18 Unmissable Things To Do In Valencia, Spain

Valencia sits proudly connected Spain’s sun-kissed coast, but it offers much than conscionable a beach. It’s a metropolis that stirs old-world charm with futuristic flair, wherever medieval towers ticker implicit glass-and-steel dreamscapes, and the Mediterranean breeze and palm-lined thoroughfare marque it consciousness similar a tropical oasis.

In Valencia, you tin person a relaxing time wandering from storybook plazas to java shops, oregon duck into sci-fi museums and store for the eventual sensation of citrus successful bustling markets, oregon simply fto the warmth of the prima spill implicit you arsenic you bask a solid of horchata.

There are truthful galore things to bash successful Valencia, but the existent charm is simply being capable to dilatory down, look up, and delight successful the unexpected.

So if you’re not definite what to bash successful Valencia connected your archetypal visit, past hole to autumn valencian-tly successful emotion with this Mediterranean gem, wherever each country is simply a find waiting to happen.

Want to prevention wealth connected attractions successful Valencia? Check retired this Valencia tourer card, which gives you 35% disconnected Valencia attractions for 7 days. Visit places similar the Cathedral and get discounts astatine the City of Art and Science.

1. Ignite your senses astatine Mercado Central Valencia (The Central Market of Valencia)

Mercado Central Valencia

Mercado Central Valencia is simply a engaged marketplace that’s a must-see, particularly for foodies. Wander the stalls filled with colorful effect juices, vegetables, jamon, and snacks. Try immoderate samples oregon bargain a fewer items to marque a repast retired of it.

It was built successful 1928 and took 14 years to build. The marketplace is simply a immense 86,000 quadrate feet and covers 2 floors. It has tons of stalls that chiefly merchantability nutrient and section produce, but adjacent if you’re not looking to buy, it’s a large spot to spot for its architectural beauty.

Stop astatine Retrogusto Coffeemates for top-quality coffee. Mercado de Colon is different marketplace to notation with much ready-to-eat items vs. produce.

If you’re a nutrient marketplace instrumentality and heading to Madrid, work much astir the TOP Madrid Food Markets here.

2. Admire the architecture of La Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange)

A classical enactment of stunning architecture is La Lonja de la Seda. It was built successful the precocious 15th-century successful a Valencian Gothic style. It utilized to beryllium a marketplace and 1 of Europe’s apical commercialized centers.

The sanction translates to “Silk Exchange”, and was wherever traders from the East would travel to marque deals with those successful the Mediterranean. Today, the gathering is simply a UNESCO World Heritage tract and a solemnisation of past and culture.

Pay the other mates of Euros for the audio usher to larn astir the gathering and a spot astir Valencia’s past.

3. Marvel astatine Valencia Cathedral

Valencia Cathedral

The assertion to fame of the Valencia Cathedral, oregon St Mary’s Cathedral, is that it supposedly houses the Holy Grail (chalice), the cupful Jesus drank from astatine the past supper, which is located successful the Holy Chalice Chapel connected the wrong of the church.

The cathedral is located successful Plaza de la Virgen, the main quadrate and a cleanable spot to drawback a java and radical watch. The tract of the cathedral has humanities value arsenic it was erstwhile the determination of an past Roman Temple, a mosque, and present the cathedral you spot today. The interiors are a premix of Gothic and Baroque styles.

Tickets see an audio guide. Once you’re done touring the cathedral caput adjacent doorway to ascent the El Miguelete Tower for the champion views of the metropolis below. It’s an further cost, and good worthy the outgo to ascent the 207 steps of the Miguelete Tower.

4. Relax successful Turia Gardens Jardín del Turia 

Turia Gardens

The Jardin del Turia successful the metropolis halfway is 1 of Spain’s largest municipality parks and spans 9 kilometers crossed the city. The stream that erstwhile flowed done Valencia was diverted to forestall flooding of the city, and the riverbed was past converted into a monolithic parkland implicit with jogging and biking trails.

It’s a immense greenish abstraction that offers a spot for leisure and sports, arsenic good arsenic offering a romanticist backdrop for those looking for determination quiescent to walk with their loved ones.

It connects Cabecera Park and the City of Arts and Sciences, The Ciudad de les Arts y las Ciències, and features 18 humanities bridges implicit the River Turia. The astir iconic of those bridges is the San José bridge, which was built successful the 17th century, the 16th period Serranos bridge, and 15th period Trinidad bridge.

Be definite to caput to the Cabecera Park broadside and thrust successful the swan boats. You’ll find Gulliver Park here, arsenic good arsenic a skate parkland and shot field.

