Welcome to Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city and one that is easily able to rival the more popular powerhouses like Barcelona and Madrid, if only given a chance. Innovative, bold and lively, Valencia offers everything that a tourist could desire – from delicious food, through vibrant nightlife all the way to impressive art and stunning architecture. Being a mixture of modernist and futuristic buildings, while at the same time offering a more traditional experience around the old quarter, Valencia rewards its explorers with plenty of little surprises lurking behind each corner. The parks and museums of Valencia provide enough entertainment to tire even the most seasoned tourists. At the same time, Valencia is a major foodie scene, with plenty of restaurants serving a wide range of local meals, the famous paella. After a tiresome day spent on the streets, in the restaurants and inside of museums, there is no better place to go for some well-deserved rest than one of the five beautiful beaches of Valentia, with La Malvarrosa being the most popular one. At the end of the day, Valencia is surprisingly welcoming, and still relatively clutter-free, compared to the even more popular cities of the region, which can be a huge plus and allow you for a really wonderful city break.
A good way to save some money right from the get-go is to book an airplane a couple of weeks or even months before your planned departure. If you’re flying from the United States, you probably will have to take an indirect flight through one of the major cities in Europe, which shouldn’t be much of an extra expense.
If you’re already on your vacation in Spain, in Madrid or any other place, you might want to look at an alternative way of getting into Valencia. Spain has a very well-developed high-speed train system, which you can take from most of the major cities, like Madrid or Barcelona, taking you straight to your destination.
Another good way to save some money even before you set your foot on the streets of Valencia is to find an online riding service on sites such as BlaBlaCar. Such way of traveling is much cheaper than any other means of transportation. If you’re stationed nearby the town, you might also check the regional buses.
The squares of Valencia are often home to various vendors and sellers who set up their stalls, full of regional produce. Such places are a great way to find some cheap souvenirs, hand-made craft, and even some local food, which is sold at a much cheaper price than in most shops and diners.
While most museums of Valencia are not free to visit, some of them provide a day or two each month where everyone can enter for free. During the rest of the month, admission fees to the main museums of the city are really small, generally around €2, so make sure to visit them all during your stay.
A lot of attractions and monuments in Valencia are free for the general audience during the weekends, so make sure to free up your schedule and spend some time outside. While most of those places are open both Saturday and Sunday, some only open on Saturdays, so make sure to check before going.
A great way to spend time during your stay in Valencia is to take an evening stroll along the beaches of the city. There are two gorgeous beaches in Valencia which are both free for everyone to visit. The coasts of the beaches are generally empty on evenings, which makes it a great place for a tranquil walk.
While Spain, in general, is famous for its world-known paella dish, it is especially worth getting it around the region of Valencia. Valencia is the birthplace of the dish, and as such, it is generally much cheaper and of better quality here than in other parts of Spain, so make sure you try it at least once before you leave.
Remaining a mystery as to why this happens, tapas are generally highly overpriced abroad the border of Spain, but while you're here, it is a perfect dish for breakfast if you do not feel like cooking for yourself. Tapas are inexpensive, tasty, and provide you with a chance to taste one of the most famous dishes of Spain.
Valencia has some of the lowest accommodation prices in all of Spain, while still retaining a good standard of quality. If you’re searching for something simple and inexpensive, try one of the many hostels in the city, the guesthouses, or pensions. There are also plenty of apartments which are reasonably priced.
The best time to visit Valencia, if you want to avoid crowds and still be able to enjoy the nice weather, is in April and May. The weather is constantly pleasant in Valencia, so you don't really have to worry about the temperatures.
Valencia is warm throughout the year. Temperatures peak from June to September, with around 30°C high. It starts getting a bit colder from October to May, with around 7°C low in January. The average temperature throughout the year is still around 25°C.
If you're looking to score on some accommodation and travel discounts, the best time to visit Valencia is pre-season and after the season. This means that you should avoid June, July, August, and September, and choose any other time of the year. July and August are generally the most expensive months.
