:00-21:00 . Along with the usual chain shops and restaurants, this large complex has two hotels, a cinema, a bowling centre, and a large gym and pool. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building, and there is a taxi stand outside. ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.45283 -0.35548 21 Centro Comercial El Saler , Avda del Professor López Piñero, 16 ( near the City of Arts and Science ), ☏ +34 963 957 012 , [email protected] . Shops: M-Sa 10:00-22:00, Su 11:00-21:00; Carrefour: M-Sa 09:00-22:00, Su 10:00-21:00; restaurants: daily 10:00-24:00 . Has a full range of standard international chain stores as well as restaurants and a Carrefour hypermarket. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building, and there is a taxi stand outside. ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 39.46839 -0.36852 23 La Galería Jorge Juan , Carrer de Jorge Juan, 21 ( across from Mercat de Colom ), ☏ +34 963 524 966 , [email protected] . Shops: M-Sa 10:00-21:00; restaurants: M-Sa 09:00-21:00 . Has 40 shops and a restaurant. Parking available. ( updated Oct 2017 )

Eat [ edit ]

Budget [ edit ]

• 39.47486 -0.37766 1 Tasca Ángel , Carrer de la Puríssima, 1 ( behind the Llotja ), ☏ +34 963 917 835 . M-Sa 10:30-15:00 19:30-23:30 . This tiny but very popular tapas bar is known for its sardinas (grilled sardines), served with garlic infused olive oil and white bread. Other specialties include champiñones a la plancha (grilled mushrooms) and gambas al ajillo (garlic prawns). The place only has a handful of tables with additional seating at the bar, and tends to get very packed after 21:00. ( updated Jul 2016 )
• 39.46984 -0.32574 2 NOT EXISTING LISTING IMAGE La Pascuala , Carrer d'Eugenia Viñes, 177 ( Cabanyal ), ☏ +34 963 713 814 . M-Sa 09:00-15:30 . This is a very popular place for almuerzo (late breakfast or early lunch), and is especially known for its very large bocadillos. No reservations are accepted, but it's worth the wait for a table. €5 for bocadillo and drink (June 2016) . ( updated May 2022 )
• 39.4766 -0.36661 3 Kiosco La Pérgola , Passeig de l'Albereda, 1 ( near the Jardí de Montfort ), ☏ +34 963 699 079 . M-F 08:00-16:30, Sa 08:30-16:00; closed for the month of August . This is a very popular lunch spot for delicious and cheap bocadillos. Their signature bocadillo is the Super Bombon , piled high with steak, jamón, lettuce, dressing, and french fries. The Bombon , which omits the french fries, is a slightly lighter version. Getting a table requires some patience, or reservations. Drink + bocadillo €3-4 (Oct 2017) . ( updated May 2022 )
• 39.47822 -0.38199 4 La Lluna ( vegetarian ), Carrer de Sant Ramon, 23 ( at the Centre Cultural la Beneficència ), ☏ +34 963 922 146 . M-Sa 09:00-16:30, 20:00-24:00 . Lunch menu €8-11 (July 2015) . ( updated May 2022 )
• 39.4726 -0.35031 5 Andalus Dolç , Carrer de Yecla, 16 ( in L'Amistat ), ☏ +34 963 254 771 . M-Th 11:00-24:00, F Sa 11:00-00:30, Su 10:00-24:00 . This restaurant-coffeeshop is a favourite with the local Moroccan community and serves a range of traditional Moroccan dishes, some of them vegetarian. It also has an excellent onsite bakery. €9.50 set menu (Feb 2016) . ( updated May 2022 )
• 39.46719 -0.33107 6 Ca la Mar , Carrer de Just Vilar, 19 ( El Cabanyal ), ☏ +34 963 259 827 , [email protected] . Tu W 11:00-01:00, Th-Su 10:00-01:00 . This very small restaurant serves creative tapas, with a number of seafood as well as vegetarian options. Pleasant seating is both indoor and along a pedestrian-only street. They also have a decent selection of wine, as well as the local Turía beer. ( updated May 2022 )
• 39.4715 -0.38868 7 Cerveceria Alhambra , Carrer de Calixt III, 8 ( Extramurs ), ☏ +34 963 843 057 . M-F 07:00-18:30; closed for the month of August . This small sidewalk eatery is known throughout the city for its excellent tortillas de patatas in a number of flavours, many of them vegetarian. Tortillas can be eaten either with a fork ( pincho ) or in a sandwich ( bocadillo ). Meatballs ( albondigas ) are also served here, but main attraction are the tortillas. €5 for tortilla and drink (Nov 2015) . ( updated May 2022 )

Mid-range [ edit ]

• 39.47317 -0.37895 8 Central Bar , Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges, s/n ( by Puerta 3 in the Mercat Central ), ☏ +34 963 829 223 . M-Sa 06:30-15:30 . One of a trio of restaurants owned and operated by famed Valencian chef Ricard Camarena, this tapas bar is a good place to sample his food without breaking the bank. The menu changes daily depending on what's available in the market. Reservations are not accepted, so if you plan to visit for lunch be prepared to wait awhile for a seat. Tapas €4-9 (Feb 2016) . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.46702 -0.36494 10 Portland Ale House , Carrer de Salamanca, 10 ( Gran Via ), ☏ +34 96 381 0406 . Tu-Su 19:00-02:00 . Owned and operated by an American from Portland, Oregon, this place serves classic American bar food and burgers, along with a good range of local beers. For those looking to improve their Spanish (or English) there is an intercambio (language exchange) open to all Wednesday evenings beginning at 20:30. ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.46311 -0.39464 11 Yuk Mi , Carrer de Salabert, 24 ( Patraix ), ☏ +34 963 787 022 . M-Sa 13:30-15:30 20:30-22:30 . One of only two Korean restaurants in Valencia, this family-operated restaurant is highly-regarded in the Asian community for its authentic home-style Korean cooking. Dishes can be modified to accommodate vegetarians, and diners can request how spicy (or not) they prefer their meal. Mains €8-12 (June 2017) . ( updated Jan 2023 )

• 39.45048 -0.35334 12 Alquería del Pou , Entrada Rico, 6 ( southern outskirts, near Centre Comercial El Saler and the City of Arts and Sciences ), ☏ +34 963 737 706 . Daily 13:00-17:00; closed every Su in Aug . A favourite with locals, this hidden gem specialises in all types of traditional Valencian rice dishes and seafood, served in a garden setting. Mains €12-20 . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.47618 -0.39155 13 [dead link] Bar Ricardo , Carrer del Dr. Zamenhof, 16 ( near the Turía River Park ), ☏ +34 963 226 949 . Tu-Sa 08:00-24:00; closed public holidays . Operating since 1947, the restaurant serves traditional Valencian seafood, tapas, and sandwiches. It is also especially known for very good patatas bravas and ensalada rusa . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.47779 -0.38025 14 Bodega La Rentaora , Plaça del Mossén Sorell, 11 ( El Carme ), ☏ +34 670 396 302 . M-F 20:00-01:00, Sa Su 12:00-17:00 20:00-01:00 . Serves simple, creative and high-quality tapas, along with a full range of drinks. €7-10 tapa + drink . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.46364 -0.36997 15 Canalla Bistro , Carrer del Mestre Josep Serrano, 5 ( Ruzafa ), ☏ +34 963 740 509 , [email protected] . Daily 13:30-15:30, 20:30-23:30 . This is the second of a trio of restaurants owned by star Valencian chef Ricard Camarena, with an eclectic menu that varies seasonally. Reservations can be made online . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.47838 -0.37991 16 Refugio Restaurante , Carrer de Dalt, 42 ( El Carme ), ☏ +34 690 617 018 , [email protected] . Daily 14:00-15:30 21:00-23:30 . Across the street from an air raid shelter from the civil war, it serves very innovative fusion cuisine. Reservations can be requested online. €12.50 (set menu M-F), €16 (set menu Sa and Su) . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.47778 -0.3479 17 Restaurante Balansiya , Passeig de les Facultats, 3 , ☏ +34 963 890 824 . Daily 13:30-17:00, 20:30-24:00 . A highly-regarded Moroccan restaurant which has been reviewed in the New York Times and has an extensive menu. Reservations can be made online . Set menu €10-12 (weekdays only), tasting menu €20-30 . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.46931 -0.37803 18 Restaurante Navarro , Carrer de l'Arquebisbe Mayoral, 5 , ☏ +34 963 529 623 . M-F 13:30-16:00, Sa 13:30-16:00 20:30-23:00; closed Su except for holidays . Serves classic Mediterranean dishes using ingredients from the Mercat Central and Mercat de Russafa, with a number of vegetarian options and a good wine selection. Paellas and other Valencian rice dishes must be reserved in advance. Reservations are required, and can be made online . Set menu €22 . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.46697 -0.365509 19 Swagat Valencia , Carrer del Comte d'Altea, 44 , ☏ +34 963 041 742 . Daily 12:30-16:30 20:00-24:00 . Probably the best and most authentic of the few Indian restaurants in the city, Swagat serves a range of dishes from both northern and southern India. Diners can request dishes be spiced for the Indian, rather than the blander Spanish, palate. Reservations strongly recommended, especially on weekends. ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.46335 -0.35779 20 Taberna Comer Beber Amar , Passeig de l'Albereda, 38 , ☏ +34 96 337 5237 , [email protected] . Daily 12:00-24:00 . Serves paella, fideuà, and meat and seafood. Does not serve tapas, but does have a good wine selection. Set menu €24 . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.48015 -0.37985 21 La Tastaolletes , Carrer de Salvador Giner, 6 ( El Carme ), ☏ +34 963 921 862 . Tu-Sa 14:00-16:00 21:00-24:00, Su 14:00-16:00 . Vegetarian. ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.46973 -0.37445 22 El Poblet Restaurante , Carrer de Correus, 8 ( 1st floor, above Vuelve Carolina ), ☏ +34 961 111 106 , [email protected] . M 13:30-15:30 20:30-22:30, Tu 13:30-15:30, W-Sa 13:30-15:30 20:30-22:30 . Operated by star chef Quique Dacosta, the restaurant serves his most famous dishes from his eponymous three-starred Michelin restaurant in Dénia , but without the sky-high prices. This restaurant was awarded its own Michelin star in 2013. Reservations can be made online . Mains €21 . ( updated Jan 2023 )
• 39.4711 -0.391307 23 Taberna Kalixto , Calle Calixto III 29 . ( updated Mar 2023 )

Splurge [ edit ]