Walking oregon biking the Turia Gardens is simply a indispensable due to the fact that the City of Arts and Sciences is located wrong the parkland and if you spell each the mode down the parkland and proceed pursuing the rhythm way you volition yet scope Malvarrosa beach.

5. Get cultured astatine the City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias)

city of arts and sciences

If you’re funny successful visiting museums, past the City of Arts and Sciences is the 1 to visit. This modern and futuristic analyzable is 1 of the astir iconic and fashionable things to bash successful Valencia.

It’s astir celebrated for its architecture, which was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. The City of Arts and Sciences is really respective antithetic museums and attractions.

Inside, you’ll find a subject museum, a planetarium and IMAX cinema, arsenic good arsenic Europe’s largest aquarium and a performing arts venue Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía.

It’s not conscionable an interactive museum, but a metropolis celebrating the arts and past of Valencia. It’s a monolithic analyzable and decidedly determination worthy exploring during your travel to Valencia.

The astir awesome of these is the Oceanografic, the largest aquarium successful Europe. The aquarium is besides location to a assortment of oversea animals, specified as beluga whales, tiger sharks, penguins, walruses, dolphins, and oversea lions.

Even if you don’t privation to participate immoderate of the museums oregon buildings, it’s inactive a worthy show to leisurely locomotion astir and spot the architecture.

The parkland is massive, truthful if you don’t consciousness similar walking it all, check retired this segway circuit of the City of Arts and Science!

6. Chill retired connected Malvarossa Beach

The easiest formation to scope from Valencia is Malvarossa Beach arsenic you tin get present by bike. Relax successful the sun, locomotion oregon thrust down the thenar histrion lined promenade, and bid immoderate paella for luncheon earlier you caput backmost to the metropolis center.

7. Get mislaid successful Barrio del Carmen

The Barrio del Carmen vicinity is located successful the Ciutat Vella, oregon Old Town. Wander the cobblestoned streets and regard astatine the Serrano Towers and Quart Towers (all that’s near of the medieval partition that surrounded the city), locomotion past quaint squares, and prime a fewer tapas bars for meal later.

Take successful the thoroughfare creation and colorful buildings. Walking astir this historical halfway and simply taking it each successful is 1 of my favourite ways to walk a time successful the city.

8. Explore the artsy Ruzafa neighborhood

Where Barrio del Carmen is charming and historic, the Ruzafa vicinity is hipster and artsy. Check retired the Ruzafa market, sojourn a fewer creation galleries, instrumentality a interruption astatine a cute café, and store immoderate of the trendy boutiques. This country has a section vibe and is the cleanable spot to not consciousness similar a tourist. Dulce de Leche successful this vicinity is the cleanable halt for an Instagrammable java and barroom break.

9. Revel successful the festivities of Las Fallas Festival

Las Fallas Festival is simply a must-see lawsuit if you’re visiting successful March. The festival celebrates the accomplishment of Spring, and officially spans for 5 days from the 15th-19th March. The festival is celebrated for its papier-mâché statues (fallas) which adorn the streets passim the festival, and are past burnt connected the past time La Cremà.

It’s besides celebrated for Mascletà, a monolithic pyrotechnic spectacle of firecrackers and fireworks displays. You volition find fireworks and firecrackers are acceptable disconnected for beauteous overmuch astir of March, adjacent extracurricular these dates.

It began successful the mediate ages erstwhile carpenters utilized to pain pieces of wood that utilized to clasp up their lights during winter. As clip moved on, they added aged apparel and rags which turned into bonfires and creator puppet displays (ninots).

The lawsuit has been added to UNESCO’s intangible taste practice of humanity database and is simply a must-see happening to spot successful Valencia this clip of year.

10. Admire the sunset successful Albufera Natural Park

Located conscionable 10km extracurricular the metropolis halfway is this stunning spot of earthy beauty. The parkland is Spain’s largest lagoon, and is celebrated for its sunsets, arsenic good arsenic being a beauteous spot to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis and bask vessel rides.

The parkland is surrounded by atom fields and woodlands, and has six signposted walking routes done the reserve. If you’re looking carefully, you whitethorn spot waterfowl swimming successful the vegetation.

11. Take the kids to Gulliver Park

Be definite to instrumentality a travel implicit to Gulliver Park. Inspired by the book, Gulliver’s Travels, the fun, and quirky parkland allows children to ascent and play connected a monolithic play operation of the quality Gulliver, which is made of climbing frames and slides.

In the book, Gulliver washed ashore connected an land of tiny 6-inch people. While we’re not a instrumentality of playparks (as you tin spot them everywhere), Gullivers Park allows children to usage their imaginativeness and creativity.

As they ascent and descent astir the park, children tin unreal to beryllium 1 of the Lilliput inhabitants arsenic they play connected this iconic Valencia monument!

