Valencia travel guide: 3 days, old town to beach
Every Thursday at 12 pm, the Water Court takes its seats outside the Apostles' Door of the cathedral and settles quarrels between farmers over irrigation channels, a custom that goes back to the city's Moorish centuries. A short walk away, a dry riverbed has become a park you can follow by bike past medieval gates and under old stone bridges, until white concrete shells rise out of shallow pools. Beyond them, the city ends at a wide sandy beach. Over five pages, this guide helps you divide your days, choose the sights, get around, pick your season and plan a day out of town.
Old town, riverbed park and sea: how Valencia fits together
Valencia is easy to read once you know its three layers. The old town (Ciutat Vella) sits inside a ring of boulevards that follow the line of the medieval wall; the cathedral, the Silk Exchange, the Central Market and both surviving city gates are all within easy walking distance of each other, and almost nothing there needs a bus.
Curving around its northern and eastern side is the Turia park, the old bed of the river, sunk a few metres below street level. It is the city's green corridor: walk or cycle along it and you reach the City of Arts and Sciences at its south-eastern end, with the Bioparc zoo at the opposite, western end.
The sea is the third layer, and the one first-time visitors tend to underestimate. The port, the fishermen's quarter of El Cabanyal and the Malvarrosa beach lie some way east of the centre, connected to it by tram and bus rather than on foot. South of the city begin the rice fields and the lagoon of the Albufera, close enough for half a day.
How many days do you need in Valencia?
- Two days are enough for the old town on foot and the City of Arts and Sciences seen from outside, with an evening by the sea. You will have to choose between the Oceanogràfic and the museums.
- Three days let the city breathe: a full day in the old town, a day along the Turia ending at the City of Arts and Sciences, and a third for the beach and an afternoon boat on the Albufera. This is the length the plan below follows.
- Four days add a train trip to the castle town of Xàtiva or a beach day in Gandia, or simply a slower pace with time for the Bioparc and the ceramics museum.
Valencia in three days: from the Gothic centre to the Albufera
Day one: the cathedral, the Silk Exchange and the old lanes
Start at the Central Market while the stalls are at their busiest, then cross the street to the Silk Exchange. Walk on to Plaça de la Mare de Déu with the basilica and the cathedral side by side, and climb the Miguelete bell tower before the midday heat. After lunch, allow 1 h 30 min to 2 h for the cathedral's cultural visit with its audio guide. Late in the afternoon, head north through the narrow streets of El Carme and end the day on top of the Serranos Towers.
Day two: along the Turia to the City of Arts and Sciences
Rent a bike or walk down the Turia park from the Serranos bridge towards the sea. It is a flat route of a few kilometres, with playgrounds and cafés on the way. At its end the City of Arts and Sciences fills the rest of the day; the Oceanogràfic alone needs 3 to 4 h. Walking among the buildings and pools costs nothing, so stay on after the ticketed visits.
Day three: the beach, the old fishermen's quarter and the lagoon
Take the tram to the sea in the morning and walk the promenade from Las Arenas to the Malvarrosa, then wander back through the tiled houses of El Cabanyal. After lunch, catch the EMT bus 24 to El Palmar in the Albufera and finish the day out on the lagoon in one of the flat-bottomed boats.
What to do in Valencia when it rains
Valencia has few rainy days, but when rain comes, especially in September and October, it tends to arrive as a short, heavy downpour that empties the beach in minutes. Save the towers, the Turia and the lagoon for the next dry day and spend the wet one under a roof.
- Morning: the cathedral and its museum, then the market, which is under one huge roof.
- Afternoon: the Oceanogràfic, much of which is indoors, or the science museum next to it.
- Evening: a film at the Hemisfèric, the giant-screen cinema and planetarium of the City of Arts and Sciences; check the day's screenings before you go.
- Any time: the ceramics museum in the Dos Aguas palace, where the rooms are as ornate as the collection (closed on Mondays).
Where to stay in Valencia
- Ciutat Vella and El Carme
- For a first visit with little time. You can walk to everything in the old town, and the Turia park is at the end of the street. Streets in El Carme can be loud at night at weekends.
- Russafa
- A grid of old apartment blocks just south of the North Station, full of cafés, bakeries and small restaurants. A short walk to the old town and close to the trains for day trips.
- Eixample and Pla del Remei
- Elegant, quieter streets around Colón metro, with the market hall of Colón and good shopping. Between the old town and the Turia, close to both.
- Around the City of Arts and Sciences
- Modern hotels with more space, often at lower prices. Good for families planning the Oceanogràfic, but you will take the bus or metro to the old town.
- El Cabanyal and Malvarrosa
- For a summer stay by the sea, with the beach outside the door and fish restaurants on the promenade. The old town is a tram or bus ride away.