Cayetano / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)Selección personalizada según tus intereses y lo que hay cerca.
Valencia is Spain's third-largest city and one of its most liveable, a relaxed Mediterranean capital where a medieval old town sits beside dazzling futuristic architecture and wide sandy beaches. It is the birthplace of paella, and food is central to daily life, from the vast Central Market to horchata sipped with…
Mejor época para visitar
Cycle or walk the full length of the Turia Gardens, the old riverbed park that runs right across the city to the sea.
Las atracciones y experiencias que merecen tu tiempo — con precios justos.
Santiago Calatrava's striking white complex of science museum, planetarium, opera house and aquarium rising from the old riverbed. Wandering the futuristic exterior and reflecting pools is free; the individual buildings are ticketed separately.
Europe's largest aquarium, part of the City of Arts and Sciences, with sharks, belugas, penguins and a walk-through ocean tunnel. Book online and consider a combined ticket with the Science Museum and Hemisferic to save.
A cathedral blending Gothic and Baroque that claims to hold the Holy Grail, with an audio guide included. Climb the 207 steps of the Miguelete bell tower for a fine rooftop view over the old town.
One of Europe's largest and oldest running food markets, a modernist hall of stalls piled with produce, ham, seafood and spices. Free to wander; come hungry and graze on snacks and juices among the locals.
The must-try local dishes, sweets and fruits — including the exotic ones you won't find back home.
DishJan Harenburg / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Valencia is the birthplace of paella, and the original is not a seafood dish: true paella valenciana is made with chicken, rabbit, green and butter beans, tomato and saffron rice, cooked wide and thin over a fire. The prized crust at the bottom, the socarrat, is the mark of a good one.
Order it at lunch, cooked to order for two or more, and ask for the socarrat; be wary of cheap ready-made 'paella' aimed at tourists.
DishJuan Emilio Prades Bel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)A close cousin of paella from the Valencian coast that swaps rice for short noodles, cooked with seafood in the same wide pan until the tips crisp up. It is served with a garlicky alioli to stir through, and is a lighter, nuttier alternative to paella.
Try it as a seafood alternative to paella, and spread a little alioli over the top as locals do.
DrinkJuan Emilio Prades Bel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)A cool, milky, sweet drink made from pressed tiger nuts (chufa) grown in the villages north of the city, served ice-cold and unlike anything else. It is a Valencia institution, drunk through the warm months as a refreshing pick-me-up.
Order it with a plate of fartons to dip, and seek out a historic horchateria in the centre or in Alboraia for the real thing.
DrinkJames West / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)Despite the innocent name ('Valencia water'), this is a potent local cocktail of fresh orange juice, cava, gin and vodka, invented in the city in the 1950s. It slips down easily on a terrace and is stronger than it tastes.
Share a jug on a terrace in the Barrio del Carmen, and pace yourself; it is far boozier than it seems.
SweetAfshin Darian / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)Long, soft, glazed sweet buns made specifically for dunking into horchata, absorbing the drink without falling apart. Light and lightly sugary, they are the classic partner to a glass of horchata rather than a standalone pastry.
Never eat them without horchata to dip; that is the whole point, and the pairing is a Valencia ritual.
FruitRaul2009 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)The orange groves of the surrounding Huerta made Valencia oranges famous worldwide, prized for their sweet, juicy flesh and used in everything from fresh juice to agua de valencia. In season the region is scented with orange blossom.
Try a fresh-squeezed orange juice (zumo de naranja natural) at the market or a cafe; in-season local oranges are exceptional.
Ask travelers and locals — or help others and earn points.
Real restaurants, cafés, sights and things to do across the city — live from the map, with our fair-price and scam intelligence on top.
Lo que pagan los locales — comprueba una cotización antes de pagar en efectivo.
Pregunta por la tarifa de miembro o solo para la app — muchas veces está oculta del precio público.
Precios así suelen bajar cerca de la fecha — vale la pena esperar si tus planes son flexibles.
Pregunta por la tarifa de miembro o solo para la app — muchas veces está oculta del precio público.
Reserva directo — suele ser más barato que en las plataformas, y casi siempre con cancelación gratuita.
Precios así suelen bajar cerca de la fecha — vale la pena esperar si tus planes son flexibles.
Reserva directo — suele ser más barato que en las plataformas, y casi siempre con cancelación gratuita.
Reserva directo — suele ser más barato que en las plataformas, y casi siempre con cancelación gratuita.
Tarifas reales, no precios para turistas.
Metro lines 3 and 5 run from the airport to central stations like Xativa and Colon in about 25 minutes for a low fare. Cheap, frequent and reliable, and the easiest way into the centre with light luggage.
Official taxis charge a set flat fare to the central zone, with small night, Sunday and luggage supplements. Best for groups or heavy bags; use the official rank and confirm the flat fare, not a quoted price.
The EMT city bus line 150 links the airport with the centre for the standard low bus fare. Slower than the metro but very cheap, and useful if it stops near your accommodation.
A clean, modern metro and tram network covers the city and reaches the airport and the beach. A rechargeable SUMA card gives the best per-ride price; central sights are close together above ground.
The EMT bus network fills the gaps the metro misses and is handy for the beach and outer neighbourhoods. The same SUMA card and single tickets apply across bus, metro and tram.
Flat, sunny Valencia is superb for cycling, and the Valenbisi bike-share and long car-free Turia Gardens make it easy and safe. A short-term visitor pass suits a few days of riding across the city.
The old town is flat and compact, with the cathedral, market and La Lonja all within an easy stroll. Comfortable shoes and a relaxed pace, ideally out of the midday sun in summer, suit it best.
Spring (March to June) and early autumn (September to October) bring warm, sunny weather ideal for the city and the beach without the peak-summer crowds. July and August are hot and humid, and winter is mild. Note the famous Fallas festival fills the city in mid-March with crowds, fireworks and daily firecracker displays.
Two to three days lets you see the old town, cathedral, Central Market and La Lonja, spend time at the City of Arts and Sciences, cycle the Turia Gardens and enjoy a paella lunch by the beach at a relaxed pace.
Eat paella at lunch, not dinner, at a place that cooks it to order for two or more. Authentic paella valenciana uses chicken, rabbit and beans, not just seafood, and the beach and El Cabanyal areas are classic spots.
Metro lines 3 and 5 reach the centre in about 25 minutes for a low fare and are the cheapest option. An official taxi charges a set flat fare to the central zone and suits groups with luggage.
Valencia is fairly safe, with petty theft the main risk in crowds, at the market and on the beach. Keep valuables secure and out of back pockets, watch your bag on the sand, and take extra care in the Fallas crowds.
Fallas runs in mid-March, peaking around 15 to 19 March, when the city fills with giant sculptures, crowds, fireworks and the loud daily mascleta. It is spectacular but very busy, so book accommodation well ahead.