Las Fallas (Mid-March)
Superbike World Championship: Third Round (April)
Fiesta de San Vicente Ferrer (April)
Holy Week (Mid-April)
Festival of Our Lady of the Forsaken (May)
Formula One: Grand Prix of Europe (June)
Corpus Christi (June)
La Tomatina in Buñol (August)
Moto GP World Championship (November)
If you're trying to save money as a large group visiting Valencia, consider renting an apartment instead of booking a hotel. Such choice of accommodation provides you with a higher degree of privacy and usually allows you to cook your own meals to save money, as apartments often come with kitchen annexes.
Budget hotels in Valencia can provide substantial savings, so they should be your hotels of choice if you're trying to save money. Prices for the cheapest hotels in Valencia start around €10 per night but be prepared to pay quite a bit more during the season.
Middle-range hotels in Valencia, ones that have 3 or 4 stars, usually cost between €60 - €100 per night. These hotels offer better location than their cheap counterparts, as well as a higher degree of service and comfort.
Luxury hotels in Valencia are prepared to satisfy even the most demanding customers. These hotels are fitted with the most comfortable and diverse facilities, and the service they provide is truly unmatched. Of course, such convenience comes at an additional expense, so be prepared to pay from €200 upwards.
Taxis in Valencia are generally not the most expensive when compared to the rest of Europe, but it will still cost you quite a bit to get around the town this way. The most frequent route you will probably be taking is from the centre of the city to the beach, which will cost you around €10. A taxi which will drive you to the City of Arts and Sciences instead will cost you €8.
The minimum charge for a fare is €6 during the night and €4 during the day, and the per-kilometer fare is different from company to company.
Make sure to only use licensed taxi companies, as many individual drivers try to scam the tourists by providing far worse prices.
There is a fairly well-developed bus system, which will take you in most corners of the city. The buses generally start at 10 a.m. each day, but each line has its own, separate timeline, and they end their service at around 1 a.m. There is no night service after that, so make sure to get back before 1 a.m., or you will have to hike.
The metro system is also quite useful in Valencia and is probably the fastest and most cost-efficient way to travel around the city. The closest stations to the centre of the city are Angel Guimera, Xativa, Pont de Fusta, and Colon. You can easily buy tickets at any station, and also in most newspaper stands and tobacco shops. The metro will also allow you to travel around the suburbs of the city.
There a couple of trams in the city, but they are not as widespread as the metro or buses. Instead, they provide a more pleasant and picturesque journey, as you will be able to get to the beach or the port while looking at the beautiful views through the window.
A good way to travel around the city of Valencia is to use a bicycle. There are plenty of cycling routes all over the city, which allow you to skip traffic and not bother with pedestrians in your way. There is also a long park over the riverbed, which provides access to a large part of the city.
If you do not have your own bike, don't worry – there is plenty of bike sharing and renting services in Valencia. They generally allow you to pay for the bicycle by the hour, by day, or even by week. A full week of service costs around €13, which is a really low price.
It is ill-advised to travel around the city with your own car or motorcycle, as there is generally heavy traffic, especially during the week. There are also several problems with parking your vehicle, as almost every parking requires a fee and there is never enough space. The underground car parks provide more room for cars and bikes but are also more expensive.
• Bonobus – A ten-journey ticket which allows you to choose when to use each one. Costs €8.50.
• Bono Transbordo– A little more expensive, but also allows you to use the one A of the metro. Ten journeys cost €9.
• Bono Transbordo AB – The same as the previous one, but also includes the zone B of the metro. Costs €15.50.
This tour will not only showcase you some of the best cooking available in Valencia and all of Spain, but it will also provide you with the knowledge required to recreate those dishes in your own home. The class includes a list of ingredients and methods used by experienced teachers, all set in a calm, rural landscape.
A five-hour-long tour, which will take you along the futuristic setup of the City of Arts and Sciences. This part of Valencia is full of fascinating exhibitions and displays, and you can even admire the cityscape of Valencia from a 29th-floor terrace, where you can opt-in for some tapas, a glass of wine, and other delicacies.
If you would rather not walk on your own feet while sightseeing, this tour allows you to admire the monuments of Valencia from a rented Segway, which is included in the price of the tour. The tour takes approximately one hour and showcases the Silk Exchange, Mercado Central, Valencia Cathedral and many others.
To get some additional exercise while traveling around and sightseeing, try this tour which takes you on a cycling route around the streets of the city. A friendly and professional guide will tell you the history of the city on the way while you ride around at a moderate pace on comfortable, state-of-the-art bicycles.