• 39.48521 -0.32557 24 La Más Bonita Patacona , Passeig Marítim de la Patacona, 11 ( across from the beach in Alboraya ), ☏ +34 961 143 611 . Daily 08:00-01:30 . Good for breakfast, lunches, fresh juices, coffee and cocktails; this place is especially known for its cakes. There is seating in two areas: on the beach side with a view, or in an interior patio with garden. It is very popular, so if you don't have reservations be prepared to wait awhile. ( updated May 2022 )
• 39.46556 -0.33098 25 Bodega Casa Montaña , Carrer de Josep Benlliure, 69 ( Poblats Marítims ), ☏ +34 963 672 314 , [email protected] . M-F 13:00-16:00 20:00-23:30, Sa 12:30-16:00 20:00-23:30, Su and holidays 12:30-16:00 . Established in 1836, this is the oldest tapas bar in Valencia. All classic dishes here are prepared with locally-sourced ingredients, accompanied by an enormous selection of wines. The setting is informal and friendly. Reservations are recommended and can be made online . €27 for a set menu . ( updated Nov 2015 )
• 39.46487 -0.36896 26 Casa Roberto , Carrer del Mestre Gozalbo, 19 ( Eixample ), ☏ +34 963 951 528 . Tu-Sa 13:00-16:00 20:45-23:00, Su 13:00-16:00 . A favourite with Valencians and those wishing to avoid the tourist traps, it serves great traditional rice dishes with a focus on paella. The place is packed at lunch, so it's best to arrive early, or even better, to have a reservation. Mains €18-23; 10% gratuity included in the final bill . ( updated Oct 2017 )
• 39.4634 -0.32347 27 La Pepica , Passeig de Neptú, 6 ( Poblats Marítims ), ☏ +34 963 710 366 . M-Sa 13:00-16:00 20:30-21:00, Su 13:00-16:00 . Known for paella, this family-run restaurant has been open since 1898, and has served the likes of Ernest Hemingway as well as contemporary and modern celebrities. Reservations are recommended especially on weekends, and can be made online . ( updated Jun 2015 )
• 39.47489 -0.36962 28 Restaurante Lienzo ( Lienzo Gastrotapas ), Plaça de Tetuán, 18 ( La Xerea ), ☏ +34 963 521 081 , [email protected] . Tu-Sa 13:30-16:00 20:30-23:00, Su 13:30-16:00 . This modern, creative avant garde restaurant is operated by chef Maria José Martinez, who formerly worked for Michelin-starred chef Quique Dacosta. Lunch set menu €20 (drink included), gastrotapas menu €30, tasting menu €60 (wine extra) . ( updated Aug 2016 )
• 39.47175 -0.35588 29 Restaurante La Principal , Carrer de Polo y Peyrolón, 5 ( Mestalla ), ☏ +34 963 606 348 . M-Sa 13:30-15:30 20:30-23:30; closed for the month of August . The very popular restaurant is known primarily for traditional Valencian rice dishes, and is also a great place for tapas with a very good wine list and excellent service. It's especially busy at lunchtime – reservations recommended. Set menu €31-56 . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.47267 -0.34994 30 Restaurante La Salita , Carrer de Sèneca, 12 ( corner of Carrer Yecla ), ☏ +34 963 817 516 , [email protected] . M-Sa 14:00-15:30, 21:00-22:30 . Established nine years ago, the restaurant became famous when master chef Begoña Rodrigo won the first edition of Top Chef España in 2013. Reservations can be made by email or online . Tasting menu €60+, wine extra . ( updated Feb 2016 )
• 39.45607 -0.34587 31 Restaurante Vertical , Carrer de Luis García-Berlanga Martí, 19 ( top floor of Confortel Aqua 4 ), ☏ +34 963 303 800 , [email protected] . Daily 13:30-15:30 20:30-23:30 . Operated by chef Jorge de Andrés, this Michelin-starred restaurant serves innovative updates of traditional Valencian cuisine, in a setting with some of the best views of the city. Reservations can be made online ; free parking (3 hrs) available in Centro Comercial Aqua. Lunch set menu €55, dinner set menu €70; drinks extra . ( updated Aug 2016 )
• 39.46611 -0.37416 32 [formerly dead link] Rías Gallegas , Carrer de Ciril Amorós, 4 ( El Pla del Remei ), ☏ +34 963 512 125 . Tu-Sa 12:00-14:30 18:30-22:30, Su-M 12:00-14:30 . Serves traditional cuisine from Galicia. Set menu €35 . ( updated Jun 2015 )
• 39.46349 -0.36953 33 Ricard Camarena Restaurant , Carrer del Dr. Sumsi, 4 ( Ruzafa ), ☏ +34 963 355 418 , [email protected] . Tu-Sa 13:30-15:30, 20:30-22:30 . Ricard Camarena's flagship restaurant earned him his third Michelin star in 2012, just three months after opening. Dishes are wildly creative, and guests have a good view of the kitchen to watch the master in action. Reservations can be made by email or online . Tasting menu €75-105, wine extra . ( updated Feb 2016 )
• 39.46567 -0.36855 34 RiFF , Carrer del Comte d'Altea, 18 ( Eixample ), ☏ +34 963 335 353 , +34 671 875 975 , [email protected] . Tu-Sa 13:30-15:30 20:30-23:00 . Internationally-renowned chef and owner Bernd Knöller earned a Michelin star in 2009. Reservations can be made by phone or online [dead link] . Occasional classes and cooking workshops are also offered. Tasting menu €49-65, wine extra . ( updated Jun 2015 )

Drink [ edit ]

Traditional regional drinks [ edit ].

• Cibada . An iced malt drink. ( updated Jun 2017 )
• Llima granizada . Iced lemonade. ( updated Jun 2017 )
• Blanc i negre ( blanco y negro ). Iced coffee with leche merengada, which is blend of milk, egg white, sugar, and cinnamon. ( updated Jun 2017 )

Cafés and horchaterías [ edit ]

• 39.49542 -0.35493 1 Horchatería Daniel , Avda l´Orchata, 41 ( Alboraia/Alboraya; metro line 3 ), ☏ +34 961 858 866 , [email protected] . Daily 10:00-24:00 . Established in 1949, this is the largest and most well-known horchatería in Alboraia (Spanish: Alboraya ), a small agricultural town on the outskirts of Valencia whose primary crop is tiger nuts ( chufa ), the key ingredient in horchata. There is a second branch in the Mercat de Colóm (listed under 'Eat'). ( updated Jan 2016 )
• 39.49267 -0.35722 2 Horchatería Els Sariers , Carrer Sarcet, 6 ( Benimaclet ), ☏ +34 963 693 879 . M-Th 16:00-22:00, F Sa 11:00-02:30, Su 11:00-23:30 . A very large and popular horchatería with artisanal fartóns. Takeaway available. ( updated Aug 2016 )
• 39.46743 -0.366484 3 Horchatería Fabián , Carrer de Císcar, 5 ( El Ensanche ), ☏ +34 963 349 317 . Daily 13:30-24:00 . Serves hot chocolate with churros, horchata, granizada, ice cream, and pastries. This is one of the only places which sell bunyols (buñuelos) outside of the Fallas season, and in winter and during Fallas it is so popular the queues can stretch a block down the street. ( updated Mar 2017 )
• 39.48226 -0.37058 4 Horchatería Mari Toñi , Carrer d'Alboraia, 23 ( Benimaclet ), ☏ +34 963 601 249 . M-F 06:00-22:00, Sa Su 07:00-22:00 . Along with horchata, this classic Valencian place offers homemade hot chocolate and, during Fallas, bunyols (buñuelos). ( updated Mar 2017 )
• 39.47383 -0.37625 5 Horchatería Santa Catalina , Plaça de Santa Caterina, 6 ( El Mercat ), ☏ +34 963 912 379 . Daily 08:00-21:30 . The oldest horchatería in Valencia, this classic place serves not only horchata with fartons, but hot chocolate, churros, and ice cream. The interior has a cafeteria atmosphere, and is ornamented with Valencian tiles. ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.47709 -0.37563 6 Café de las Horas , Carrer del Comte d'Almodóvar, 1 ( La Seu ), ☏ +34 963 917 336 . M-Sa 10:00-02:00, Su 11:00-02:00 . This popular café-bar is a good spot for coffee or cocktails with light snacks, in a Baroque-styled interior with eclectic music. ( updated Jan 2016 )
• 39.47443 -0.37759 7 Café Lisboa , Plaça del Doctor Collado, 9 ( in El Mercat, around the corner from the Lonja ), ☏ +34 963 919 484 , [email protected] . Daily 10:00-01:00 . In a charming square which was once the site of Valencia's Lonja del Aceite , or olive oil market. The primary draw is the expansive terrace seating by an olive tree, making this is a good spot for people-watching with a coffee or cocktail. ( updated Jan 2016 )
• 39.47594 -0.37739 8 Café Negrito , Plaça del Negret, 1 ( El Carme ), ☏ +34 963 914 233 . Daily 16:00-03:30 . Relaxed café with outdoor seating. ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.47098 -0.37626 9 [formerly dead link] Café Rialto , Plaça de l'Ajuntament, 17 , ☏ +34 963 940 877 , [email protected] . M-Th 08:00-20:00, F 08:00-02:00, Sa 16:00-02:00, Su 16:00-21:00 . A classic café-bar in the historic Rialto Theatre, with a small terrace. It also has a well-priced set lunch menu for €10.50. ( updated Oct 2017 )
• 39.4738 -0.37513 10 Chocolatería Valor , Plaça de la Reina, 20 ( La Seu ), ☏ +34 963 152 198 . M-Th 08:30-21:30, F 09:00-01:00, Sa 09:00-01:30, Su 09:00-22:00 . One of two Valencia branches of the Villajoyosa -based chocolate company, this is a good place for hot chocolate with churros. ( updated Oct 2017 )
• 39.475842 -0.383555 11 Mayan Coffees , Carrer de Murillo, 54 ( El Carme ), ☏ +34 722 788 433 . M-Sa 09:00-14:00 15:30-19:00 . The owner roasts his own coffee locally. Very friendly. Relaxed and calm environment in a nice neighborhood. ( updated Oct 2017 )
• 39.46037 -0.37395 12 Ubik Café , Carrer del Literat Azorín, 13 ( Ruzafa ), ☏ +34 963 741 255 , [email protected] . M Tu 15:00-24:00, W 12:00-24:00, Th 12:00-00:30, F Sa 12:00-02:00, Su 12:00-24:00 . The combination bar-café-bookshop has become a favourite haunt in the neighbourhood, with a good selection of craft beers as well as tapas and other light fare. Also hold exhibits and sponsors other cultural events. ( updated Oct 2017 )

Bars and bodegas [ edit ]

There are many bodegas and tapas bars where you can get typical Spanish dinner for quite good prices. If you arrive early (the Spanish early) at about 20:00 they usually have special offers like tercio y tapa for about €1. To find them orient more to the parallel streets to Carrer de Doctor Manuel Candela . Later to drink something occupying the time between dinner and going out there are many bars with different kind of music present.

Turia , a toasted lager, is the best-known local beer. It was first made in 1935 but didn't go into full production until 1947, due to the Spanish Civil War.

• 39.47105 -0.34875 13 Bodega Fila 'El Labrador' , Carrer del Doctor Manuel Candela, 58 ( Algirós ), ☏ +34 963 727 530 . M-Sa 09:00-15:00 18:00-23:30; closed the month of Aug . This very casual, classic old-school tavern has been operating since 1973, and is popular with students. It is a good place to sample local wines accompanied by simple tapas including jamón, cheese, and sausages. It gets very popular especially later in the evening, so if you want a seat be sure to arrive before 19:30, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings. ( updated Nov 2017 )

Nightclubs [ edit ]

Barrio del Carmen is a major nightlife destination in Valencia. There are numerous restaurants, bars, and dance joints, which tend to cater to a youngish crowd, in particular along Carrer dels Cavallers ( Calle Caballeros ). 39.47168 -0.34714 14 Plaça del Cedre ( Plaza del Cedro ) is a nice area where all possibilities are given to spend a night partly o complete in less touristic ambiance than in the centre. Additionally there is typical Spanish night-life feeling on the plaza. Different kind of people enjoying the mild Mediterranean clime to sit outside talking, drinking and playing guitar often until the sunrise. Other centres of are night-life are 39.46831 -0.36573 15 Plaça de Cánovas del Castillo (more upscale), along Carrer de Joan Llorenç (young also, less "alternative"), around the main campus of the University of Valencia (for students), and increasingly in the area near the beach and port.

If you feel like dancing there are four famous pubs where especially at the weekends a lot young people can be found. The entrance is normally for free and they are almost neighbors in Carrer de Campoamor . The music is more alternative (Rock, Indie, Pop) than general in Spain but it changes depending on the DJ. So just have a look to all of them to find the one you like most. They close at half past three in the morning and if you don't want to be alone maybe the best time to arrive is between half past one and half past two.

