Table of Contents
🗺️ Explore the Sights by Area
City of Arts and Sciences
Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela's architectural complex: the Hemisfèric (planetarium), the Museu de les Ciències, the Palau de les Arts, and the Oceanogràfic, Europe's largest aquarium.
- Website: cac.es
Cathedral and Miguelete Tower
Gothic cathedral where the Holy Chalice is venerated. Climb the 207 steps of the Miguelete for the best panoramic views of the historic centre.
Central Market
One of the largest and oldest covered food markets in Europe still in operation, in a spectacular 1928 modernist building with stained glass and an iron dome.
Silk Exchange (Lonja de la Seda)
Gothic civil building declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1996), the former hub of the silk trade, with its striking Trading Hall of spiral columns.
Serranos Towers and Quart Towers
Two monumental Gothic gates from the old medieval wall, among the largest of their kind in Europe. The Quart towers still bear shrapnel marks from the Civil War.
El Carmen Neighbourhood
The city's oldest quarter, inside the old Arab wall. Narrow streets, street art, galleries, and Valencia's liveliest nightlife.
Turia Gardens
The old riverbed of the Turia, diverted after the 1957 flood, turned into Spain's longest urban park (over 9 km). It runs across the city from Cabecera Park and the Bioparc to the City of Arts, linking gardens, the Palau de la Música and sports areas.
Bioparc Valencia
An "immersion" zoo with no visible barriers (moats and level changes instead of bars), organised by African ecosystems: savannah, Madagascar and equatorial forest.
Manises
The town where Valencia's airport is located, with a centuries-old ceramics tradition — the Manises Ceramics Museum holds pieces dating back to the 14th century.
Paterna and Torrent
The two most populated municipalities in the metropolitan area after the capital. Torrent keeps its historic centre with the Clock Tower and a natural park (El Vedat) right at the city's edge.
Sagunto
A city with over 2,500 years of history. Its Castle, on the hill overlooking the town, and its Roman Theatre (1st century) are among the most important historical sites in the Valencian Community.
Albufera Natural Park and El Palmar
Just 10 km from the city, a wetland of rice fields, dunes, and a freshwater lake where the original paella valenciana was born. El Palmar is the fishing village where traditional boats leave for sunset trips on the lake.
Xàtiva
Birthplace of the Borgia popes, dominated by a double castle spanning two hilltops with spectacular views over the whole region.
Gandia
Capital of La Safor, with a historic centre presided over by the Borgia Ducal Palace and one of the most extensive, family-friendly beaches in the province.
Requena-Utiel
An inland region and wine country (with its own Designation of Origin), home to Requena's Old Town district, with its centuries-old caves and wineries carved into the rock.
🚆 Public Transport and Cards
The easiest and cheapest way to get around Valencia's metropolitan area is with the SUMA/Móbilis contactless card, managed by the Metropolitan Transport Authority (ATMV).
🟠 SUMA / Móbilis
Essential in the metropolitan areaA single card gets you on Metrovalencia, EMT (city buses), Metrobús and Renfe Cercanías trains, with free transfers between lines and modes within a time window.
- Móbilis 10/30: 10-trip or unlimited monthly passes, with discounts for young people.
- Where to buy: Metrovalencia stations and tobacconists.
Metrovalencia
A metro and tram network with several lines connecting the centre to Manises (airport), the beach (Marítim-Serrería / Malvarrosa) and the metropolitan area.
- To the airport: Lines 3 and 5 go straight to the Manises terminal.
- Official website: metrovalencia.es
EMT Valencia
The urban bus network covers the whole city with over 50 lines, including night services ("buho") for getting home in the early hours.
Get around with BaiTaxi
The taxi app in Valencia. Avoid waiting at the airport or on late-night outings. Book instantly or in advance with a fixed price.
Download BaiTaxi AppValencia Airport (Manises - VLC)
Daily connections across Spain and Europe. Schedules change daily, check the official real-time AENA boards:
🏨 Accommodation and Where to Stay
From design hotels in the historic centre to seafront apartments in Malvarrosa.
ADapartments — 4★ out of 5
Calle Cooperativa San Fernando 2, ground floor, Jesús, 46007 Valencia. Apartments in the Jesús district, well connected to the historic centre.
Strategic Areas
To get around on foot without relying on transport:
- Ciutat Vella: the historic centre, next to the Cathedral, Lonja and Central Market.
- Ruzafa (Russafa): the trendiest neighbourhood, full of bars, terraces and a young atmosphere.
- El Cabanyal / Malvarrosa: right by the sea, ideal if you want the beach within walking distance.
Getaways in the Region
If you'd rather stay outside the capital:
- El Palmar (Albufera): rural houses and rice restaurants by the lake.
- Requena: accommodation in century-old wineries and caves.
Province Coastline
- Cullera: a large family-friendly hotel offer by long beaches.
- Gandia (beach): an established hotel area in the south of the province.
