Valencia travel guide: the old town, market and City of Arts
Valencia is flat, walkable and by the sea, with a medieval old town, a covered market that opens at 7:30, a beach a short tram ride away and Calatrava's City of Arts and Sciences. Three days covers it, and a fourth buys the Albufera or Xàtiva. The one thing to know is the calendar: mid-March is Las Fallas, when the center fills, and October is the wettest month.
The short answer
- First trip
- Walk the old town on day one: the Central Market, the Lonja, the cathedral and the towers. Give day two to the City of Arts and Sciences and the Turia gardens, and day three to the sea or the Albufera.
- Where to stay
- Ciutat Vella, around El Carmen and the Central Market, for a first visit. Choose Ruzafa for restaurants and bars, and El Cabanyal for the beach.
- How many days
- Three days is comfortable, and two is the minimum. Add a fourth for the Albufera, Sagunto or Xàtiva.
- Best time to go
- May and June: highs of about 23 and 27 degrees and little rain. Come in mid-March for Las Fallas if you want the noise, and not in October if you want dry weather.
- Book ahead
- A room for Las Fallas (15 to 19 March), Oceanogràfic tickets for weekends and holidays, and a table for any paella lunch worth the trip.
- From the airport
- Metro line 3 or 5 to the center: about 20 minutes, with a train every 15 to 20 minutes. A single is €4.80, plus a €1.10 or €2.10 reusable card for first-time buyers (October 2026).
Where to stay in Valencia, in brief
Ciutat Vella: El Carmen and El Mercat
a first visit, sights on foot
The old town packs the cathedral, the Lonja, the Central Market and both medieval gates into a walk of about twenty minutes. El Carmen is the livelier half, with street murals and the late-night squares around Plaza del Tossal. The catch is noise at weekends, so ask for a room away from the squares.
Ruzafa
restaurants, bars and a local feel
Valencia's trendiest district lies east of the Estación del Norte, about fifteen minutes on foot from Plaza del Ayuntamiento. It has its own market, small restaurants and terraces that fill for tardeo, the early-evening drinks. The catch is late-night noise, especially at weekends.
Eixample and Colón
shopping, calmer nights, easy transport
Wide streets, the shops around Calle Colón and the Mercado de Colón, with metro lines 3, 5 and 9 stopping at Colón and Xàtiva. The cathedral is about fifteen minutes away on foot. It is calmer after dark than the old town, and it has less character.
El Cabanyal and the beach
a beach break with a city attached
The old fishermen's quarter has tiled house fronts, its own market and old taverns, and it runs down to the Malvarrosa promenade. Trams 4 and 6 and several buses link the beaches to the center, so the old town is a ride, not a walk. Winter evenings are quiet.
City of Arts and Sciences and Alameda
families, the Oceanogràfic, quiet nights
A modern district beside the Turia gardens, next to the aquarium, the science museum and the opera house. It suits families and anyone with an early ticket. The catch is distance: the old town is a metro or bus ride away, and the streets are quiet at night.
Things to do in Valencia
Valencia Cathedral and the Miguelete
One ticket covers the Holy Chalice chapel and the cathedral museum, with an audio guide. The Miguelete bell tower is a separate ticket and gives the view over the old town's roofs. On Sundays the cathedral opens only from 2pm.
La Lonja de la Seda
The silk exchange is a Gothic merchants' hall and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The trading hall's eight twisted stone columns are the reason to go in, and the orange tree courtyard is the place to sit afterwards. It is free on Sundays and public holidays.
Mercado Central
More than 250 stalls under a modernist roof of iron, tile and stained glass. It opens Monday to Saturday from 7:30 until 3pm and is shut on Sundays, so go in the morning, buy fruit, cheese or saffron, and eat at the Central Bar inside.
Torres de Serranos and Torres de Quart
Two medieval city gates with roof views over the old town. Both open Monday to Saturday from 10 and on Sunday mornings, when they are free. Hours shorten in winter, and both can close in rain, fog or strong wind.
Church of San Nicolás
Called the Valencian Sistine Chapel for its 1,900 square meters of Baroque frescoes by Antonio Palomino. The ticket includes an audio guide and a projection, and the church is closed on Mondays.
a day or two ahead, online
City of Arts and Sciences
Santiago Calatrava's complex runs for nearly two kilometers along the old riverbed. The gardens and the outsides of the buildings are free; the Hemisfèric cinema, the science museum and the opera house tours need tickets.