• 39.46425 -0.3674 16 Blue Iguana , Carrer del Almirante Cadarso, 30 ( Eixample ), ☏ +34 616 941 162 . F Sa 23:00-06:00 . This is one of the best nightclubs in Valencia. New and old good music all night offered by Dj Moisés. ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.46957 -0.32506 17 La Fábrica de Hielo ( La Fàbrica de Gel ), Carrer de Pavia, 37 ( Cabanyal ), ☏ +34 963 682 619 . Tu W 17:00-24:00, Th 17:00-01:00, F 17:00-01:30, Sa 11:00-01:30, Su 11:00-24:00 . The once abandoned ice factory is home to a nightclub and cultural centre, and is a good place for drinks and tapas (some vegetarian). There are nightly concerts by mostly local musicians, with Sundays devoted to jazz. Dogs permitted. Many shows are free, or under €10 . ( updated Dec 2018 )
• 39.46291 -0.32103 18 Marina Beach Club , Carrer Marina Real Juan Carlos I, s/n , ☏ +34 961 150 007 , [email protected] . Daily 11:00-03:30 . Beach club and restaurant by day, this is a popular music hotspot at night with live performances and visiting international DJs. ( updated Jan 2018 )
• 39.47094 -0.32816 19 [formerly dead link] No Hay Nada Mejor Que 27 Amigos , Carrer de la Reina, 186 ( Cabanyal ). Th-Sa 22:00-03:30, Su 19:30-24:00 . A classic old-school bar in a 1920s era house. Has nightly musical acts in a range of genres, with electronic music on Saturdays and jazz sessions on Sundays. ( updated Dec 2018 )
• 39.47464 -0.38138 20 Radio City , Carrer de Santa Teresa, 19-2 ( El Carme: 2 blocks off Plaça del Tossal ), ☏ +34 963 914 151 . 22:00-03:30 . A popular bar-cum-club with a crowded dance floor playing a variety of danceable world music. The crowd is mixed locals and travellers, mostly under 30. Aggressive bouncers. ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.47069 -0.34655 21 Sala Matisse , Carrer de Campoamor, 60 ( Ciutat Jardí ), ☏ +34 963 555 444 . Tu-Su 20:00-03:00 . ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.47116 -0.34801 22 El Tornillo , Carrer de Campoamor, 42 ( Ciutat Jardí ), ☏ +34 639 403 148 . W-Sa 22:00-03:30 . ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.45523 -0.35376 23 L'Umbracle Terraza , Av del Saler, 5 ( City of Arts and Sciences ), ☏ +34 671 668 000 , [email protected] . Th-Sa 24:00-07:30 . No cover charge with the Valencia Tourist Card; drinks €10+ . ( updated Jun 2017 )
• 39.47079 -0.34693 24 Velvet Club ( Velvet Underground ), Carrer de Campoamor, 58 ( Ciutat Jardí ). F Sa 16:00-04:00 . ( updated Dec 2015 )
• 39.47078 -0.34706 25 [dead link] Wah Wah Club , Carrer de Campoamor, 52 ( Ciutat Jardí ), ☏ +34 963 563 942 , [email protected] . Tu-Su 20:30-03:00 . ( updated Jan 2018 )

Sleep [ edit ]

Staying in or near Old Town means you will hardly need transport, unless you go to the beach.

Hostels [ edit ]

• 39.47696 -0.38096 1 Hôme Backpackers Hostel Valencia ( Feetup Home Backpackers Valencia ), Plaça de Vicent Iborra, s/n , ☏ +34 963 913 797 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00-24:00 , check-out: 12:00 . In town centre and specialised in backpackers and groups. The cheapest one in Valencia, and claims to be the 'best'. Free Wi-Fi and bed linens, wheelchair accessible, nonsmoking rooms, free Wi-Fi. Towels €1. €14 (dorm bed), from €51 (room w/shared toilet) . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.47827 -0.3787 2 Innsa Hostel , Carrer de Baix, 48 ( Carmen ), ☏ +34 963 917 751 , [email protected] . Check-in: 12:00-22:00 , check-out: 09:00-11:00 . Free Wi-Fi, has onsite bar/restaurant. From €38 (room w/shared toilet) . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.47461 -0.37009 3 Purple Nest Hostel ( Hostels Valencia Spain ), Plaça de Tetuán, 5 , ☏ +34 963 532 561 , fax : +34 963 427 128 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00-24:00 , check-out: 05:00-11:00 . A good budget hostel in Valencia hostel in the city centre. Has free Wi-Fi, family room, rooftop terrace and barbecue, and bar. From €43 (dorm bed) . ( updated Jul 2023 )
• 39.47297 -0.37192 4 Red Nest Hostel ( Hostels Valencia Spain ), Carrer de la Pau, 36 , ☏ +34 963 427 168 , fax : +34 963 427 128 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 07:00-11:00 . A good budget hostel Valencia in the city centre. Has a large kitchen free lockers, free bed linen, and free Wi-Fi; towels €1. €40 (dorm bed) . ( updated Jul 2023 )
• 39.47606 -0.37069 5 The River Hostel , Plaça del Temple, 6 , ☏ +34 963 913 955 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:30 , check-out: 11:00 . Has nonsmoking rooms, free Wi-Fi, and a 24-hr front desk. €10-40 . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 39.475605 -0.378862 6 Valencia Lounge Hostel , Carrer dels Cadirers, 11 , ☏ +34 963 923 425 , [email protected] . 11 rooms (double, triple, quadruple) with balconies, aesthetically decorated, no en-suite bathrooms, in a quiet alleyway. Doubles €39+ . ( updated Feb 2017 )

Hotels [ edit ]

• 39.4751 -0.37969 7 [formerly dead link] Hospedería del Pilar , Plaça del Mercat, 19 ( Mercat ), ☏ +34 963 916 600 , [email protected] . Check-in: 12:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Operating since 1886, the hostal has nonsmoking rooms with private baths, and a 24-hr desk. Free Wi-Fi. Doubles €36-40 . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 39.50059 -0.42525 8 Hotel Beleret , Carrer del Campament, 80 ( Benimàmet, near the Les Carolines metro stop ), ☏ +34 963 640 505 , fax : +34 963 640 303 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00-24:00 , check-out: 05:00-12:00 . On the northern outskirts of the city, the hotel has nonsmoking rooms, an onsite restaurant and bar, and free Wi-Fi. Pets permitted on request, free nearby parking. Doubles €44+, breakfast €6 . ( updated Feb 2018 )
• 39.47496 -0.38044 9 [dead link] Pensión El Rincón ( Hostal al Rincon ), Carrer de la Carda, 11 ( Mercat ), ☏ +34 963 916 083 . Check-in: 14:00-22:00 , check-out: 07:00-12:30 . These guys claim to have been around for over 400 years! Free Wi-Fi, safe parking, nonsmoking, pets permitted (no extra charge). €25 (single room w/shared toilet), from €35 (room w/private toilet) . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.47131 -0.37504 10 Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace , Plaça Rodrigo Botet, 5 , ☏ +34 963 981 000 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Has an onsite fitness centre, bar and restaurant. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms, no parking available. €77+, breakfast €12 . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.47605 -0.372515 11 Bed & Breakfast Almirante , Almirante, 3 , ☏ +34 963 916 551 , fax : +34 963 925 501 , [email protected] . Check-in: 13:00 , check-out: 11:00 . In a quiet area of the centre of Valencia, 2 minutes' walk from the cathedral.  
• 39.49161 -0.39827 12 Eurostars Gran Valencia ( formerly Hotel Ibis ), Carrer de la Vall d'Aiora, 3 ( Benicalap, near the Beniferri metro stop ), ☏ +34 963 050 800 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . A modern hotel with gym, fitness centre, and rooftop pool, as well as onsite restaurant and bar. Free Wi-Fi available; private parking €12/day. From €75 including breakfast . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.48001 -0.39118 13 Expo Hotel Valencia , Avda Pío XII, 4 ( Nuevo Centro ), ☏ +34 963 033 600 . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 07:00-12:00 . Has a roof-top swimming pool and onsite bar/restaurant, with free Wi-Fi. Private parking available for €19/day. €52+, breakfast €12 . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.45124 -0.35834 14 Holiday Inn Express Valencia-Ciudad Las Ciencias , Carrer de l'Escritor Rafael Ferreres, 22 ( near the City of Arts and Sciences ), ☏ +34 963 162 530 , [email protected] . Check-in: 16:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Limited service hotel part of the IHG family, with 100 rooms. Has a bar, outdoor pool, and free Wi-Fi. Private parking €14.50/day. From €55 including breakfast . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.47461 -0.37723 15 Hostal Antigua Morellana , Carrer d'En Bou, 2 ( Ciutat Vella, near the Lonja and Mercat Central ), ☏ +34 963 915 773 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00-24:00 , check-out: 12:00 . A family-run operation with 18 rooms. Free Wi-Fi, paid public parking nearby. Doubles €50-85, depending on season . ( updated Apr 2017 )
• 39.47723 -0.372 16 Hotel Ad Hoc Monumental , Carrer de Boix, 4 , ☏ +34 963 919 140 . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . In a tastefully decorated 19th-century mansion in a residential area. Free Wi-Fi, airport shuttle (by reservation), pets accepted; no parking available. €80+, breakfast €13 . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.46832 -0.36495 17 Hotel Dimar , Gran Via del Marqués del Túria, 80 ( Gran Via ), ☏ +34 963 951 030 , fax : +34 963 951 926 , [email protected] . Check-in: 16:00 , check-out: 12:00 . A modern hotel with an onsite bar/restaurant, gym, and free Wi-Fi. Public parking nearby (€14/day). Pets permitted on request. €72+, breakfast €13 . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.46431 -0.32359 18 [dead link] Hotel Miramar , Passeig de Neptú, 32 ( Poblats Maritims ), ☏ +34 963 715 142 , fax : +34 963 559 181 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00-24:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Has non-smoking rooms, an onsite restaurant, pool, and free Wi-Fi. Private parking €20/day. €56+ . ( updated Jan 2017 )
• 39.45566 -0.35741 19 Hotel NH Valencia Las Artes , Avinguda de l'Institut Obrer de Valèncià, 28 ( Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències ), ☏ +34 916 008 146 , fax : +34 963 351 310 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Has non-smoking rooms, and onsite restaurant, fitness centre, and free Wi-Fi. Pets permitted on request; private parking €20/day. €68+, breakfast €19 . ( updated Jan 2017 )
• 39.46656 -0.35528 20 [dead link] Hotel Villacarlos , Avinguda del Port, 60 ( Camins al Grau ), ☏ +34 963 375 025 , fax : +34 963 375 074 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Has non-smoking rooms and free Wi-Fi. Private parking €16/day. €50+ . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.456 -0.34585 21 ILUNION Aqua 4 ( formerly Confortel Aqua 4 ), Carrer de Luis García-Berlanga Martí, 19-21 ( near the City of Arts and Sciences ), ☏ +34 963 187 100 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . Has an onsite restaurant, fitness centre, non-smoking rooms, and free Wi-Fi. Public parking available (€14/day). €74+ . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.49457 -0.40083 22 Meliá Valencia ( formerly Hotel Hilton Valencia ), Avda de Les Corts Valencianes, 52 ( directly across from the Palacio de Congresos in Benicalap ), ☏ +34 963 030 000 , fax : +34 963 030 001 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 07:00-12:00 . In a modern building, facilities include a spa, onsite restaurant, and free Wi-Fi. Private parking available (€17/day). €80+, breakfast included . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.47398 -0.37277 23 [dead link] Orange Habitaciones , Carrer del Trinquet de Cavallers, 3 ( Xerea ), [email protected] . Check-in: 13:00 , check-out: 11:00 . A nice boutique hotel 15 minutes' walk from the centre. Rooms are decorated in orange, which gives you the feeling of Valencia as soon as you check in. €50/single .  
• 39.45823 -0.37009 24 La Novieta Boutique Hotel ( La Novieta ), Carrer de Vicente Lleó, 25 , ☏ +34 962 62 56 78 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 11:00 . A retro-chic, intimate & adults-only boutique hotel. Situated in a modernist house that was built in 1924, the hotel underwent a complete renovation in 2023. It features four en-suite bedrooms, each equipped with free Wi-Fi and super king beds. From €140, breakfast included . ( updated Nov 2023 )

• 39.46085 -0.35273 25 Barceló Valencia , Avda de França, 11 ( Camins al Grau, near the City of Arts and Sciences ), ☏ +34 963 306 344 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00-24:00 , check-out: 05:00-12:00 . Has an outdoor pool, fitness centre, spa, and non-smoking rooms as well as free Wi-Fi. Private parking available (€16/day). From €95 including breakfast . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.46647 -0.32405 26 Hotel Balneario Las Arenas Resort , Carrer d'Eugènia Viñes, 22-24 , ☏ +34 963 120 600 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 12:00 . A five-star hotel facing the sea. Has two onsite restaurants, an outdoor pool, spa, and gym. Offers an airport shuttle (with surcharge), free Wi-Fi, and parking (€19/day). €216+ . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.47085 -0.36662 27 Hotel Hospes Palau de la Mar , Avinguda de Navarro Reverter, 14 ( Eixample ), ☏ +34 963 162 884 , [email protected] . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 12:00 . A restored 19th-century palace with non-smoking rooms, Turkish bath, fitness centre, onsite restaurant, and free Wi-Fi. Pets permitted on request. Private parking €26/day; electric car charger available. €135+, breakfast €24 . ( updated Jan 2017 )
• 39.47342 -0.37763 28 MYR Hotel Plaza Mercado & Spa , Plaça del Mercat, 45 ( Ciutat Vella, near the Lonja and Mercat Central ), ☏ +34 963 153 367 , fax : +34 963 931 824 , [email protected] . Check-in: 16:00-24:00 , check-out: 07:00-12:00 . A small hotel with suites. Has free Wi-Fi, nonsmoking rooms, and onsite restaurant. Private parking €20/day. Doubles €90+ . ( updated Oct 2017 )
• 39.47025 -0.37552 29 One Shot Palacio Reina Victoria 04 , Carrer de les Barques, 4 ( near the Plaça de l'Ajuntament ), ☏ +34 963 513 984 , fax : +34 961 284 782 , [email protected] . Check-in: 14:00 , check-out: 12:00 . In a building from the late 19th century, the hotel has 85 rooms and offers free Wi-Fi and an onsite restaurant. Public parking is available (€24/day). €100, including breakfast . ( updated Sep 2016 )
• 39.47297 -0.36119 30 The Westin Valencia , Carrer d'Amadeu de Savoia, 16 ( Mestalla ), ☏ +34 963 625 900 . Check-in: 15:00 , check-out: 12:00 . This modernist building has been converted into an exclusive luxury hotel, with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and art. Facilities include a spa, indoor pool and Turkish bath, fitness centre, two onsite restaurants, and a bar. Free Wi-Fi available throughout the building; pets permitted. Private parking available (€22/day). €209+ . ( updated Sep 2016 )

Connect [ edit ]

As of June 2022, Valencia has 4G from MasMovil/Yoigo, and 5G from Movistar, Orange and Vodafone. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Stay safe [ edit ]

Valencia is quite possibly among the safest cities in Spain and Europe. As with Madrid and Barcelona, streets are filled with people at all times, even deep into the night. Valencia also has a decent police presence.