This unique tour takes three hours to accomplish and will take you on a journey to discover the rich culture and history of the city of Valencia. The tour is guided by an expert professional, who will take you around the most famous of spots in the city, including different handicraft shops and glorious basilicas.
The region of Valencia is well-known for its exquisite wines, and this trip will take you on a trip to show you why. This trip takes a full day and will show you the best-known wineries of Valencia and vicinity, with tasting and lunch included, as well as a history lesson provided by guides in each of the wineries.
This five-hour-long tour is a perfect choice for first-time visitors in Valencia, as it will allow them to get acquainted with the city’s regional cuisine. Visit the Old Town with an experienced guide, who will lead you through various bars and diners of the neighborhood, along with a three-course lunch with wine and tapas.
Providing an interesting insight on some of the history of the city's status as a trading centre on the Silk Road, this tour will allow you to visit some of the old silk factories, which played an important role in the economy of the country. There is also a visit to the silk museum included in the price and a multi-course lunch.
Not only will this formula of a tour allow you to explore the city at your own, personal pace, it will also let you save some money on additional transport. For twenty-four hours you will be able to use any of the buses that drive around the many spots in the city, placed in strategic places close to attractions.
This tranquil tour is a perfect choice if you are searching for an escape from the crowd of the city. This all-inclusive tour will let you get close to nature, as it begins with a visit to the Albufera Natural Park, which you can admire in all of its glory at your own pace while enjoying a sixty-minute-long boat trip.
This marvelous beach of Valencia will allow you experience the famous sunny weather of Spain for yourself while sunbathing and relaxing on the hot sand. The beach is also a great vantage point for watching the annual air show, which will provide you with additional entertainment while bathing in warm water.
This beach is usually neglected by most tourists, but locals know very well that this is the most beautiful beach of the city. The lack of crowds allows you to relax and unwind in a relatively calm atmosphere, with fine, clean sand, transparent sea water, and many sports activities placed along the shore.
This lush garden is placed right in the heart of the city of Valencia, allowing you to get into it from any location quickly. The five-mile-long park occupies a dried-out riverbed and boasts a number of playgrounds amidst its premises, as well as some playing fields, various walking paths, and decorative fountains.
Right next to the gardens of Turia, there is a famous art gallery with a museum which are both free to enter. The Fine Arts Museum, or Museo de Bellas Artes, contains a vast collection of original works, painted by such famous personas as El Greco, Velázquez, Goya, and even some works of Murillo.
All over the world, it is hard to find a person who has never heard of the famous bullfighting that happens in Spain each year. Valencia boasts a unique museum, dedicated to the tradition of bullfighting, which is placed opposite the bullfighting ring in the south of the city, which you can also see for yourself.
Museo de Prehistoria is a fine monument to the developments of modern anthropology and will take you on a journey through time to the beginnings of not only the human race but also our planet in general. The museum is free to visit for anyone and provides a number of exhibitions, all of which give an extensive lesson on history.
Take a trip to the Museu Valencià d’Etnologia to see the work of a vast number of scholars and scientists, striving to collect, research and preserve the heritage of the people of Valencia and their culture. The museum publishes its own free periodical, where you can spot some of the recent developments before going to the place itself.
A unique gem in the wide array of attractions and cultural spots in the city of Valencia. This museum hosts a display of giant paper-mache figurines, saved from being burned during the Fire Festival in Valencia. The museum can be visited free of charge during weekends and is truly a sight worth seeing.
To the west of the city centre lies this small museum, which tries to educate its visitors on the history of the city. The museum boasts on depicting the past of Valencia in an exceptionally approachable way, using a combination of traditional resources and modern technology to entertain its guests.
The Old City district of Valencia boasts on a number of beautiful sights to see and monuments to photograph. Take a walk along its cobblestoned streets with plenty of cafés placed along the pavement. The architecture of the district showcases different styles, from Roman to Modernist, with some Arabic touches.
Located in the Old City of Valencia, this square is a host to a marvelous and spectacular cathedral, which was built in a variety of different styles. Having elements of Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque and Neoclassical styles, the cathedral is a truly one of a kind sight to see with your own eyes.