12. Relax successful Plaza del Ayuntamiento

If you bask seeing stunning and historical architecture, past beryllium definite to plaything by the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. The quadrate is lined with stunning buildings that were built during Valencia’s aureate age.

In the center, determination is an ornate fountain that is often surrounded by angiosperm stalls. You’ll find cafes and bars nestled connected the sides of the square, and down the broadside streets are galore boutique stores and restaurants.

It’s the cleanable spot to beryllium and bask an espresso portion soaking up the stunning Spanish architecture and watching the satellite spell by.

13. Check retired the National Museum of Ceramics

The Museo Nacional de Cerámica González Martí, oregon National Museum of Ceramics, is similar walking done a rococo fairy tale. It’s housed successful the Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas, a lavish alabaster portal decorated with an ornate façade, which is simply a enactment of creation successful itself.

The depository began successful 1947 to location the postulation of collector Manuel González Martí (and his wife, ceramicist Amelia Cuñat), and officially opened its doors successful the palace successful 1954. Inside, you’ll find a chronological travel of the communicative of ceramics, opening with prehistoric shards and passing done Roman, Greek and Islamic pieces, past moving into medieval and Mudejar glazed works.

14. Admire the views from Torres de Serranos

For unthinkable views of Valencia, ascent up to Torres de Serranos, the past gross of aged municipality Valencia. The gross has galore names; from Serrans Gate, Serranos Gate, Serrans Towers, oregon Serranos Towers, Torres de Quart – whichever sanction you springiness it, you can’t contradict this past monument is impressive.

It’s 1 of 12 gates that erstwhile formed the past metropolis partition of the metropolis of Valencia (also known arsenic the Christian Wall) and was built during the 14th century.

The gross has a gothic Valencian benignant and it has been lovingly restored by sculptor José Aixá betwixt 1893 and 1914. The stones were besides cleaned successful 2000 which is wherefore it looks similar a brand-new building. Be definite to crook astir and respect the views from up here.

15. Drink immoderate Valencian orangish juice

When successful Valencia, skipping a solid of caller orangish foodstuff is practically a culinary crime. This is the bosom of Spain’s citrus country, wherever sun-soaked orangish histrion groves nutrient oranges truthful saccharine and juicy you won’t bargain shop-bought cartons again.

Local foodstuff is freshly squeezed, pulpy, and served ice-cold, often consecutive from the histrion that morning.

For intoxicant drinkers, look for “Agua de Valencia” connected the paper erstwhile successful a edifice oregon bar, which is simply a section cocktail made with caller orangish juice, vodka, gin, and cava.

16. Eat paella astatine Flor de Valencia

Did you cognize that Valencia is the birthplace of Paella? This is the metropolis to effort delicious seafood, preferably al fresco benignant sitting connected a terrace overlooking a piazza oregon the ocean.

Traditionally, paella is made with achromatic rice, chickenhearted and rabbit, with achromatic beans, snails, saffron and rosemary, but you tin find galore antithetic flavors here.

If you spell to La Malvarrosa formation you volition find the boardwalk lined with paella restaurants. Just locomotion along, cheque retired the menus and determine which 1 appeals to you.

If you privation the champion paella successful Valencia caput to Flor de Valencia. It’s located astir 25 minutes connected ft from the aged municipality oregon 10 minutes by bike. You tin besides get determination by metro oregon cab.

17. Try Horchata astatine Horchateria Santa Catalina

You can’t sojourn Valencia and not partake successful the accepted snack. A solid of acold horchata beverage (made from tiger nuts and mixed with sugar) paired with fartons, a constrictive pastry topped with powdered sugar.

Horchata is simply a spot excessively saccharine for my liking, but this is simply a Valencian contented and worthy a try. Horchateria Santa Catalina is the oldest and astir fashionable spot serving horchata and fartons. It’s besides close successful the metropolis halfway and adjacent to galore of the Valencia attractions listed above.

18. Have tapas astatine Escalones de la Lonja

Escalones de la Lonja

Another Spanish foodie happening to bash is devour Tapas. Escalones de la Lonja is simply a accepted Spanish tapas associated filled with tourists and locals. Fun ambiance and bully prices.

19. Devour immoderate pintxos astatine Pintxo one Trago

Pintxos are tiny toasts topped with a assortment of ingredients. If you privation a casual experience, spell consecutive to the barroom filled with toasts and drawback a plate. You prime whichever toasts you privation and support the toothpick. That’s however the servers cognize what to complaint you.

You could easy marque an full repast retired of trying respective pintxos. Upstairs is an existent sit-down restaurant. I similar downstairs arsenic it’s a spot livelier.

Is Valencia worthy visiting?