The only neighborhoods that may warrant extra precaution are Ciutat Jardí , El Cabanyal, and Aiora, in the east of the city. They are mostly deserted at night, but muggings are not unheard of.

The city's railway stations and certain metro stations might attract beggars and drunkards, but simply saying no will be enough.

The Falles celebrations attract thousands of people every year. Watch out for pickpockets.

Cope [ edit ]

Go next [ edit ], outskirts [ edit ].

• Albufera Natural Park — A fresh water lake which is part of the protected natural space, composed of the lake and surrounding marshy areas, as well as the pinewood and sandy dunes and beaches of El Saler. Rice is cultivated in the surrounding area of the lake. The Albufera also hosts many interesting varieties of migratory birds. The village of El Palmar is also a good place, if not the best, to try some paella or other local dishes.
• Manises – 15 km northwest of Valencia, it is not only the site of Valencia's airport, but is also an important centre for pottery. The city can be easily reached by Valencia's metro lines 3 and 5.
• Paterna – This bedroom community 5 km to the northwest is known for its cave dwellings, Moorish tower, and Moors and Christians Festival.
• El Puig – 15 km north of Valencia, this village is best known for its impressive Gothic monastery, and is easily visited as a half-day trip from the city.
• Torrent – 9 km southwest of Valencia, the second largest city in Valencia province has a couple of interesting sights.

Further afield [ edit ]

• Rent a car and do a day trip to any number of picturesque villages or small cities in the region, including Chulilla , Sot de Chera , Xàtiva , and Sagunto , among others.
• La Tomatina , hosted by nearby Buñol on the last Wednesday of August. A festival that involves thousands of participants throwing ripe tomatoes at each other. Make sure you wear clothes that you can throw out after wards, as it gets very messy.
• Cullera , is the nearest beach resort from the city, apart from the more aimed at locals Pobla de Farnals, and worth a day visit from Valencia if you have time. It is settled down an isolated mountain (with a big white sign saying "Cullera" on it) beside a beautiful bay. It has crowded and quiet beaches. The most quiet ones are along the lighthouse road. There is also a naturist beach right North of Cullera, in Playa del Dossel, with a tricky road to access it. There is a castle on top of the mountain from which to enjoy stunning views.
• Gandia , 65 km south of Valencia and easily accessible by regional train, is the historical capital of the ancient Dukedom of Gandia, origin of the infamous Borgia (Borja) family, whose Ducal Palace is worth the visit, and birthplace of fideuà .
• Montanejos , with its scenic mountains, gorges, and hot springs.

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Valencia   Travel Guide

Courtesy of Sergio Formoso | Getty Images

26 Best Things to Do in Valencia, Spain

Valencia's three beaches feature soft golden sand and spectacular views of the Mediterranean. Visitors who enjoy exploring outdoors can spend their days strolling dozens of gardens, parks and plazas located within the city or hiking the trails of

• All Things To Do

Central Market (Mercado Central) Central Market (Mercado Central) free

This is where local Valencians gather to do their shopping, though you'll find the atmosphere a bit different than your local supermarket. One of the oldest food markets in Europe, Mercado Central (Central Market) is adorned with Valencian-style mosaics and filled with residents purchasing local foods from more than 1,200 trusted vendors selling everything from meat and vegetables to pastries and take-away items. Spanning more than 86,000 square feet, the building occupies land once used as an open-air market in the mid-19th century. Opened in 1928, the visually stunning building sits in the El Mercat neighborhood, opposite two other architecturally significant monuments: La Lonja de la Seda and Los Santos Juanes Church.

Recent visitors were invariably impressed by the expansive range of food and beverages on offer here, with some describing the market as a "foodie paradise." Reviewers recommended stopping by, even if you don't plan on purchasing anything, though they do warn that prices are high because vendors recognize this is such a tourist magnet.

City of Arts and Sciences (Ciutat de les Arts y les Ciencies) City of Arts and Sciences (Ciutat de les Arts y les Ciencies)

The Ciutat de les Arts y las Ciències (also known as the City of Arts and Sciences) is a traveler favorite for its futuristic design. Built on the old riverbed of the Turia River, the museum's contemporary architecture (by Santiago Calatrava) shelters the Museu de les Ciències (a science museum), the Hemisfèric (a planetarium and IMAX theater), the Oceanogràfic – the largest aquarium in Europe – and the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía (a performing arts venue), among other attractions.

Past travelers raved about the complex's myriad offerings, and suggested you wear comfortable shoes; the attraction is so massive (about 452,000 square feet), you'll be doing a lot of walking. Reviewers recommended setting aside an afternoon or even two to three days to see the entire complex. Travelers praise the science museum for its hands-on exhibits and the aquarium for its stunning design.

Turia Gardens (Jardi del Turia) Turia Gardens (Jardi del Turia) free

The Jardí del Túria (or the Garden of the Turia) might seem odd to newcomers, seeing as how it boasts more than a dozen bridges built to span a river that's no longer there. One of the country's largest urban parks, Jardí del Túria was built after a fatal 1957 flood of the Turia River, which was then diverted over the course of the mid- to late 1960s. Today, the gardens shelter orange and palm trees and rose bushes among a wide variety of flora. The park's facilities also include cafes, football (i.e., soccer) fields, children's play areas, rugby pitches, fountains, baseball diamonds, running tracks, skate parks and miniature golf courses. Predictably, the park is especially popular with runners and cyclists. It is also ideal for families with children.

The green space is highly appreciated by recent visitors for the range of activities on offer as well as the peaceful atmosphere.

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Oceanografic Valencia (L'Oceanografic) Oceanografic Valencia (L'Oceanografic)

Though part of the Ciutat de les Arts y les Ciències , Oceanogràfic Valencia stands as one of the top things to do all on its own. It's the largest aquarium in Europe and also boasts the longest underwater tunnel on the continent, which facilitates close-up views of sharks. The aquarium reproduces multiple habitats, including Arctic, Antarctic, temperate and tropical as well as, appropriately enough, Mediterranean. Some visitors may be disappointed to know it also (controversially) hosts the only family of beluga whales in Europe as well as dolphinarium, which features bottlenose dolphins. The grandstand at the dolphinarium seats more than 1,500 people, making it (you guessed it) the largest in Europe. The attraction also shelters a sizable crocodile preserve.

Past visitors marveled at the aquarium's unique architecture as well as the range of sea creatures on view. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the place is especially popular among families with children, though some travelers found the tickets rather expensive.

Bioparc Valencia Bioparc Valencia

The Bioparc Valencia is a 25-acre zoo, located in the northwest area of the city. But this isn't just any kind of zoo – it's an immersion zoo, which means it removes or hides many of the barriers most zoos put in place between different species, including humans. Species that naturally (and safely) reside together in the wild are placed together, while other gentle species, like lemurs for instance, are free to meet humans face to face. Other barricades are simply hidden to give visitors the feeling of being out in the wild, a particular highlight for recent travelers. The park aims to recreate the African continent, with animals like zebras, Nile crocodiles, giraffes and elephants spread across four main habitats.

Past visitors enjoyed the chance to see the animals close up and found the unique layout an interesting departure from the typical zoo. Keep in mind the Bioparc's rules concerning the animals: They shouldn't be touched or fed, nor should they be disrupted by yelling or flash photography. Other than that, use your common sense: No jumping over the fence to meet the tigers.

La Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange) La Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange)

The Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange) was built between 1482 and 1533 and is considered a great example of the late Valencian Gothic-style architecture. Today, it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site, partly because of this style, but also because that style was applied to a secular building rather than a religious one, as was the norm in that time. Pay close attention to the gargoyles that crouch throughout the Silk Exchange: Their expressions range from funny to naughty.

Recent visitors found the architectural details endlessly fascinating. Many reviewers also advised opting for an audio guide, which they say helps explain the building's history and various architectural elements. Plus, recent travelers said there is little information available without the aid of the audio guide. Others suggested enjoying the courtyard, which is filled with orange trees.

Valencia Cathedral Valencia Cathedral

Located in the Plaza de la Reina , the Valencia Cathedral is probably most famous for its claim of owning the Holy Grail. Dating back to 1262, the cathedral was raised on the site of a former mosque and displays a number of architectural styles, including Romanesque, Baroque and Gothic.

Past visitors were impressed with the cathedral's interior, though they bemoaned the entrance fee. Others applauded the audio guide that is included with admission, saying it provided important historical context. Audio guides are available in a variety of languages, including English.

Church of St. Nicolas (Parroquia de San Nicolás de Bari y San Pedro Mártir) Church of St. Nicolas (Parroquia de San Nicolás de Bari y San Pedro Mártir)

With more than 20,000 square feet of elaborate frescos adorning its interiors, the Parroquia de San Nicolás de Bari y San Pedro Mártir has been called the Sistine Chapel of Valencia. Originally constructed in 1242, the church was remodeled and restored several times, perhaps most famously between 1690 and 1693 when the interiors were decorated with fresco paintings of scenes depicting San Nicolás de Bari (Saint Nicholas) and San Pedro Mártir (Saint Peter Martyr).

Recent travelers described the frescoes as "beautiful" and "outstanding." Many strongly recommended renting the audio guide, which reviewers say provides important commentary for understanding all of the beautiful frescoes. However, a few were disappointed with the entrance fee required to view the interiors of the church.

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Plaza de la Virgen Plaza de la Virgen free

Adjacent to the Valencia Cathedral , the marble-floored Plaza de la Virgen is an ideal spot to appreciate some of the city's architecture – and to people-watch. From this viewpoint, you can take in the Gothic Valencia Cathedral (where the chalice from the Last Supper is said to be preserved), as well as the pink walls and blue roof tiles of the Baroque Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados. 

Other points of interest include the beautiful Túria Fountain, which represents the Turia River and features sculptures of eight women pouring water from pitchers as well as a large sculpture of Neptune sitting atop the fountain. The Tribunal de las Aguas meets every Thursday at noon outside the Door of the Apostles – a continuation of a 1,000-year-old tradition. The Water Tribunal is made up of eight farmers dressed in black, who sit in a circle and discuss (in the Valencian language) water access to the orchards. This scene is a curious spectacle through the eyes of tourists.

Palace of the Marques de Dos Aguas (Palacio del Marques de Dos Aguas) Palace of the Marques de Dos Aguas (Palacio del Marques de Dos Aguas)

The Palace of the Marqués de Dos Aguas, or Ceramics Museum, is widely regarded as among the best displays of Baroque architecture in Spain. (It takes its name from a Valencian noble family.) When it was first constructed in the 15th century, it was a Gothic building; it was reworked in the Baroque style in the 18th century, when the ornate entryway was added. Some of the rooms retain the original Gothic look. Since 1949, when the Ministry of Education bought the building, it has housed the González Martí National Museum of Ceramics. The museum boasts the largest collection of ceramics in the country and features pieces from the 18th century to the present, including work by Pablo Picasso.

Recent travelers reported feeling awe-struck by the opulent architecture. Though the building itself may be what impresses people the most, the ceramics museum is also generally deemed well worth a visit.

