Things to do in Valencia: 11 sights worth your time
Most of Valencia's history fits into its compact old town, and most of its modern face lies along the former riverbed. The sights below run in that order, from the cathedral outwards. Several municipal monuments are free on Sundays and public holidays, and the Valencia Tourist Card gets you into them free on the other days.
The cathedral grew over several centuries on the site of the old mosque, and it shows: a Romanesque door, a Gothic nave and a Baroque main façade stand side by side, each facing a different square. Its best-known treasure is a dark agate cup in the Chapel of the Holy Grail, venerated since the Middle Ages as the chalice of the Last Supper. The cultural visit includes an audio guide and the Cathedral Museum, with paintings by Goya among others.
The octagonal bell tower, the Miguelete, has its own entrance and ticket. A narrow spiral staircase leads to the bell chamber and a terrace with a view over the roofs of the whole old town.
Time
1 h 30 min to 2 h
Setting
Indoor
Best time
Any weekday; on Sundays the cultural visit starts only in the afternoon
Getting there
Plaça de la Reina, a short walk from Colón metro
Tip: The Valencia Tourist Card takes 20 % off the cultural visit; the seven-day card without transport includes it. The cathedral's ticket page lists the days without visits.
Cultural visit €12, reduced €6 (ages 8 to 17, students, pensioners), under 8 free · Monday to Friday 10.30 am–6.30 pm, Saturday until 5.30 pm, Sunday from 2 pm · Miguelete €3, daily 10 am–6.45 pm
The oval basilica on Plaça de la Mare de Déu is joined to the cathedral by a covered arch and holds the figure of the Virgin of the Forsaken, the city's patron. It is a working church rather than a museum, and locals drop in throughout the day. Its museum, the muMa, is entered from Plaça de l'Almoina.
Time
15 to 30 min
Setting
Both
Best time
Daily 7.30 am–2 pm and 4.30 pm–9 pm
Getting there
Plaça de la Mare de Déu, behind the cathedral
Tip: Entry to the church is free; the muMa costs €5. Keep your voice down during mass.
Merchants signed their contracts here in the 15th and 16th centuries, under a vault held up by eight twisting stone columns that look like palm trunks. Star-shaped ribs spread across the ceiling of the Columned Hall, and the building has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1996. Look up at the gargoyles on the outside, some of them strikingly rude.
Time
1 h 30 min
Setting
Indoor
Best time
Monday to Saturday 10 am–7 pm; free on Sundays and holidays, until 2 pm
Getting there
Opposite the Central Market, on Plaça del Mercat
Tip: Entry costs €2 and is included in the Valencia Tourist Card. The small orange-tree courtyard is a quiet place to sit after the market.
Under a glass and iron roof with ceramic details, hundreds of stalls sell fish from the Valencian coast, local oranges, jamón and the short-grain rice used for paella. Arrive with an appetite: several counters serve snacks and drinks at the bar.
Time
45 min to 1 h
Setting
Indoor
Best time
Monday to Saturday 7.30 am–3 pm; mornings are liveliest
Getting there
Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges, in the heart of the old town
Tip: Come before midday: many stalls start packing up in the early afternoon, and the market is closed on Sundays.
The main gate of the 14th-century wall survived when the rest was pulled down in 1865, and later served as a prison for nobles. Steep stairs take you to terraces looking straight down into the Turia park. On the last Sunday of February the Fallas season opens here with the Crida.
Time
30 to 45 min
Setting
Outdoor
Best time
Late afternoon, when the light falls along the riverbed
Getting there
At the northern edge of El Carme, at the Serranos bridge
Tip: The towers close in rain, fog or strong wind. They are included in the Valencia Tourist Card.
€2, free on Sundays and holidays · Monday to Saturday 10 am–7 pm, Sundays and holidays until 2 pm
The western gate of the 15th-century wall faced the road to Castile. Its two rounded towers still carry the pockmarks of French cannon fire from the Napoleonic wars. From the top you look out across the rooftops of the old town.
Time
45 min to 1 h
Setting
Outdoor
Best time
Dry days; in winter the towers close at dusk
Getting there
Western end of Carrer de Quart, a short walk from the Central Market
Tip: Pair the climb with the Serranos Towers on a Sunday, when both are free.
€2, free on Sundays and holidays · Monday to Saturday 10 am–7 pm, Sundays and holidays until 2 pm
The alabaster entrance of this palace is pure theatre: two river gods pour water from their jars around the door, a play on the family title Dos Aguas, two waters. Inside are rococo salons, a gilded ceremonial carriage and the national collection of Spanish ceramics, from medieval lustreware to 20th-century pieces.
Time
1 h to 1 h 30 min
Setting
Indoor
Best time
A hot or rainy hour in the centre
Getting there
Carrer del Poeta Querol, between the cathedral and Colón
Tip: The Valencia Tourist Card halves the ticket price, but on Saturday afternoons and Sundays nobody pays.
€3 · Tuesday to Saturday 10 am–2 pm and 4 pm–8 pm, Sundays and holidays 10 am–2 pm, closed on Mondays
Photo: Rafael Minguet Delgado / Pexels, Pexels License
Santiago Calatrava's white buildings stretch for almost two kilometres along the old riverbed: an eye-shaped cinema and planetarium, a science museum like the skeleton of a whale, an opera house and a garden walk under arches. Walking around the pools costs nothing; you need tickets only to go inside.
Time
3 to 5 h
Setting
Both
Best time
Late afternoon and dusk, when the buildings reflect in the water
Getting there
South-eastern end of the Turia park; EMT buses from the centre
Tip: If you plan several buildings, a combined ticket for the complex is cheaper than separate ones. The Umbracle garden is open to all.
The largest aquarium in Europe recreates the main seas of the world, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic, with belugas and a long underwater tunnel beneath the sharks. For families it is often the high point of the trip.
Time
3 to 4 h
Setting
Both
Best time
Early on hot or rainy days, before the crowds
Getting there
Within the City of Arts and Sciences, at its far end from the centre
Tip: Buy online in advance in summer and at holidays. The Valencia Tourist Card gives a discount.
After the flood of 1957, the river was diverted south of the city and its old bed, over nine kilometres long, was turned into a park. Eighteen bridges cross it, from the Gothic Trinity bridge to modern ones by Calatrava. Children head for the giant Gulliver, a playground you climb like a Lilliputian.
Time
1 to 2 h
Setting
Outdoor
Best time
Early morning or evening in summer, any time in winter
Getting there
Steps and ramps lead down from every bridge in the centre
Tip: Cycling is the best way to see it: the paths are flat and separate from traffic, and bikes are easy to rent in the centre.
A zoo dedicated to Africa, built without visible bars: moats and rock walls separate you from elephants, gorillas and lions, and several species share each habitat. Animals rest for hours, so the park rewards a slow pace.
Time
3 to 4 h
Setting
Outdoor
Best time
Opening at 10 am, when the animals are often most active
Getting there
At the western end of the Turia park, next to the Parc de Capçalera
Tip: Closing times change through the year, with last entry an hour earlier; check the day on the park's calendar. The Valencia Tourist Card gives a discount.
