Valencia, Spain: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Valência (València in Valencian) is the third-largest city in Spain and the capital of the Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast, about 350 km from Madri. The city was founded by the Romans in 138 BC, spent five centuries under Muslim rule and was conquered by Jaime I of Aragon in 1238. The wealth from the silk trade in the 15th century left a Gothic centre around the cathedral, where the Llotja de la Seda stands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

After the flood of 1957 the Túria river was diverted outside the city and the old riverbed became the Jardí del Túria, a park of about 9 km that winds through Valência, with historic bridges, bike lanes and sports fields. At the southeast end of that garden is the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, a group of white buildings by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela with a science museum, planetarium, opera house and the Oceanogràfic.

To the east, the port neighborhoods, El Cabanyal and the Malvarrosa beach, keep fishermen’s houses with tiled facades and rice restaurants by the sand. To the south, about 10 km away, begins the Parque Natural de l'Albufera, a lagoon surrounded by rice fields where the paella valenciana was born; the village of El Palmar is the classic place to eat it.

In March the city typically celebrates the Fallas, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage festival with cardboard monuments burned on the last night.

This destination brings together 1 city: Valencia.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Valencia is

Outlines: IGN/CNIG, unidades administrativas, CC BY 4.0. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Valencia

✈ Aeropuerto de Valencia (VLC), in Manises · 8 km to Valencia

Confirm before booking. From Madri the high-speed train reaches València-Joaquín Sorolla station in about 1h40. Valência airport is 8 km from the centre and is linked by metro. There are also trains to Barcelona and Alicante along the coast.

Comunidade Valenciana · Valencia Capital

Valencia

Valência, capital of the Valencian Community, sits on the Mediterranean and blends the Gothic centre of the Llotja de la Seda and the cathedral with the white architecture of the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències. The old Túria riverbed became a 9 km park that links one end of the city to the other. It has urban beaches, the Albufera lagoon to the south, and is the home of paella and the Fallas.

The local experience

Things to do in Valencia

Valencia · Valencian Community · Modernist complex

City of Arts and Sciences

Group of white buildings by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela at the end of the Jardí del Túria, with a science museum, planetarium, opera house, Oceanogràfic and water mirrors.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Aquarium

L'Oceanogràfic (Oceanogràfic Valencia)

Aquarium inside the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, with pavilions of marine ecosystems, an underwater shark tunnel, a dolphinarium and the wave-shaped roof by Félix Candela.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Cathedral

Valencia Cathedral

Gothic cathedral begun in 1262 on the site of the former mosque, with three doors of different styles, the Micalet bell tower and a chapel that houses a chalice venerated as the Holy Grail.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Monument

Silk Exchange (La Lonja)

Former silk exchange from the late 15th century, featuring the Hall of Columns with twisted trunks, the Orange Courtyard and gargoyles on the façade. UNESCO World Heritage.

See 12 more places in Valencia

Valencia · Valencian Community · Market

Central Market of Valencia

Modernist market from 1928, built of iron, glass and tiles, with hundreds of stalls selling fruit, seafood, ham, rice and the region's horchatas.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Park

Turia Garden (Jardí del Túria)

A park of about 9 km in the former riverbed of the Túria, diverted after the 1957 flood, with gardens, bike paths, sports fields and medieval bridges crossing it.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Monument

Serranos Towers

A 1392 gate of Valencia's former Christian wall, with two polygonal towers over the bed of the Túria. The climb offers views of the center and the garden.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Monument

Quart Towers

15th-century gate at the western exit of the medieval wall, with two cylindrical towers that still bear cannonball marks from the war against Napoleon.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Museum

González Martí National Museum of Ceramics

Ceramics and decorative arts museum in the Palau del Marquès de Dos Aigües, with a baroque alabaster façade, period salons, carriages, and Valencian tiles.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Museum

Valencia Museum of Fine Arts

Picture gallery in the former Colegio de San Pío V, next to the Turia, with Valencian Gothic altarpieces, Velázquez, Goya, El Greco and a large Joaquín Sorolla room.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Market

Colón Market

Modernist market from 1916 in the Eixample neighborhood, with ceramic and iron facades, now occupied by cafés, horchaterías and restaurants.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Park

Bioparc Valencia

Immersive zoo dedicated to Africa, next to Parque de Cabecera, where animals are kept in enclosures that recreate savanna, equatorial forest and Madagascar, with no visible bars.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Square

Town Hall Square

Central square of Valencia, surrounded by early‑20th‑century buildings, including the city hall and the post office. During Las Fallas it hosts the daily mascletà and the city’s largest falla.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Beach

Malvarrosa Beach

Urban beach with light, wide sand north of the port, with a promenade, rice restaurants and the house-museum of the writer Blasco Ibáñez.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Historic neighborhood

El Cabanyal

Former fishing neighborhood by the beach, with streets running parallel to the sea and low houses with façades covered in colorful tiles; today it has bars and restaurants.

Valencia · Valencian Community · Park

Albufera Natural Park

Freshwater lagoon 10 km south of Valencia, surrounded by rice fields, where paella originated. Traditional boat rides and the village of El Palmar, with rice restaurants.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From April to June and from September to October the weather is usually good for walking and for the beach without the humid heat of high summer. July and August are hot and the beaches are crowded. In March the Fallas usually pack the city and drive up accommodation prices. Winter is mild and good for museums.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days cover the historic centre, the Jardí del Túria and the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències. With three days you can add the Malvarrosa beach, El Cabanyal and a boat trip on the Albufera with lunch in El Palmar. During the Fallas, allow more time and book accommodation well in advance.

Which city to stay in

Ciutat Vella, the historic centre, puts the cathedral, the market and the Llotja within walking distance and has lively streets at night in the Carmen neighbourhood. Ruzafa, south of Nord station, has bars, cafés and neighbourhood restaurants. Those wanting the beach can stay in Malvarrosa or El Cabanyal, about 20 minutes by tram from the centre. Near the Ciutat de les Arts there are larger, newer hotels, farther from the centre.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Valencia

Can Valência be done as a day trip from Madri?

Yes, by high-speed train in about 1h40, but the day will be rushed. With one overnight you can see the historic centre and the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències; with two nights you can add the beach and the Albufera.

When are the Fallas?

They usually take place in March, with the main days from the 15th to the 19th, when the monuments are on the streets and are burned on the night of the 19th, the Cremà. The city becomes very crowded and noisy, with daily fireworks at the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Check the program for the year.

Where to eat paella in Valência?

Paella valenciana includes chicken, rabbit, green beans and garrofó, and Valencians typically eat it at lunchtime. The restaurants on Malvarrosa beach and in the village of El Palmar, in the Albufera, are the most traditional places to have it.

Does Valência have a beach?

Yes. Malvarrosa, Platja de les Arenes and Patacona form a continuous stretch of sand next to the port, about 4 km from the centre, with a promenade and restaurants. Further south, inside the Albufera park, there are beaches with dunes.

Do I need a car in Valência?

No. The centre is walkable, and metro, tram, bus and public bikes connect the beaches, the airport and the Ciutat de les Arts. A car only helps to visit inland villages or travel along the coast.

What language is spoken in Valência?

Spanish and Valencian, both official. Signs and street names often appear in Valencian, like Plaça de l'Ajuntament and Ciutat Vella. Everyone understands Spanish.

Valencia

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.