Plaza del Ayuntamiento Plaza del Ayuntamiento free

This beautiful city square contains the ayuntamiento (town hall). Within the town hall is where you'll find the main tourist office, which offers a variety of tourist information (including ticket sales) in various languages.

Many travelers say the Plaza del Ayuntamiento is a good place to start off any sightseeing, as the square is filled with decadent buildings constructed during Valencia's golden age. In the square's center is a fountain, which is surrounded by fragrant flower stalls. In the winter, an ice rink and carousel adorn the square, and during Fallas festival it becomes the main hub of the celebrations and the grand finale, when the event’s biggest papier-mâché statue is set alight. 

Albufera Natural Park (Parc Natural de l'Albufera) Albufera Natural Park (Parc Natural de l'Albufera) free

To commune with nature – specifically 300 bird species and miles of walking and biking trails – make a visit to the Albufera Natural Park, a large freshwater lagoon. The park is surrounded by the rice fields that helped prompt the invention of paella. Indeed, there are a number of restaurants nearby in the towns of El Palmar (the village where paella was born) and El Saler, and many travelers find the food alone a reason for taking a trip to the area.

Visitors can explore the country’s largest freshwater lake in traditional flat-bottomed wooden boats with the help of local boat operators. During the 40-minute trip, they will explain (in Spanish, Valencian or English) how the lake was formed and was used to develop rice farming, whilst punting passengers past 16-foot-high reeds. Some passengers are lucky enough to spot elusive otters. The boats depart from the main jetty and cost 8 euros (approximately $8.70). 

Plaza de la Reina Plaza de la Reina free

Within walking distance of the Valencia Cathedral , the Plaza de la Reina is a great space to sit and observe activity in the old part of town. While smaller than Plaza de la Virgen , it offers a different perspective of the Valencia Cathedral (from the main entrance), as well as excellent views of the famous Miguelete bell tower. Occasionally, the square is filled with craft market stalls, and the zone between Plaza de la Reina and Plaza de la Virgen is lined with artists demonstrating their skills and selling paintings.

Past travelers found the area lively at all times of the day and said they visited on several different occasions during their trip. Multiple options for food and beverages flank the square, including ice cream shops and tapas bars. The streets surrounding it offer a cornucopia of shopping options, from independent fashion retailers to artisanal products. 

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Gulliver Park (Parque Gulliver) Gulliver Park (Parque Gulliver) free

If a park designed with the giant from Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" in mind sounds fanciful, that's because it is. Yet Gulliver Park is not merely a literary tribute; rather, it's a playground consisting of numerous slides and staircases arranged in the shape of its prone namesake. The figure's hat contains a smaller version of Gulliver, providing a sense of what the massive character looks like when glimpsed from above. To give a sense of the size of the "giant," the strands of Gulliver's hair are huge slides. According to past visitors, the park is best suited to adventurous kids 10 and older.

While some adults appreciated the bibliophilic reference, the park is a hit with children. However, adults will be grateful for its recent refurbishment in November 2022, which includes safety ropes at the edge of the steepest drops and soft floor surfaces. Recent visitors warn the slides can get hot in the Valencian sun, and to be prepared for your kids to go home dusty, but happy.

Old Town Old Town free

U.S. News Insider Tip: Look behind the cathedral to find the glass-bottomed artificial pond where you can see part of the Roman city walls below. Then, head inside to La Almoina Archaeological Museum to see the remains of Roman and Moorish streets. – Sarah Harvey

The Ciutat Vella, or Old Town, is a buzzing combination of historical sights, bars and restaurants, set within the former boundary of the ancient city walls. This UNESCO-listed district encompasses some 2,000 years of history, and conveniently, you’ll find many of the top attractions in close proximity. They include Valencia Cathedral , the city hall, the Central Market and the Silk Exchange , as well as numerous displays of vibrant street art. While the ancient walls have been lost to time and urban development, the Serranos Towers and Torres de Quart (fortified city gates) still mark the boundaries.  

Miguelete Miguelete

Adjacent to the Valencia Cathedral is the imposing Miguelete bell tower. This 166-foot-high tower was built in the Gothic style between 1381 and 1424. An 18th-century steeple was later added. At the top, incredible views of the city (and even the fields beyond) await. However, there is no elevator, so visitors must be prepared to climb the more than 200 steps of the spiral staircase to the top. Inside is the largest collection of Gothic bells in Spain. Some of them are still rung by bellringers while others have been automated, but you can hear the peals throughout the day.

Travelers commented on the tough, 10- to 20-minute climb to the top, but said the views were worth the effort. Some mentioned how the “traffic signal” system helped make the ascent easier, as you don’t have to squeeze past anyone heading in the opposite direction.

Malvarrosa Beach Malvarrosa Beach free

The golden sand and shallow blue waters of Malvarrosa Beach have been inspiring artists and travelers for generations. At an average of 440 feet wide, the beach is ideal for sports, as well as relaxation. As with Playa de las Arenas, its vibe is similar to that of southern California beaches. What’s more, it offers almost everything beachgoers could wish for, from juice bars and cafes to free gym equipment, as well as chairs and parasols for rent. There’s an area set aside for water sports, including paddleboarding and windsurfing, and even dive centers offering access to the nearby reef. 

Visitors appreciate how easy Malvarrosa is to get to by tram, as well as the cleanliness of the water (it earned a Blue Flag, a European award granted to beaches that are recognized for their clean sand and water). Despite the promenade being lined with homes rather than cafes (unlike at Playa de las Arenas), travelers were impressed with the range of cuisine available in close proximity. However, some were disappointed with the lack of public restrooms and changing rooms.

Serranos Towers Serranos Towers

The Serranos Towers are a surviving feature of Valencia’s long-gone city walls. They were built in 1392 as a defensive structure surrounding the city gates, and used as a prison for aristocrats between 1586 and 1887. Today, they are an iconic Valencian landmark, and only one of two remaining towers of its kind in the city. Visitors can climb the ancient steps to take in views of the city and the Turia River. During Fallas festival, crowds gather at the foot of the towers to watch a fireworks display.

Travelers praised the Valencian Gothic architecture, as well as the convenient location (just a stone's throw from the Valencia Cathedral ). Some visitors cautioned that climbing the towers isn’t suitable for small children because there are no handrails, but most agreed the views were worth it. 

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The Fallas Museum (Museo Fallero de València) The Fallas Museum (Museo Fallero de València)

If you're not in Valencia in time for Las Fallas – a raucous annual celebration of spring and Saint Joseph's Day – then be sure to check out the Museu Faller. The distinctly Valencian museum displays ninots , individual figures made of papier-mâché that are part of a bigger falla composition. These usually satirical effigies are paraded through the city and then burned in bonfires during their yearly namesake festival. Only the ninots deemed to be the best are spared and then preserved here. The museum also contains a variety of other historic items from past festivals, including posters and images of the large Falleras Mayores .

Museumgoers invariably found the Museu Faller fascinating, and exhibits are believed to offer insights into the city's culture and folklore.

Barrio del Carmen Barrio del Carmen free

U.S. News Insider Tip: While you’re soaking up the sights of El Carmen, don’t forget to look up! You’ll notice that the underside of many of the balconies are adorned with beautifully patterned tiles. – Sarah Harvey

El Carmen is the most famous of all six neighborhoods in the Old Town (El Carmen, La Seu, La Xerea, El Pilar, El Mercat and Sant Francesc). This hip, gentrified, yet still slightly rough-around-the-edges area is an exciting blend of some of the most attractive historical landmarks with some of the city’s best street art, restaurants and bars. Quirky and fascinating museums and landmarks pepper the area, from the 2-foot-tall House of Cats to the Portal de Valldigna – an ancient entrance to the Moorish quarter, where the Muslims lived after Spain’s King James reclaimed Valencia from the Moors. 

El Cabanyal El Cabanyal free

U.S. News Insider Tip: Rent a paddleboard from the nearby marina and use it to cruise around. It’s a great way to admire local landmarks from a new angle like the ultramodern Veles e Vents America’s Cup building, and the ornately-decorated tinglados warehouses dating back to 1910. – Sarah Harvey

El Cabanyal is the neighborhood visitors head to when they want to catch some rays on the broad, golden sands of Playa de las Arenas. Playa de las Arenas is the most southerly of Valencia city’s three beaches, which all run into one another, creating a 3.7-mile-long span of sand. From here, the sand runs north all the way to Port Saplaya. 

Mercado Colón Mercado Colón free

U.S. News Insider Tip: The tiger nut drink known as horchata is a must-try at Colón Market, accompanied by fartons (fluffy pastries topped with light frosting or filled with cream). Horchata was brought to Valencia by the Moors and quickly spread across Spain, and beyond. – Sarah Harvey

This popular market is a haven for epicureans. Housed within a Modernist structure dating from 1916, it’s not only a destination for shopping, but also for leisure. That’s because the stalls, shops and a range of temporary exhibitions are surrounded by cafes. The latter was added as part of the 2003 refurbishment, in the form of large glass cubes scattered around the circumference. Tourists rub shoulders with locals at this buzzing spot, including well-heeled staff from offices in the surrounding area, who hit the market’s cafes for after-work drinks. The basement level offers gourmet stores and restaurants. 

Mestalla Stadium (Estadio de Mestalla) Mestalla Stadium (Estadio de Mestalla)

Mestalla Stadium can seat approximately 50,000 football (i.e., soccer) fans, and those in Valencia are among the sport's most ardent. The home of the Valencia Club de Fútbol (VCF) since 1923, the stadium is known for its unusually steep grandstands and is regarded as an especially exciting place to catch a match – and absorb a notable side of the local culture.

Stadium-goers generally enjoyed the upbeat atmosphere and noted that the venue is quite family-friendly.

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City of Arts & Sciences Tour with Rooftop Tapas & Wine

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Fine Art Museum of Valencia (Museu de Belles Arts de Valencia) Fine Art Museum of Valencia (Museu de Belles Arts de Valencia) free

If you're a fan of Spanish artists, such as Velázquez, Goya and El Greco, you won't want to miss the free Museu de Belles Arts, which also houses a sizable collection of medieval paintings, with a heavy emphasis on religious art and relics. Among its holdings are approximately 2,000 paintings and statues, some dating back to the 14th century. The building itself is also quite interesting. It was once the home of the Seminary College of Saint Pius V, which dates back to the 17th century.

Recent visitors appreciated the wide array of artistic styles on display. However, a few said this is not a must-see unless you're interested in Spanish artists, with a strong slant on religious art.

Institut Valencia d'Art Modern (IVAM) Institut Valencia d'Art Modern (IVAM)

The Institut Valencià d'Art Modern (IVAM), or the Valencian Institute of Modern Art, is filled with modern and contemporary works. Its permanent collection, which boasts more than 10,000 pieces, centers on the 20th century and features important works by Julio González and Ignacio Pinazo, among others.

Recent travelers said the museum is worth a visit if you're a fan of modern art. Those who enjoyed it said it offered a wide breadth of exhibits and noted that it would be difficult for an art lover to find fault with its offerings.

Ruzafa Ruzafa free

Ruzafa is a neighborhood just outside the city center that’s better known as a local hangout than as a tourist spot. However, there is plenty to appeal to visitors, particularly those wanting to see another side of Valencia. It’s a gentrified area, popular amongst young expats and local hipsters and artists (think: street art, cupcake bakeries, art galleries and vintage clothing shops). There is also an eye-catching market building, which was built in 1962 in the Brutalist architectural style, then painted in bold graded colors in 2010. Despite the numerous recent changes, Ruzafa still retains a lot of its original character, including cheap and authentic tapas joints and quirky bars. 

Many recent visitors commented on the neighborhood’s cool, bohemian vibe. 

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17 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Valencia

Written by Lisa Alexander Updated Dec 22, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

In a dreamy seaside setting, this balmy Mediterranean port town lives up to the local saying "a piece of heaven fallen to earth." Under the warm rays of the southern sun, Valencia's palm-fringed plazas are full of life, and its churches sparkle with brightly colored azulejo domes.

As the old capital of the kingdom of Valencia, the city is rich in cultural attractions. Magnificent historic monuments, such as the 15th-century Silk Exchange, the 18th-century Marquise Palace, and the Museum of Fine Arts, tell the story of a wealthy merchant and aristocratic past.

Valencia has a charming historic center, the Ciutat Vella (Old Town), but the city has entered the 21st century with gusto. The sleek Modern Art Institute, along with the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences immerse visitors into a brave new world of artistic and scientific discovery.