Oceanogràfic
The largest aquarium in Europe, with nearly 45,000 animals and an underwater tunnel. Allow about three hours. Tickets are sold online by date, and the ticket office closes an hour before the aquarium does.
a few days ahead for weekends and school holidays
The Turia gardens
The river was diverted after the 1957 flood, and its old bed is now a nine-kilometer park without traffic, from the Parque de Cabecera to the City of Arts and Sciences. Walk it, or cycle the paved lane at the side: bikes are not allowed on the paths.
Museo de Bellas Artes
Free entry, Tuesday to Sunday from 10 to 8. The second-largest picture gallery in Spain has a Sorolla room and works by Goya, Velázquez, El Greco and Bosch, and it sits beside the Turia gardens.
El Cabanyal and the beach
The old fishermen's quarter has tiled house fronts, a covered market open Monday to Saturday until 3pm and, beyond it, the long Malvarrosa promenade. Go in the morning for the market, then walk to the sea.
Bioparc
A zoo built around African habitats, with the barriers kept almost out of sight, at the western end of the Turia gardens. Metro lines 3 and 5 stop at it. Allow two to three hours; in autumn and winter it closes at 6pm.
Ruzafa at tardeo
Valencia's artistic quarter, east of the Estación del Norte, has its own market and, from late afternoon, terraces full for tardeo, the early-evening drinks that run into dinner. Come at sunset and stay for the restaurants.
What to book before you go
These sell out. Most of the rest of Valencia can be decided on the day.
Every tour and ticket in Valencia, and which to pick- A room for Las Fallas4 to 6 months ahead
The center fills for 15 to 19 March, and the rooms nearest the old town go first.
- Oceanogràfic ticketsa few days ahead for weekends and holidays
Tickets are sold online by date, which saves queuing, and the ticket office shuts an hour before closing.
- A paella luncha few days ahead, more for weekends
The rice restaurants worth the trip cook to order, and a booking at Casa Carmela counts only once the restaurant has confirmed it.
- Church of San Nicolása day or two ahead
The church recommends booking in advance to avoid queues, and it is shut on Mondays.
What to skip in Valencia
- Paella from a photo menu
Rice cooked to order takes about 45 minutes, so a paella that arrives in ten was made earlier. Be wary of picture menus on the big squares, and book a rice restaurant instead.
- Every building at the City of Arts and Sciences
The interiors are separate tickets, and they add up. Walk the outside for free, pick one inside, the Oceanogràfic with children or the science museum for a shorter visit, and spend the rest of the day in the old town.
- The car
Almost any sight is under 20 minutes' walk once you start from the right area, the Turia gardens are free of traffic and the metro runs to the airport. Hire a car only for a drive down the coast.
- The Valencia Tourist Card, by default
Add up what you will actually visit first. The Fine Arts museum is free, and the Lonja and the towers cost a couple of euros each. The card earns its price only with plenty of bus rides, the airport metro and several paid sights.
Best time to visit Valencia
May and June are the easiest months: daytime highs of about 23 and 27 degrees, and little rain. April is cooler, at about 21. July and August are hot, around 30 by day, and September is still warm. Winter is mild, with highs of 16 to 17 and no snow, and fewer visitors. Figures are AEMET's averages for 1981 to 2010.
Autumn is the wet season. The tourist board says the rains start in mid-September, and October is the wettest month, with about 77 mm. Storms can be severe: on 29 October 2024 flash floods hit towns south of the city, though the center was largely spared. In autumn, check the forecast and follow local warnings. The other date to plan around is Las Fallas, 15 to 19 March, when fireworks and processions fill the streets and rooms are hard to find.
- From Valencia airportMetro lines 3 and 5 reach the center in about 20 minutes, with a train every 15 to 20 minutes, and stop at Xàtiva and Colón. A single costs €4.80, plus a €1.10 or €2.10 reusable card for first-time buyers (October 2026). Metrobus 150 and the taxi rank outside arrivals are the alternatives.