Named after a Catholic apparition of Virgin Mary, called Lady of the Forsaken, this church hosts a piece of art that is dedicated to the patroness of Valencia, which appears with a lily in one hand and baby Jesus in the other. Inside of the church lies a much-admired statue of Virgin Mary, which is often crowded by tourists.
Made in a late Gothic style, this civic building is one of the most prominent tourist attractions of the city. It was built between 1482 and 1548, and its designation was to be the centre of the Silk Exchange, where the merchants work out their contracts. The Lonja is open to the public on weekends, so make sure to stop by.
While available as a part of many expensive tours, you can also visit La Albufera on your own at your free time. La Albufera is a freshwater lagoon with a huge surface area, which spans over twenty thousand hectares, located in the vicinity of the city. The spot is also famous for growing rice, used in the local cuisine.
While you’re walking through the streets of the Old Town of Valencia, make sure to walk by the barrio of El Carmen, where you can marvel at the incredible art murals which decorate the walls of the district. Both local and international artists often come to El Carmen to leave their trace on the crumbling buildings.
You do not need a special tour to visit the Central Market itself. Come here even if you don’t intend to buy anything, as walking along the stalls of regional vendors is an experience of its own. The market is filled with ceramic tiles and has a high dome above, providing a colorful and marvelous display.
While showcasing a perfect example of beautiful Gothic architecture, this cathedral also boasts a supposed additional feature. The Chapel of the Holy Grail is said to be the actual home of the biblical Holy Grail. Of course, there is quite a number of contenders to such title so you will have to see for yourself.
The main square of the city, located in its strict centre, is home to the Town Hall of Valencia. The town hall is open for visitors, and many say that it is a great place to start off any journey, as the square itself is adorned with buildings constructed during Valencia’s golden age. In the middle of the square lies a fountain – decorated with flower stalls.
The church of San Nicolas is a Roman Catholic parish church, made in an architectural style unique to the region of Valencia – Valencian Gothic. The interior of the church was adorned by Juan Perez Castiel with various frescoes, which depict the lives of San Nicola and Peter of Verona, as well as many altarpieces.
If you're looking for a place for shopping in the afternoon where you can see some amazing sights at the same time, Aqua Multiespacio is just what you want. The shopping centre has a number of floors, each of which is specialized to ensure a balanced supply of appliances, and there are even a spa and a sports club in the area.
Our list of the best hotels in Valencia are: Eurostars Rey Don Jaime, Silken Puerta Valencia, Vincci Lys, Sercotel Sorolla Palace and Barcelo Valencia. Discover the full list of best hotels in Valencia.
The finest examples of luxury hotels in Valencia include Hotel Valencia Center, Senator Parque Central Hotel, Melia Valencia, Hotel Las Arenas Valencia, Tryp Valencia Oceanic Hotel, NH Valencia Center and Primus Valencia. Discover the full list of luxury hotels in Valencia.
Those trying to visit Valencia on a tight budget will find everything they need in hotels such as Expo Hotel Valencia, Hotel Kramer, Sorolla Centro, Catalonia Excelsior, NH Ciudad de Valencia, Hotel Malcom and Barret and Petit Palace Plaza de la Reina. Discover the full list of Cheap hotels in Valencia.
Taking factors such as weather, crowds and prices, the best months to visit Valencia for a city break are March, April, May and June.
Valencia offers plenty of exciting attractions and things to do. Must-sees in Valencia include: Authentic Valencian Paella Cooking Class, City of the Arts and Sciences, Valencia Old Town Segway Tour, Valencia Bike Tour and Valencia Private Walking Tour.
A city pass in Valencia costs around €46.
24-hour ticket for public transport in Valencia costs around €15.
The best night clubs in Valencia include: La3 Club, Mya, L’Umbracle, Agenda Club and Play Club.
Judging on the reviews and customer opinions, the best bars in Valencia are: Play Club, El Laboratorio, St Patrick’s Irish Pub, Café Negrito and Hawaika.
Your choice of the best restaurants in Valencia may vary depending on your taste, however, Bodega Casa Montana, La Pappardella, Palace Fesol and Restaurante Arribar are some of the most popular choices.
Top 5 restaurants in Valencia include: La Taberna de Marisa, Vertical, Q de Barella, La Pepica and Mercat Bar.
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