Learn about the best places to visit with our guide to the top attractions and things to see and do in Valencia, Spain.

1. La Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències

2. las fallas festival, 3. oceanogràfic de valència, 4. la lonja de la seda, 5. go shopping at mercado central, 6. iglesia de san nicolás de bari y san pedro mártir de valència, 7. admire the catedral de valència, 8. plaza de la virgen, 9. iglesia de santo tomás y san felipe neri, 10. meet the animals at bioparc valència, 11. museo arqueológico de la almoina, 12. palacio del marqués de dos aguas (ceramics museum), 13. museo nacional de bellas artes de valència, 14. institut valència d'art moderne, 15. torres de serranos (ancient town gate), 16. spend a day at playa del saler, 17. day trip to the medieval town of requena, where to stay in valencia for sightseeing, map of tourist attractions in valencia, valencia, spain - climate chart.

You can discover the fascinating world of arts and sciences at this futuristic complex on the outskirts of Valencia. La Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (The City of Arts and Sciences) is one of Europe's most impressive centers dedicated to cultural and scientific exhibitions.

In a two-kilometer space along the Turia River, the complex includes several stunning examples of avant-garde architecture designed by architects Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela.

The Ciudad complex has six main areas: the Hemisfèric IMAX Cinema , which screens 3-D digital films and serves as a planetarium; the Umbracle landscaped area that features shaded walkways; the Museu de les Ciències , an interactive museum with exhibits about science, the environment, and technology; the Oceanogràfic , Europe's largest aquarium; the Palau de les Arts opera house; and the Ágora concert space.

The City of Arts and Sciences also hosts conferences, exhibitions, and workshops related to science and art topics.

Address: 7 Avenida del Professor López Piñero, València

Official site: http://www.cac.es/en/home.html

Valencia is one of the best places to visit in March . For over two weeks during the month of March, the city becomes a scene of joyous celebration during the Fiesta de San José (Feast Day of Saint Joseph), a lively religious festival that brims with creative spirit and interesting things to do. The festival includes traditional music and food (paella), a parade, fireworks, and unique art exhibits.

This festival is known for its creative installations called fallas , large floats featuring figures made of papier-mâché. These creations are set up in the streets and then burned at midnight on the last day of the fiesta. The custom originated in the Middle Ages, when carpenters and other craftsmen would burn leftover scraps of wood and other materials on the feast of Saint Joseph.

The Museo Fallero (Fallas Museum) on Plaza Monteolivete offers a chance to see the ninots (figures) that have been created over the years. It is interesting to see how the ninots have evolved with technology, from early wax figures dressed in real clothes to cartoon-like modern figures made of papier-mâché and most recently of polystyrene.

Address: Plaza Monteolivete 4, València

This striking building designed by architect Félix Candela as part of The City of Arts and Sciences houses the largest aquarium in Europe .

It is actually a complex of several buildings, each dedicated to one of the earth's most important marine ecosystems and environments: Wetlands, Temperate and Tropical, Oceans, Mediterranean, Antarctic, Arctic and Islands, and the Red Sea.

More than 500 different marine species are represented by 45,000 sea creatures, visible in nine towers that allow viewing as though you are underwater. The most dramatic of these is the tunnel, where you walk surrounded on both sides and overhead by swimming sharks.

Some of the most popular things to see are the beluga whales, sea lions, walruses, penguins, seals, sea turtles, and dolphins. Along with watching the sea life, you can experience mangrove swamps, marshlands, kelp forests, and other wetland environments with their native plant species.

If you're looking for something special to do, enjoy a meal at the Submarine Restaurant within the Oceanogràfic de Valencia building. The dining room is surrounded by a circular aquarium and features a chandelier that looks like a swarm of jellyfish. The menu focuses on modern-fusion cuisine with a Mediterranean influence. The restaurant serves lunch every day and dinner Monday through Saturday.

The Oceanogràfic de Valencia is open every day year-round. You can purchase combined tickets for admission to the Oceanogràfic aquarium and the Museu de les Ciències or the Hemisfèric.

Address: 1 Carrer d'Eduardo Primo Yúfera, València

Official site: https://www.oceanografic.org/en/

This magnificent Gothic structure was built in the 15th century to house the city's Silk Exchange , the marketplace where the famous Valencian silk was traded with merchants (to be sold all over Europe). The monument is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

One of the finest examples of Gothic civil architecture in Europe, La Lonja de la Seda resembles a medieval castle with its crenellated exterior and formidable tower. The façade features richly decorated doorways, decorative windows, and gargoyles (the grotesque carved creatures that function as water spouts). The main hall has rich stellar vaulting borne on twisted columns.

You can climb the 144 stone steps of the tower's helical staircase. From the top of the tower, the views of the town are stunning. This attraction is open to the public daily (except Mondays).

Address: Plaza del Mercado, València

Just steps away from La Lonja de la Seda, the Mercado Central ( Central Market ) is a spacious marketplace built in 1928.

The Art Nouveau building is lavishly adorned with azulejos, decorative ceramics typical of the region. The hall contains hundreds of market stalls where vendors sell fresh fruits, vegetables, and food products from the Valencia region, as well as other areas of Spain.

The Iglesia de los Santos Juanes , a lovely historic church, is found on the Plaza del Mercado immediately next to the Mercado Central. This National Historic and Artistic Monument was built between the 14th and 16th centuries on the site of a hermitage church that replaced an old mosque.

While the interior is Gothic in style, the exquisite Baroque façade was designed by Vicente García in the 17th and early 18th centuries. Gorgeous frescos grace the interior's vaulted ceiling; the fresco paintings were created by Antonio Palomino in 1700.

Address: Plaza de la Ciutat de Bruges, València

Official site: https://www.mercadocentralvalencia.es/

This church dedicated to St. Nicholas of Bari and St. Peter the Martyr was founded in the 13th century on the site of a Roman sanctuary. The Romanesque church was renovated in the Gothic style in the 15th century, and its interior was finished in the 1690s in the Baroque style.

Although the exterior is quite simple and somber, the church has a sumptuous interior that is one of the most ornate of all Valencia's churches. The sanctuary features breathtaking wall and ceiling frescoes designed by Antonio Palomino, while the actual painting was completed by Dionis Vidal. The frescoes represent scenes from the lives of Saint Nicholas and Saint Peter Martyr.

With its lavish frescoes and sculptural embellishments, this church is a gem of Baroque art and is sometimes compared to the Sistine Chapel in Rome . The impressive scale of the ceiling frescoes is unique in the world.

Address: 35 Calle de los Caballeros, València

The Catedral de València (Catedral del Santo Cáliz) stands out as one of the most unusual cathedrals in Spain owing to its mishmash of architectural styles. Originally this location was the site of an ancient Roman temple and then a Moorish mosque.

At this spot that is steeped in history, the cathedral was constructed beginning in the 13th century. Renovations were made in the 15th century and 17th century.

The exterior combines original Romanesque architectural elements with sculptural details added later in the Middle Ages. Spend some time admiring the façade before entering the cathedral. The splendid Puerta del Palau doorway dates to the Romanesque era, while the Puerta de los Apóstoles (Apostles' Doorway) dates from the 15th century.

The interior has an inspiring ambience with its majestic domed ceiling and a rose window illuminating the space. Dazzling in its Gothic splendor, the somber high-vaulted nave is embellished with Renaissance paintings and elegant Baroque art. The various chapels are adorned with masterpieces of art, including paintings by Goya and a crucifix by Alonso Cano.

A highlight of the sanctuary is the Chapel of the Holy Grail (Capilla del Santo Cáliz), with delicate vaulting and star motifs. This chapel illustrates a scene of the 12 apostles in Heaven and the coronation of the Virgin Mary. The most sacred object is a reliquary containing the Holy Chalice, an artifact from the first century CE said to be the goblet that Jesus used to perform the Holy Eucharist.

The Cathedral of Valencia also has a museum, the Museo Catedral de València , which displays a prestigious collection of religious art. A variety of styles from different time periods (Gothic, Renaissance, etc.) are on display. The museum boasts many exceptional artworks including paintings by Mariano Salvador Maella and Francisco de Goya.

In addition to visiting the interior of the cathedral and the cathedral museum, you may ascend El Miguelete (the Miguelete Tower) to admire superb views. The 207-step climb to the top of the tower rewards with panoramic vistas of Valencia's cityscape.

The Cathedral of Valencia and the Cathedral Museum can be visit with an admission fee, which includes an audio-guide with various language options. Both the cathedral and its museum are open to the public year-round every day (except for Sundays during wintertime). The Miguelete Tower is open daily year-round; admission requires a small entrance fee.

Address: Plaza de l'Almoina, València

Official site: http://www.catedraldevalencia.es/en/

Overlooking the cathedral, the Plaza de la Virgen is among the oldest (it dates to Roman times) and loveliest of Valencia's many plazas.

The graceful Neptune fountain at the center of the Plaza de la Virgen is the work of Valencia sculptor Silvestre Edeta. Lighted at night, it's a favorite meeting place among locals.

The square is bordered by several landmark buildings. Across the square is the Palace of the Generalitat and next to the Catedral de València is the Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados , the most important (and also the first) Baroque church in Valencia. This church is renowned for its magnificent fresco on the dome ceiling that was painted by Antonio Palomino in 1701 and is considered a masterpiece of Spanish Baroque art.

With its dazzling blue-tiled dome, this beautiful church exemplifies the characteristic Mediterranean style of Valencia. Built in 1725, the Church of Saint Thomas and Saint Philip was listed as a National Historic Monument in 1982.

The church has a fancifully decorated Baroque façade, and the architectural layout was modeled after the much-imitated Il Gesú church in Rome . The breathtaking interior has a spacious central nave lined with numerous side chapels.

Catholic mass is held at the church daily. The monument is not open to the public for visit, but tourists may attend a mass to see the lovely sanctuary.

Address: Plaza de San Vicente Ferrer, València

Valencia's zoo covers 25 acres north of the park created by the diversion of the River Turia's course. The landscape was created to house animals in as close to their native habitats as possible, and the zoo is especially known for its large collection of African animals.

The environment is designed so that you immediately feel as though you have been transported to Africa as they view animals almost barrier-free in landscapes typical to the savannah, Madagascar, and equatorial Africa.

Instead of separating different species, they coexist as they would in their native environments. On the savannah, for example, lions, giraffes, antelopes, and rhinoceros all live together as they do in the wild. Gorillas inhabit a dense equatorial forest, while hippopotami and crocodiles cool in the water.

Bioparc is actively committed to sustainability of resources and to wildlife conservation, using solar panels to heat water, and recycling more than 95 percent of it.

Address: 3 Avenida Pío Baroja, València

Beneath a sleek modern building across from the cathedral, La Almoina Archaeological Museum offers a glimpse of the civilizations that have contributed to Valencia's heritage. Discovered during excavations between 1985 and 2005 are well-preserved remains of the first settlement here by the Romans, more than 2,000 years ago.

There are remnants (dating to the 2nd century CE) of the Roman baths and streets, including a sanctuary, part of the forum portico. A baptistery and the apse of a church are from early Christian times. The era of Moorish rule is revealed in vestiges of a courtyard, pool, and fortifications from the Alcázar of the old Muslim city.

Together with historic pottery and other artifacts found underneath modern Valencia, the excavated area is considered one of Europe's best archaeological sites . The ancient ruins are covered with plexiglass to allow for easy viewing, and walking paths are lined with railings for a pleasant experience.

Address: Plaza Décimo Junio Bruto, València

Near the Església de Sant Martí (Church of San Martín) is the Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas, an 18th-century aristocratic palace that belonged to a prominent noble family. The palace is renowned for its opulently decorated façade and refined, ornately decorated interior.

The palace now houses the González Martí National Museum of Ceramics , which opened in 1947. The museum presents more than 5,000 examples of traditional pottery from Valencia and the surrounding area, azulejos (blue glazed ceramic) from Teruel, and faience (glazed earthenware) from Toledo and Seville.

Other interesting items on display include ancient Greek, Roman, and Arab pottery; and fine porcelain from the Silk Route (China) and Japan. The collection also contains modern pieces, including works by Picasso, and contemporary items.

A highlight of the collection is the fully-equipped 19th-century Valencian kitchen featuring traditional tiles.

The González Martí National Museum of Ceramics is open Tuesday through Sunday.

Address: 2 Calle Poeta Querol, València

The National Museum of Fine Arts is a wonderful place to discover the artistic heritage of the Valencia region.

