Valencia travel guide: a river park, a city beach and real paella
Spain's third city turned an old riverbed into a park, has a beach lined with paella restaurants and an old town full of markets. Valencia is Barcelona without the crush.
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Valencia
Photo: Domenico Adornato / Unsplash
Valencia, the city that moved its river
After a flood in 1957, Valencia diverted the Turia away from the centre. The empty riverbed became nine kilometres of park, cycle paths, football pitches and orange trees, and today locals cross the city through it. Hire a bike and follow it east and you end at the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences.
Valencia is Spain's third-largest city, with a beach, a port and an old town big enough to get lost in. For the rest of the country, see our Spain travel guide.
Neighbourhoods to know
Ciutat Vella
The old town, with the cathedral, the UNESCO-listed Silk Exchange and the Mercado Central, one of Europe's largest food markets.
El Carmen
The liveliest corner of the old town, with street art, bars and small restaurants.
Ruzafa
The creative quarter south of the centre: cafés, vintage shops and a neighbourhood market.
El Cabanyal and Malvarrosa
The old fishermen's quarter of tiled houses, and the broad city beach beside it.
Three days in Valencia
Day 1: Mercado Central, the Silk Exchange and the cathedral. Evening in El Carmen.
Day 2: cycle the Turia park to the City of Arts and Sciences and the Oceanogràfic aquarium.
Day 3: Malvarrosa and El Cabanyal, with paella by the sea for lunch. Evening in Ruzafa.
Food
Paella comes from Valencia, and here it is a lunch dish, not dinner. The traditional paella valenciana is made with chicken, rabbit and beans rather than seafood. Try horchata too, a chilled tiger-nut drink served with fartons, long soft pastries for dunking. The rice itself grows in the Albufera lagoon just south of the city.
Only YOU Hotel Valencia
Photo: Hotels.com
Where to stay
The old town puts you in the middle of everything, Ruzafa among locals, and the beach hotels by the sea. Our Valencia hotel guide has the picks.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Only YOU Hotel Valencia
Good to know
Las Fallas in March fills the streets with giant figures that are burned on the final night. Worth seeing, but hotels get expensive and the city loud.
The metro runs from the airport to the centre in around 20 minutes.
Frequently asked questions about Valencia
How many days do you need in Valencia?
Three days covers the old town, the Turia park and the beach.
When is the best time to visit Valencia?
April to June and September to October. Summer is hot and humid.
Where can I eat the best paella in Valencia?
At the restaurants along Malvarrosa and in the villages around the Albufera. Book for lunch.
Does Valencia have a beach?
Yes. Malvarrosa and Las Arenas are about 20 minutes from the centre by tram or bus.