Because Valencia was skipped from our guidebooks, I asked myself if it was worthy visiting. When searching Pinterest and different question blogs, it looked beauteous and quaint, and truthful I was perplexed arsenic to wherefore it seems to beryllium overlooked by many.

Because Valencia is smaller than different Spanish cities similar Madrid and Barcelona, it’s a batch easier to find quiescent spots, and bare streets, and sojourn fashionable sights without feeling cramped. Valencia has a University consciousness with astir 55,000 students, colorful neighborhoods, sandy beaches, and fantabulous food. It feels much authentic and “lived in” than the neighboring tourer hotspot Barcelona.

This metropolis besides seems to beryllium a fashionable destination for Spaniards to sojourn connected vacation. I noticed determination were much Spanish radical vacationing present than tourists from abroad, which I loved! Wandering the city, I often felt similar I recovered a hidden gem. And for that reason, it’s perfectly worthy visiting.

Read more: Madrid Itinerary

How to get to Valencia

Valencia is located connected the seashore of eastbound Spain, beneath Barcelona and eastbound of Madrid. Its determination makes for an casual adjacent halt aft visiting Madrid, Barcelona, Ibiza, and/or Mallorca.

It’s astir a 4-hour thrust from Madrid to Valencia and 3.5 hour’s thrust from Barcelona. You tin besides get nonstop trains and buses, which makes traveling betwixt these large cities easy. Madrid has a high-speed bid that gets you to Valencia successful conscionable implicit 2 hours. Barcelona to Valencia volition instrumentality astir 4 hours by train.

Valencia does person its ain airdrome truthful you could easy alert close into Valencia (though it whitethorn not beryllium the cheapest airdrome to alert into if you’re coming from extracurricular of Europe).

Valencia is simply a convenient metropolis to sojourn if privation to deed immoderate Spanish islands later. An easy itinerary for Spain would beryllium Valencia, Ibiza, and Mallorca. Flights are little than 1 hr to these islands and if you program up you tin snag tickets for little than the outgo of a pizza successful Italy… yes, seriously!

Getting astir Valencia

Once you scope the metropolis halfway it’s highly casual to get around. The halfway of the metropolis is walkable and compact. Renting a motorcycle is simply a fashionable enactment arsenic Valencia is motorcycle affable and you tin really motorcycle each the mode to the formation via the Turia Gardens.

Like different ample European cities, Valencia besides has a metro strategy that is casual to usage and inexpensive to get around. Chances are the lone clip you’ll truly request to usage the metro is to and from the airport.

Walking and biking are preferable arsenic astir sights are adjacent unneurotic and you’ll get to bask the views and people-watching arsenic you spell from spot to place.

What is the champion clip to sojourn Valencia?

Valencia has a Mediterranean clime precise akin to Barcelona, truthful weather-wise, it’s decent to sojourn year-round. If you’re looking for lukewarm sunny days and less crowds, April done May and precocious September to aboriginal November are the champion times to sojourn Valencia.

If formation upwind is precocious connected your precedence database purpose for May and October arsenic temperatures scope from the high-50s to mid-70s. Keep successful caput that autumn volition person a higher accidental of rainfall and clouds than spring.

Winter is the cleanable clip of twelvemonth for tourists looking for debased crowds and prices and decent sightseeing weather. Temperatures scope from the mid-40s to mid-60s. Valencia is nary antithetic than the remainder of Europe successful that it gets costly and crowded successful the summer. Avoid June done mid-September if you privation to debar the headache of crowds and costly edifice rates.

Where to enactment successful Valencia

Valencia is Spain’s 3rd largest city, but it has a tiny municipality feel. For archetypal timers, I urge you enactment successful the bosom of the aged town, astir the Plaza de la Reina and the Cathedral, wherever you volition find boutique hotels and charming guesthouses.

For a much modern, lively scene, the Ruzafa territory has trendy cafés, thoroughfare art, and nightlife, whereas formation lovers volition privation to basal themselves astir Malvarrosa and Cabanyal areas for waking up to the dependable of waves.

No substance your fund oregon style, there’s tons of places to enactment successful Valencia, conscionable browse this interactive map:

Final thoughts

Valencia is simply a metropolis that effortlessly balances old-world charm with futuristic flair, wherever each country you stumble upon immoderate signifier of magic – gothic cathedrals, ornate plazas, and vibrant markets.

It’s besides a foodie paradise, arsenic you tin archer from the recommendations successful this guide. From sizzling paella to a solid of freshly squeezed orangish juice, each wound is simply a sensation of the relaxed Mediterranean vibe you find here.

We anticipation that you bask exploring this metropolis that’s some historically affluent and joyfully alive, offering thing for each benignant of traveler!

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