The museum displays archeological findings, paintings, and sculptures, from the medieval period to the 20th century. Much of the art collection represents medieval religious paintings created by Valencian artists or works created for Valencia churches.

Among the museum's most precious works are the 14th-century altarpiece of Fray Bonifacio Ferrer (a Valencian friar) and a triptych of the Passion by Hieronymus Bosch. The assortment of 16th- to 19th-century Spanish paintings is also interesting.

Highlights of the Valencian painting collection are the Last Supper and Saint Bruno by Francisco Ribalta and Saint Jerome by Jusepe de Ribera. Other Spanish masters represented include Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, El Greco, Francisco de Goya and Luis de Morales.

Adjoining the Museum of Art is the Jardines del Real , a peaceful green space filled with statues, fountains, and walking paths.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free of charge.

Address: 9 Calle San Pío V, València

Housed in a surprising space-age building, the Valencia Institute of Modern Art is dedicated to the avant-garde art of the 20th century. The permanent collection covers all movements of modern and avant-garde art, including Analytical Abstraction, Pop Art, and New Figurative.

The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, lectures, and workshops. In striking contrast to the modern building, an underground room of the museum reveals ruins of Valencia's medieval city wall. The archeological remains were uncovered during construction of the museum.

Well-designed for visitors, the museum has a trendy casual restaurant, Mascaraque , which serves contemporary-style Mediterranean cuisine and has a pleasant outdoor terrace.

There is also a library with a bookshop and Reading Room; the library contains over 40,000 books and documents on topics of modern art.

The Valencia Institute of Modern Art is open Tuesday through Sunday and is open late on Fridays. Admission is free of charge.

Address: 118 Calle Guillem de Castro, València

Official site: http://www.ivam.es/en/

This impressive landmark is a symbol of Valencia . The Torres de Serranos represents an ancient gate of the Old Town and recalls an era when the town was surrounded by defense walls. The town ramparts were built in the 14th century on top of Roman foundations.

In 1930, the Serranos Towers were restored to their former glory. From these massive towers, take in sweeping views of the cityscape. The archway of the entrance gate features decorative Gothic details and two shields of the city.

Address: Plaza dels Furs, València

One of the most popular beaches in the Valencia region, this pristine stretch of sand is just 16 kilometers from Valencia in the La Albufera Natural Park . Two other beautiful beaches border El Saler Beach: Playa L'Arbre del Gos; and to the south, La Garrofera beach. This idyllic stretch of fine sandy shoreline extends for 2.6 kilometers and is protected from the wind by dunes and pine trees.

Located 68 kilometers from Valencia, the charming medieval town of Requena reveals a typical Hispanic-Arabic ambience with its old Moorish castle , many narrow pedestrian streets, peaceful squares, and houses adorned with decorative tiles and wrought-iron balconies.

The town has two important 14th-century churches, the Iglesia de Santa María and the Iglesia del Salvador ; both feature ornate Isabelline Gothic facades. Other noteworthy medieval monuments include the El Cid Palace and the Iglesia de San Nicolás .

For those seeking relaxation, the Fuente Podrida spa resort is a worthwhile 30 kilometers from Requena in a pristine natural environment.

The top tourist attractions in Valencia are mostly in the Ciutat Vella (Old Town), the historic city center around the cathedral and Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Fortunately for tourists, other attractions (such as the beach) are accessible by an excellent transit system. These highly rated hotels in Valencia are convenient for sightseeing:

Luxury Hotels :

• On a quiet street near the cathedral, the five-star Caro Hotel occupies the Palacio Marqués de Caro, a historic monument that has been beautifully restored. The recently updated interior décor is sleek and minimalistic. Amenities include a concierge, small swimming pool, and a Michelin-starred gastronomic restaurant.
• Styled with Art Deco interiors, the five-star The Westin Valencia is in a quiet neighborhood near The City of Arts and Sciences. Lush Mediterranean landscaping, a fitness center, spa, indoor swimming pool, and three restaurants make for a resort-like atmosphere.
• The five-star Hotel Las Arenas Balneario Resort is a beachfront property with a large outdoor swimming pool. Many guest rooms feature private balconies with sea views. The hotel is on a metro line to the center, a good compromise between the beach and sightseeing.

Mid-Range Hotels:

• Ideally located in the center of Valencia on the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the four-star Meliá Plaza is within walking distance of many historic attractions, as well as shops and restaurants. Some rooms have balconies with views onto the Plaza de Ayuntamiento. The hotel's restaurant specializes in Mediterranean cuisine.
• The three-star Petit Palace Plaza de la Reina is located in the historic center of Valencia near the cathedral and the Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas. The contemporary-style guest rooms feature modern amenities such as flat-screen televisions and iPads. Some rooms feature balconies with city views.
• The SH Ingles occupies a beautifully restored 18th-century palace in the historic La Xerea neighborhood near Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas. This four-star boutique hotel has a concierge, 24-hour front reception desk, and a gourmet restaurant known for its authentic paella. The guest rooms are spacious, bright, and minimalistic in style.
• Within easy walking distance of The City of Arts and Sciences, the four-star AC Hotel by Marriott Colón Valencia offers sleek contemporary-style guest rooms, a fitness center, and room service.

Budget Hotels:

• Just off Plaza del Ayuntamiento, near restaurants and historic attractions, the three-star Catalonia Excelsior offers well-situated accommodations at affordable rates. The hotel provides a 24-hour front reception desk, concierge services, and a buffet breakfast.
• The four-star Barceló Valencia is just opposite The City of Arts and Sciences, with great views of the iconic buildings. The hotel offers many luxuries for the price, including a rooftop terrace with a swimming pool and sundeck.
• Another hotel overlooking The City of Arts and Sciences, the three-star NH Valencia Las Ciencias is a 15-minute drive to the beach and a 10-minute bus ride to the historic center (Ciutat Vella) of Valencia. Amenities include concierge service and a 24-hour front reception desk.

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Exploring the Mediterranean Coast : The beaches of Mediterranean Spain are some of the loveliest in the world, one of the most famous being El Milagro in the UNESCO-listed Tarragona , which sits north of Valencia. Iconic Barcelona is just beyond, famous for its medieval Barri Gòtic, Modernist architecture, and sandy beaches.

Historic Towns near Valencia: South of Valencia, the Castillo de Santa Bárbara looks down over the extensive beaches and historic town of Alicante . For those who want to venture inland, the art museums of Madrid and cultural diversity of the medieval walled city of Toledo are top picks for sightseeing.

Other Must-See Cities in Spain : A treasure-trove of cultural attractions, Zaragoza boasts ancient Roman ruins, as well as Moorish and Baroque landmarks. West of Alicante, Córdoba is best known for its UNESCO-listed mosque, La Mezquita. To the south, Andalusia 's pride, Granada is a top tourist destination thanks to its vibrant cultural life full of flamenco dancing and cuisine influenced by neighboring Arabian countries. From here, the seaside old-world paradise of Málaga is just a short jaunt to the southern shores.

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Home » Travel Guides » Spain » 15 Best Things to Do in Valencia (Spain)

15 Best Things to Do in Valencia (Spain)

Valencia has many of the things that attracts tourists to Spain , all in one place: The city has a vibrant old centre, with a knot of little streets and splendid medieval buildings like the UNESCO-listed Lonja de la Seda.

Valencia is also right on the Mediterranean, so you can laze on broad sandy beaches and tuck into delectable cuisine that draws on the sea. This is the home of paella, surely the most famous Spanish dish of all. There are also ultra-modern visitor attractions at the City of the Arts and Sciences, and it all goes to make Valencia one of Spain’s most complete destinations.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Valencia :

1. City of the Arts and Sciences

It can be difficult to wrap your head around the City of the Arts and Sciences. The attraction is a staggering ensemble of ultra-modern structures that are given an ethereal quality by the reflecting pools that surround them.

The whole thing was started in the mid-90s and the finishing touches were made in 2005. Within these gargantuan buildings are cultural venues and first-class family attractions like L’Hemisfèric, a planetarium and IMAX Cinema, or the breathtaking L’Umbracle, a botanical collection of plant species native to Valencia. Book ahead to avoid queues.

Top rated tour :  City of Arts & Sciences Tour with Rooftop Wine & Tapas

2. Oceanogràfic

The star of the City of the Arts and Sciences is this cutting-edge oceanarium that opened in 2003. With 45,000 individual animals from 500 different species, you won’t find another attraction on this scale in Europe.

The aquarium is organised by ten zones, each synthesising a distinct environment, and using real seawater pumped from Valencia’s waterfront. So at the Arctic tank you’ll get to see beluga whales swimming in a spacious and thoughtfully designed tank.

Elsewhere you can spot sand tiger sharks, penguins, walruses, dolphins and sea lions. It all adds up to a day out adults and little guys won’t soon forget.

Tickets are available online: Oceanogràfic Entrance Ticket

3. La Lonja de la Seda

This majestic late-15th-century building is a UNESCO site and held as the masterpiece of Valencian Gothic architecture. La Lonja de la Seda is the finest a monument to Valencia’s golden age, when the city was one of Europe’s main centres for trade and culture.

The name means “Silk Exchange”, where traders from far flung pats of the Mediterranean would meet and make deals. Inside you can marvel at the dainty twisting columns of the main hall (sala de contratación) and look up at the incredible detail of the vaulted ceilings. Its tough-looking crenellated outline sits right in front of the city’s central market.

Related tour:  City Highlights Tour in Jeep with Snacks & Drinks

4. Valencia Cathedral

The city’s solemn Gothic cathedral dates to the 13th and 14th centuries, with renaissance, baroque and neoclassical modifications made over the next few hundred years.  Go inside to see 15th-century renaissance paintings by artists such as the Valencian, Jacomart as well as several from Rome commissioned by Pope Alexander VI.

But the most fascinating part, and perhaps controversial, is the Chapel of the Holy Chalice. At the altar is one of a few chalices claimed to have been used by Jesus to institute the Holy Eucharist at the last supper. This agate vessel has been dated by archaeologists to between the 4th century BC and 1st century AD, but no scientific analysis as yet been made.

Included in : Medieval Valencia 1-Hour Segway Tour

5. El Miguelete

The cathedral’s octagonal bell-tower graces many postcards sent home from the city. It’s a Valencian gothic construction begun in 1381 and completed just under 50 years later. Originally it stood completely alone from the cathedral, but extensions in the late-1400s brought the two structures together.

If you’re feeling spritely, it’s possible to climb the 207 steps up a slightly precarious stairway to the top for great vistas 50 metres above the city. The big sight at the top is Miguel, the famous bell cast in 1432 and weighing over ten tons.

6. Casco Histórico

Like most historic centres in Spanish cities the heart of Valencia is made for wandering. All of the must-see sights in this part of the city are just couple of minutes away from each other.

Between each landmark is a maze of little streets with cafes, restaurants and local amenities or artisan shops.

To beat the heat in summer stop off at a square like Plaza de la Virgen for a cool glass of horchata, a drink made with ground almonds, tigernuts and a variety of grains and flavoured with cinnamon and vanilla.

On the southern side of the old-town seek out the Neo-Mudéjar Plaza de Toros (bullring) and the spectacular ticket hall of the Estació del Nord.

Recommended tour : Essentials and World Heritages Sites Walking Tour

7. Barrio del Carmen

The northeast side of the old-town is the youngest and most bohemian part of the city. El Carmen took shape in medieval times, situated outside of the 11th-century Moorish walls but within the Christian ones that went up in the 14th-century.

What’s great about this place is the way the palaces next to these cool, shaded alleys have been converted into hip boutiques, bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Calle de Caballeros, which begins at Plaza de la Virgen, is where many nights out in Valencia will end up.

You can also see fragments of Valencia’s late-medieval defences, at Torres de Quart and Torres de Serranos.

8. Jardín del Turia

This astounding park brings you fresh air and relaxation right in the middle of the city. It came about in the 20th century after the River Turia burst its banks in 1957 causing great damage to the city.

The river was diverted and in the 80s its riverbed in the city was turned into nine kilometres of verdant green space. A total of 18 bridges still cross the riverbed, the oldest dating back to the middle ages, and are now just another part of the unusual scenery in the park.

Several landscape architects were drafted in to build these gardens, creating a scene of pine forest, orange groves, palms and paths that lead past sports facilities, play areas and fountains.

9. Central Market

Opposite the Silk Exchange is another prized landmark, the cavernous and palatial Central Market building. Even if you’re just sightseeing here you’ll love the building’s art nouveau metal and glass design.