🍲 Valencian Gastronomy
Valencia is the birthplace of Spain's most internationally famous dish, but its cuisine goes far beyond paella.
🥘 The Authentic Paella Valenciana
The original recipe — fiercely defended, though without an official Designation of Origin — includes chicken, rabbit, garrofón beans, flat green beans (ferradura/bajoqueta), tomato, oil, saffron and water from the Albufera area itself.
- Traditionally eaten at midday, never for dinner.
- El Palmar and El Perellonet, by the Albufera, are the go-to spots to try it at its source.
🥤 Horchata and Agua de Valencia
Horchata is made from chufa (tiger nut), a tuber grown in the Alboraia market gardens since Arab times. Served cold, traditionally with fartons (elongated buns for dipping).
- Agua de Valencia: a cocktail of cava, orange juice, vodka and gin, created in the 1950s in a bar in the city centre.
🎊 Fallas Sweets
Throughout March, the whole city smells of freshly fried pumpkin fritters (bunyols de carabassa), the emblematic Fallas sweet, sold at street stalls in every neighbourhood.
🦐 Sea and Countryside Rice Dishes
Beyond paella, Valencia's rice tradition includes arròs a banda (with flaked fish), fideuà, and baked rice (with chickpeas and blood sausage), typical further inland.
🛶 Unique Experiences
Beyond the monuments, there are experiences you can only have in Valencia.
Sunset Boat Ride on the Albufera
Board a traditional boat from El Palmar or El Perellonet to watch the sunset over the lake, one of the most photographed moments in the whole region.
Cycling the Turia Gardens
Ride a bike or scooter along the 9 km of the old riverbed, from the Bioparc to the City of Arts, passing parks, fountains and the Gulliver.
A Midday Mascletà
During Fallas (and other special dates), the Town Hall Square hosts a gunpowder show every day at 2pm that you feel in your chest: the Mascletà, more about sound and rhythm than colour.
🏖️ The Best Beaches
From an urban beach a short ride from the centre to long family-friendly stretches of sand along the province's coast.
In the City
- Malvarrosa: 1.8 km of fine sand with a seafront promenade full of rice restaurants and horchata shops, 15 minutes from the centre by metro or bus.
- Patacona (Alboraia): continuation of Malvarrosa to the north, quieter.
- El Saler: inside the Albufera Natural Park, with dunes and pine forest, the wildest within the city boundary.
Family Beaches in the Province
- Cullera: a wide stretch of sand and an established family atmosphere, with the castle on the Cabezo del Faro hill as a backdrop.
- Gandia: one of the most awarded in the Valencian Community, with a wide promenade and good facilities.
Further South
- Oliva: a long stretch of pristine dunes, among the best preserved on the Valencian coast.
- Xeraco / Xeresa: natural beaches among pine forests, less crowded.
🎆 Las Fallas
Valencia's most important festival, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
📅 Dates
Celebrations run throughout March, but the main days are 15-19 March, ending with the Nit del Foc and the Cremà (the burning of the Fallas monuments) in the early hours of St Joseph's Day.
🎨 The Ninots (Fallas)
Large monuments made of papier-mâché and wood, satirically commenting on current affairs, set up across the city. Each neighbourhood ("comisión fallera") has its own.
💥 The Mascletà
Every day at 2pm in the Town Hall Square: a daytime firework display focused on rhythm and the power of sound, not on colour.
⛪ Churches and Monuments
Basilica of the Virgen de los Desamparados
Next to the Cathedral, it houses the city's patron saint. Its dome is decorated with highly valuable fresco paintings.
Palace of the Marqués de Dos Aguas
A spectacular rococo façade carved in alabaster. It now houses the National Ceramics Museum.
Bullring
Built in the 19th century, inspired by the Roman Colosseum, next to the North Station, with its characteristic modernist tiled façade.
💡 Practical Tips for Your Trip
Climate
Valencia enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate all year round, with hot, humid summers and mild winters. March (Fallas) can have sudden temperature swings.
Cycling and Valenbisi
Valencia is one of Spain's flattest, most bike-friendly cities. The public Valenbisi system has hundreds of stations across the city.
Regulated Parking (ORA)
The centre has regulated parking (ORA zone). It's easiest to leave the car and get around by public transport or with BaiTaxi during your stay.
☎️ Useful Numbers
💬 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the best app to book a taxi in Valencia?
The best option is to download BaiTaxi, the app to book a taxi in Valencia with a fixed price known in advance.
How do I get from Valencia airport (Manises) to the city centre?
Although the metro (lines 3 and 5) connects the airport to the centre, the fastest and most comfortable way is to book a taxi with the BaiTaxi app, avoiding queues at the official rank.
What to see in Valencia in 2-3 days?
An ideal itinerary includes the historic centre (Cathedral, Lonja, Central Market) and El Carmen on day one; the City of Arts and Sciences and the Turia Gardens on day two; and an afternoon at the Albufera or Malvarrosa beach on day three.