- By trainHigh-speed trains from Madrid arrive at Joaquín Sorolla station, about 1 hour 30 minutes on the tourist board's figures. Commuter trains for Sagunto, Xàtiva and the coast leave from Estación del Norte, in the city center.
- On foot and by bikeThe city is flat, and almost any sight is under 20 minutes' walk once you start from the right area, the tourist board says. There are more than 200 kilometers of bike lanes, and the Turia gardens give you nine kilometers without traffic.
- Metro, tram and busMetrovalencia runs 10 lines, and trams 4 and 6 reach the beaches. A single bus ticket is €2 on board, line 95 passes most of the sights, and night buses run until about 2am on weekdays and 3:15am at weekends.
Valencia in three days
- Day 1: the old town
Be at the Central Market for 7:30, then cross the square to the Lonja and walk to the cathedral and the Miguelete. After lunch, cross El Carmen to the Torres de Serranos for the view, and finish with drinks around Plaza del Tossal. Not a Sunday: the market is shut and the cathedral opens only from 2pm.
- Day 2: the City of Arts and Sciences
Start at the Museo de Bellas Artes when it opens at 10 (closed Mondays), then walk or cycle the Turia gardens to the City of Arts and Sciences, about an hour on foot. Spend the afternoon at the Oceanogràfic or just walk the outside, and have dinner in Ruzafa.
- Day 3: the sea or the Albufera
Take the tram or a bus to El Cabanyal, see the market before it closes at 3pm, then walk the Malvarrosa promenade and book a paella lunch. Or take EMT bus 25 to the Albufera for a sunset boat and rice in El Palmar.
Day trips from Valencia
- L'Albufera and El PalmarSpain's largest freshwater lake lies about 10 kilometers south, ringed by rice fields. Boat trips last around 40 minutes and are most popular at sunset, and EMT buses 24 and 25 get there in under an hour. Autumn brings the most birds.
- SaguntoA Roman theater and a long hilltop castle, about 30 kilometers north on Cercanías line C-6. Both are free, closed on Mondays and open on Sundays only until 2pm; check Renfe for train times.
- XàtivaA hill town with a large castle, 49 minutes by Cercanías line C-2 from Estación del Norte, with trains every 20 minutes. The station is 10 minutes' walk from the historic center, and the castle's hours change with the season (10 to 7 in October).
Valencia: questions people ask
How many days do you need in Valencia?
Three days is comfortable. Two covers the old town and the City of Arts and Sciences if you keep moving. Add a fourth for the Albufera, Sagunto or Xàtiva.
Is Valencia worth visiting?
Yes, for a city break that mixes a medieval center, Calatrava's City of Arts and Sciences, a covered market, a city beach and the home of paella. It is flat and easy on foot. It suits a long weekend better than a week, unless you add day trips.
What is the best time to visit Valencia?
May and June, with highs of about 23 and 27 degrees and little rain. April is cooler, and July and August are hot. October is the wettest month, and mid-March brings Las Fallas, which you will either love or want to avoid.
Where should I stay in Valencia for the first time?
In Ciutat Vella, around El Carmen and the Central Market, where the cathedral, the Lonja and the towers are a short walk. Choose Ruzafa if restaurants and bars matter more than sights, and El Cabanyal if the beach does.
How do I get from Valencia airport to the city center?
Take metro line 3 or 5: it reaches the center in about 20 minutes, with a train every 15 to 20 minutes, and stops at Xàtiva and Colón. A single costs €4.80, plus a reusable card for first-time buyers (October 2026). Metrobus 150 and taxis are the other options.
Do I need a car in Valencia?
No. The center is flat and walkable, the metro and trams reach the airport and the beaches, and the Turia gardens give you a traffic-free route across the city. Hire a car only for the coast or the countryside.
When are Las Fallas in Valencia?
The main days are 15 to 19 March every year. The fallas go up on 15 and 16 March, the flower offering is on 17 and 18 March, and the big ones burn on the night of 19 March. A mascletà goes off at 2pm in Plaza del Ayuntamiento every day from 1 March. Check the 2027 program once it is published.
What is closed on Mondays in Valencia?
The Museo de Bellas Artes and the Church of San Nicolás are closed on Mondays, and so are the Sagunto castle and theater. The Central Market, the cathedral, the Lonja and the towers are open, though the market shuts at 3pm. Sunday is the day the market is closed.