Despite dating to the early-20th century it blends perfectly with the historic architecture in this part of the old city. And if you do feel like doing some shopping at the market you’ll be in foodie heaven. There are 400 small traders at the market, with 959 selling farm and sea-fresh produce at the best prices in the city.

If there’s a Spanish delicacy you love, like chorizo, jamón ibérico or manchego cheese, this will be your El Dorado.

10. Malvarrosa Beach

Within minutes of the old-town you could be sunning yourself on a Mediterranean beach. Malvarrosa is a wide strip of golden sand that stretches for a kilometre along the city’s seafront.

The beach has been awarded the Blue Flag for all the amenities it provides, from lifeguard towers , a medical station, drinking fountains and showers, to its easily-navigable ramps and footpaths.

The great news is that won’t have to trudge far for a cold drink or bite to eat as there are permanent restaurants right on the promenade next to the beach.

11. El Saler Beach

Malvarrosa is a fine urban beach, but it might be that you want a more natural setting for you day next to the Mediterranean. In which case El Saler is the way to go: the beach starts some way south of Valencia’s port, which you’ll be able to see in the distance.

At 2.6 kilometres in length this beach means peace and privacy as you relax on white sands on the coast of La Albufera Natural Reserve.

Behind you will be little more than sand dunes and pine trees and in front moderate waves and a wash that shelves gently into the sea.

Suggested tour : Valencia: Albufera Jeep and Boat Tour

12. Hire a bike

Riding a bike on Spanish roads might seem like a hair-raising experience, but it’s perfectly safe in Valencia’s web of narrow streets, pedestrianised squares, parks and seafront promenades.

You’ll have the freedom to zip around Valencia’s top sights, head to the beach or take easy rides through the Jardín del Turia.

In 2012 the city implemented the Valenbisi bike sharing network, which is subscription-based and aimed mainly at Valencia’s residents. Still, there are numerous rental companies across the city, ilike PassionBike in Carrer de Serrans.

If you want best paella in Valencia, get off the beaten track and go to restaurants frequented by Valencians. There are plenty around Malvarrosa, and if possible it will always pay to make reservations.

Paella is probably Spain’s most famous dish, and it was first created right here. Everything that goes into it is local, from the rice grown in vast fields north and south of the city, and even the saffron that flavours the rice.

If you didn’t already know, the dish’s name comes from the large iron pans that it’s cooked and served in. You can pick from the traditional meat variety, with rabbit and snails, or go for the seafood version, with prawns and squid.

14. Parque Gulliver

If you’re walking the Jardín del Turia with little ones then make a stop at this imaginative attraction close to the City of the Arts and Sciences. It’s inspired by the classic work, Gulliver’s Travels, written by Jonathan Swift in the 18th century.

At the park you’ll feel like a Lilliputian, and kids while have a whale of a time scrambling over the giant figure of Gulliver prone on the ground.

There are slides, ramps, stairways and all kinds of little interactive features. Also part of the attraction is a skating area, giant chessboard and a mini-golf course.

15. Las Fallas

This celebrations that take place in Valencia in the build up to St. Joseph’s Day on the 19th of March could be the noisiest and most colourful of any fiesta in Spain.

Las Fallas marks the beginning of spring, and in the past the city’s carpenters would hold bonfires on the night before the 19th in honour of their patron saint. Slowly it developed into the awesome spectacle you can see today, with something special to see every day.

For example every day at two in the town square you can see the  La Mascletá, an ear-splitting firework display. And throughout the week “Ninots”, huge cardboard sculptures with satirical themes, make their way around the city streets and are eventually burned in the Cremà, massive fires on the night of the 19th.

15 Best Things to Do in Valencia (Spain):

• City of the Arts and Sciences
• Oceanogràfic
• La Lonja de la Seda
• Valencia Cathedral
• El Miguelete
• Casco Histórico
• Barrio del Carmen
• Jardín del Turia
• Central Market
• Malvarrosa Beach
• El Saler Beach
• Hire a bike
• Parque Gulliver

Valencia Tourist Travel Guide

Valencia Travel Guide

Essential Tourist Information for Valencia…

With so many lovely hotels to choose from in the center of town , near the City of Arts and Sciences , Turia Gardens and next to the beach,  you can check out the map below to see where they are.

The city is overflowing with mouth-watering tapas bars  and clubs, so whatever you decide to do, you’ll have fun!

The  city of Valencia is a mixture of old and new, with a magical old quarter , the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences and the  wide sandy beaches .

Year round sunshine and a buzzing city make Valencia a popular destination for those who enjoy city life next to the Mediterranean sea.

Or you can take a ride on a tourist bus from Plaza de la Reina or from one of the many bus stops along the way. The city hosts many festivals throughout the year and is a cultural hot spot full of theaters, art galleries and museums .

Valencia Attractions  >>

Valencia has many districts , and each district has a variety of neighborhoods (barrios). Those in the center of town are the most popular to visit.

Read More  >>

Between Plaza de la Reina and Plaza de la Virgin, in the area known as the Seu-Xerea, is the historic Cathedral of Valencia where the Holy Grail is housed.

The floods of 1957 resulted in the Turia river being diverted south of the city.

They transformed the dried out riverbed into the Turia Gardens, which are popular with joggers, cyclists, sports enthusiasts and those enjoying a stroll. Enjoy op events and concerts in the gardens throughout the year, and if you don’t feel like walking in the park, you can take a tour of the gardens on the small train which runs to the City of Arts and Sciences.

Read More >>

At the end of the Turia Gardens is the stunning City of Arts and Sciences .

Designed by Valencian architect  Santiago Calatrava, the  complex houses a science museum, opera house and the largest aquarium in Europe.

Just a  tram or bus ride from the center of town  is Valencia City Beach.

With stunning sea views, you can relax and enjoy the local cuisine at one of the lovely restaurants.

As well as being a very busy commercial port,  the port of Valencia is the largest port in Spain and the 5th largest port in Europe.

Cruise ships arrive from all over the world and  ferry ships leave for the nearby Balearic Islands . Not far away is the new marina where the America’s Cup was held.

The Valencia: Private 4-Hour Shore Excursion tour is designed for cruise ship passengers, with round-trip taxi transfers from the port on request.

The cities of Madrid and Barcelona are easy to reach by train from the center of the city.

The new bullet train from Madrid only takes 95 minutes to Valencia and Barcelona is just a few hours away.

Plan your travel ahead and take advantage of the many cheap flights and special deals on trains , hotels and other accommodation .

Valencia Region of Spain

The city of Alicante is the second largest city in the region of Valencia and it is the gateway to popular resorts such as Benidorm , Moraira , Altea , Javea , Calpe and Denia .

Booking.com has an enormous variety of hotels, B&Bs, apartments and villas to suit everyone’s taste, in the city and  surrounding areas of Valencia  — just book online and pay when you get here.

4 thoughts on “ Valencia Travel Guide ”

I’ve been living in Valencia for 3 months and I think it’s a very sunny place.

Couldn’t agree more Julie 😉 Due to its location, Valencia has one of the best climates in Europe.

Great website! Found the information about hotels particularly useful. Do you have any other sites about Spain?

Thanks Linda, so glad you enjoyed the website and yes I do have another website about Spain on Barcelona.

Here it is http:///www.barcelona-tourist-travel-guide.com

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Already planning to see the next solar eclipse in 2026? What travelers need to know.

Umbraphiles feeling the post-eclipse blues should start checking the expiration date on their passports.

The next total solar eclipse is set to happen on Aug. 12, 2026, over Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and a small part of Portugal, according to NASA . 

In North America, only a partial eclipse will be visible, so if April’s event made you an eclipse chaser and you want to see totality, you’ll need to head overseas.

Here’s what you’ll need to know before packing your bags:

Do you need a passport or visa for the best destination?

The path of totality for the 2026 eclipse mostly goes through places Americans can travel visa-free with their passport, so long as they’re planning to stay for less than 90 days.

Spain, Portugal, Iceland and Greenland all allow visa-free tourist travel for U.S. passport holders.

Spain, Portugal and Iceland are also members of the Schengen Area, which allows for visa-free travel in much of Europe, meaning if you decide to make a multi-country trip out of your eclipse adventure, you won’t need to clear customs if you’re coming from much of the rest of Europe, either.

One major change for travelers to Europe from the U.S., however, is that electronic preauthorization will become a requirement beginning in mid-2025. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) requirement will apply to all four open countries in the path of totality. 

Depending on the state of the Ukraine war, travel to Russia may or may not be an option for most Americans by 2026, so it’s unclear what the paperwork requirements will be by then.

Is it better to see it from the beach?

Beaches can be a great place to see the eclipse because there are few natural obstacles blocking observers’ views of the sky. The 2026 path of totality passes over beaches on Spain’s northern and southeastern coasts, as well as over islands in the Mediterranean Sea including Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. The eclipse will also pass over coastal areas in Greenland and Iceland, according to the National Solar Observatory . 

Cruising Altitude: What it was like to see the eclipse from a plane

Will there be eclipse cruises or flights?

Almost certainly, although most operators have not announced specific plans yet. 

Cruise lines will also offer more viewing opportunities. Princess Cruises “has created a bespoke itinerary aboard Sky Princess to position the ship near Spain on that date,” according to a spokesperson for the line. The cruise will open for bookings on Princess’s website on May 23.

Cunard Line has sailings on its Queen Mary 2 , Queen Victoria and Queen Anne vessels that will put passengers in prime spots to watch .

'The ship can move': Why you should watch next solar eclipses from a cruise ship

Holland America Line is also planning multiple sailings around the event, though details are still to be announced. “Guests have reacted positively to our 2024 eclipse cruises and with the next full eclipse in 2026 we plan to have three sailings in Europe that will align with the path of the eclipse,” Paul Grigsby, the line's vice president of Deployment & Itinerary Planning, previously told USA TODAY in an email.

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Singaporean woman murder in Spain: Investigators find evidence in suspect's hotel room

Saturday, 20 Apr 2024

Related News

Murder in Spain: Audrey Fang’s suspected killer identified as Singaporean Mitchell Ong, a man with taste for expensive clothes

Ex-colleagues remember fang as ‘charismatic, loving, a true friend’, stabbing of singaporean woman in spain: here’s what is known so far.

The 43-year-old Singaporean man (right) allegedly stabbed Ms Audrey Fang more than 30 times. - PHOTOS: FANG DIROU/FACEBOOK, EPA-EFE via The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE (Bernama): Spain’s law enforcement agency has uncovered evidence related to the murder of Singaporean woman Audrey Fang Dirou, aged 39, during a search of the hotel room occupied by a 43-year-old compatriot.

The Civil Guard in a statement on Friday said it managed to locate and arrest the Singaporean man on April 16 based on images from surveillance cameras, which showed Fang was picked up by a vehicle outside the hotel she was staying the day before her death.

"Although the dark images did not provide precise information such as the license plate, the Civil Guard managed to find out the make and model of the vehicle after analyzing the size and shape of its front and rear lights.

"This is how they (investigators) managed to follow their trail, tracing the car's round trip route. His starting point was a parking lot near a hotel in Alicante, from where he traveled to the hotel in Jávea where the victim was staying, and later to the municipality of Abanilla,” said the Civil Guard, one of two police forces in Spain.

The agency said once the vehicle and the hotel were located, a surveillance mechanism was established until the suspect was arrested.

The victim who travelled solo to Spain for holiday, checked into a hotel in Javea town in the province of Alicante, Valencia on April 4 and was due to check out on April 10.

According to several media reports, the victim last spoke to her family on April 9 and spotted on CCTV walking out of her hotel at around 8.45 pm the same day.

Meanwhile, Spain’s Olive Press today reported that the suspect was brought to court in Cieza, Murcia on Friday where the victim’s family lawyer Manuel Martinez requested the unnamed Singaporean to be sent to prison ahead of the trial.

Fang’s brother and two other relatives also attended the hearing.

Fang’s family contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on April 11 after they were unable to contact her and made a police report a day later after she did not arrive in Singapore as scheduled.

The victim’s body with multiple stab wounds was discovered on April 10 in an area near the parking lot of a restaurant in Abanilla municipility of Murcia region, which is about 150 kilometre away from the hotel she stayed in.

The authorities were initially unable to confirm her identity as no documentation was found on the body. - Bernama

Tags / Keywords: Audrey Fang , Spain , murder , crime , Singapore , Links to Suspect

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