Valencia travel guide

Walk among the white giants of the City of Arts and Sciences

Calatrava’s bleached white buildings run for two kilometres along the old riverbed, part science fiction and part skeleton, reflected in shallow turquoise pools. I walked the length of L’Umbracle, the shaded palm walk under white arches, and wandered between the science museum, the Hemisfèric and the Agora. My City of Arts and Sciences guide has what’s free and which tickets are worth buying.

Come face to face with sharks at the Oceanogràfic

The Oceanogràfic, which bills itself as Europe’s largest aquarium, sits at the far end of the complex. I walked through its shark tunnel, said to be the longest in Europe, past the permanently surprised batfish and on to the jellyfish, pulsing through their tanks like slow-motion lanterns. My Oceanogràfic guide has tickets, hours and how long to allow.

See Valencia Cathedral and the Holy Grail

The cathedral was built from 1262 on the site of a mosque, with three doorways in three styles, and in a side chapel it keeps a small agate cup said to be the one Christ used at the Last Supper. Outside, 207 steps climb the Micalet bell tower for a view over the rooftops. My cathedral guide has tickets, hours and the story of the cup.

Get lost in the lanes of El Carmen

The oldest corner of the old town, with narrow lanes, balconied houses, independent shops and street art on almost every shutter. I spent my first afternoon here; it’s quiet in the heat of the day and comes alive at night around Plaza del Tossal.

Watch the sun go down on Las Arenas

The city beach is a short metro and tram ride from the centre. I walked the palm-lined promenade at sunset, which is exactly what half of Valencia seems to do on a warm evening.

See Kiefer and Kapoor at the Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero

The city’s newest art centre opened in late 2023 in a restored 17th-century palace, with Olafur Eliasson’s kaleidoscope tunnel, Anselm Kiefer, Anish Kapoor and Roman ruins in the basement. I visited mid-morning; it’s closed on Mondays. My guide to the Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero has tickets, free entry times and the works to look out for.

Walk through the medieval gates

Two of the great city gates survived when the walls came down. The Torres de Serranos, built in the 1390s, guard the road north, while the Torres de Quart are still pitted by French cannon from 1808. I saw both, walking out to the Torres de Quart in the early evening, though I didn’t climb either.

Graze your way round the Mercado Central

One of Europe’s biggest food markets, under iron, glass and coloured tiles, with the UNESCO-listed Lonja de la Seda, the old silk exchange, just across the road. I went in for a look round the stalls. It’s open Monday to Saturday from 7.30am to 3pm.

The old town in a day

One day

The Mercado Central, the Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero, the cathedral and the Torres de Serranos, then horchata and a long paella lunch

The day I spent in the old town; my 3-day Valencia itinerary has the route and the stops.

The city of the future

Half a day

L’Umbracle, the Museu de les Ciències, the Hemisfèric and the Oceanogràfic, then oysters for lunch at Ostras Pedrín Ciencias

The morning I spent in the riverbed; my City of Arts and Sciences guide has every building.

Three days in Valencia

Three days

El Carmen and sunset on the beach, the City of Arts and Sciences and the Torres de Quart, then the cathedral, horchata and paella

Built around my own three days from one base in the centre; follow my 3-day Valencia itinerary for every day.

Extramurs

Literally “outside the walls”, the mostly residential neighbourhood beyond the Torres de Quart sees far fewer visitors than the old town. I had dinner here at Bar Ricardo, a small seafood bar that’s worth booking ahead.

Plaza del Patriarca

A quiet square between the old university and the Colegio del Patriarca, which I passed through on the way to the cathedral. Look for the stuffed crocodile, the “dragon of the Patriarca”, hanging by the church door; the small museum inside holds paintings by Caravaggio and El Greco and is closed on Sundays.

The Tribunal de las Aguas

Every Thursday at noon, a court of eight farmers in black smocks meets outside the cathedral’s Apostles’ Door to settle disputes over irrigation water, as it has for centuries. It takes a few minutes, so time your cathedral visit around it.

Dishes to try

Paella valenciana

The real thing has no seafood: chicken and rabbit, flat green beans, butter beans and often snails, in a thin layer of saffron rice. It’s a lunch dish, and I had mine at Los Gómez Correos.

All i pebre

Eel stewed with garlic, paprika and potatoes, the traditional dish of the Albufera’s fishing villages.

Fartons

Long, soft, sugar-glazed buns from Alboraya, made for dunking in horchata.

Drinks to try

Horchata

The city’s great summer drink, made from tiger nuts, water and sugar and served ice-cold. Mine at Horchatería Daniel was creamy and nicely spiced, and very refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Agua de Valencia

A jug of cava, fresh orange juice, vodka and gin, first mixed in an old-town bar in 1959 and still poured all over the city.

Ostras Pedrín Ciencias

A bright, casual oyster bar a few minutes’ walk from the Oceanogràfic, and one of my favourite meals in Valencia. The mojama, the oysters and the crab were all amazing, and there’s an extensive wine list with wines to go with them. I’d give it four out of five; read my Ostras Pedrín review.

Los Gómez Correos

A taberna on Calle Correos, near Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where I had my paella valenciana, the traditional way with chicken, snails and beans. It’s open every day from noon to midnight, which helps, as many paella places serve rice only at lunch.

Bar Ricardo

A small, popular seafood bar in Extramurs, where I had fried courgette flowers and scallops in their shells for dinner. Book ahead; it’s closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Kirò Caffè

A small Italian café just off Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where I had a thick slab of focaccia filled with ham for breakfast. It opens at 9am and is closed on Sundays.

Horchatería Daniel

Making horchata since 1949, with a shop off Plaza de la Reina, a branch in the Mercado de Colón and the original in Alboraya. My horchata guide has all three and how to order.

Hotels are the biggest cost, especially during Las Fallas; the walks, gardens, beach and outside of the City of Arts and Sciences are free.

• Metro from the airport: €4.80, plus a reusable card
• Oceanogràfic: from about €36 to €43, cheaper online
• Oceanogràfic, Hemisfèric and Museu de les Ciències combined: €45.55
• Valencia Cathedral: €12 (€6 reduced), with an audio guide; the Micalet tower is €3
• Torres de Serranos, Torres de Quart and the Lonja: €2 each, free on Sundays
• Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero: €12
• Valencia Tourist Card: from about €15 for 24 hours
• Horchata and a farton: around €3 to €6

Safety

Valencia is a safe city. Watch for pickpockets in the old town, on the metro and at the Mercado Central, don’t leave bags unattended on the beach, and expect huge crowds and fireworks during Las Fallas in March.

Health

The tap water is safe to drink, though many people prefer bottled. Summer is hot and humid, so carry water, wear a hat and keep out of the midday sun. In an emergency, call 112.

Tipping

Tipping isn’t obligatory. Leave around 10% at sit-down restaurants for good service, and round up in bars and cafés.

Tips for travelling

• Eat on Valencian time: lunch runs from about 2pm to 4pm and dinner rarely starts before 9pm.
• Have paella at lunchtime. It’s a midday dish, and many rice restaurants don’t serve it at night.
• Do the City of Arts and Sciences early, as the white stone is dazzling and hot by midday in summer.
• Watch the closing days: the Mercado Central is closed on Sundays and the Hortensia Herrero art centre on Mondays.
• Cover your shoulders for the cathedral.
• Book ahead for small, popular places like Bar Ricardo, and for the Albufera boats at sunset.

How to see the best for free

Much of the best of Valencia costs nothing: the outside of the City of Arts and Sciences and the palm walk of L’Umbracle, the Turia gardens, the lanes and street art of El Carmen and the beach at Las Arenas. Come on a Sunday and the Lonja de la Seda, the Torres de Serranos and the Torres de Quart are all free too, and the Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero is free on Wednesday afternoons if you reserve ahead.

Packing

Packing for Valencia? Don’t forget…

• Comfortable walking shoes: for the cobbles of the old town and the long walk down the Turia gardens. I wear my Tropicfeel Canyons.
• Sunscreen and a swimsuit: the beach is only a tram ride from the centre.
• A refillable water bottle: there’s little shade around the City of Arts and Sciences in summer.
• A light jacket: for spring and autumn evenings by the sea, and something to cover your shoulders in the cathedral.

For the full list, see my Spain packing list.

Travel insurance

UK travellers should carry a GHIC for state healthcare in Spain, but it doesn’t cover private clinics, lost luggage or getting you home, so take out a full policy too. You can find a policy with AXA Travel Insurance.

Interesting facts

• After the flood of 1957, the city diverted the River Turia and turned its dry bed into more than nine kilometres of gardens.
• Paella was born in the rice fields around the Albufera lagoon, just south of the city.
• The Tribunal de las Aguas, the water court that meets outside the cathedral every Thursday, is on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
• The agate cup in the cathedral has been kept in Valencia since the 15th century.

Handy phrases

Valencian, the local form of Catalan, is spoken alongside Spanish, and street signs are often in both:

• Bon dia: good morning
• Bona vesprada: good afternoon
• Gràcies: thank you
• Per favor: please
• Adéu: goodbye

Time zone

Valencia runs on Central European Time: UTC+1 in winter and UTC+2 in summer, one hour ahead of the UK.

Electricity and adapters

Sockets take Type C and Type F plugs, at 230V and 50Hz.