A Guide to Valencia: What to Do and Where to Stay

Just as well known for its historic buildings, grand marketplaces and gardens as it is for its visionary City of Arts and Sciences and its spectacular golden coastline, Spain’s third-largest metropolis makes for a fascinating trip. The city of paella is best experienced in late spring or summer for al fresco dining and visits to the beach, but you should also consider visiting in March to experience the crazy fiery festival of Las Fallas.

The best neighbourhoods to visit in Valencia

Ciutat Vella

Ciutat Vella is the historic centre of Valencia

Right in the centre of the city sits the oldest part of Valencia, the Ciutat Vella, comprising some of its most-visited areas – the Barrio del Carmen, La Seu and El Mercat. This is the Valencia of ancient churches and cathedrals, narrow alleyways connecting hidden plazas, and countless paella restaurants and tapas bars dotted between them. At its centre sits the grand Mercat Central, where you can browse the stalls for products to take home or sit at Colmado la Lola with a cerveza (beer) and a plate of esgarraet (roasted peppers and salt cod). Just opposite the market sits the UNESCO World Heritage Lonja de la Seda or Silk Exchange - a gorgeously ornate building where the city’s silk trade used to take place. To find out more about silk and the role it played in Valencia’s history, head to the nearby Silk Museum.

Of course you can’t miss a visit to Ciutat Vella’s main square - the Plaza de la Virgen, surrounded by some of Valencia’s oldest and most important buildings, including the pink-hued Basílica de la Mare de Déu dels Desemparats and Valencia Cathedral. The city’s Archaeological Museum can also be found here. The whole neighbourhood is hemmed in by the ancient city walls, marked at each end by impressive gateways and towers – the Torres Serranos and the Torres de Quart, dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Base yourself in the historic heart of the city by staying at the opulent modernista style Palacio Santa Clara, Autograph Collection.

Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències

A view across Valencia, with the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències in the background

Valencia’s City or Arts and Sciences was designed by the famed architect Santiago Calatrava and is so big that it even has its own little neighbourhood to the southeast of the city centre. A collection of futuristic, alien-like structures with spherical sides and windows that almost look like eyes, they rise from the turquoise pools that surround them. The Hemisfèric, designed to look like a giant human eye, comprises a series of IMAX theatres and 3D cinemas, while the Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe or Science Museum is filled with interactive displays and experiments that kids will love. The Palau des Arts Reina Sofia is the city’s opera house and the Oceanogràfic is a huge aquarium – recreating living sea and ocean habits from around the world.

Take a break for lunch from the fascinating exhibits and book a table at Restaurante Contrapunto Les Arts, located right under the shadow of the Palau des Arts. This sophisticated restaurant offers a great-value set menu on weekdays. Dishes to try here include steamed Valencia mussels, grilled white prawns, and of course paella. For easy access to the City of Arts and Sciences, one of the best places to stay is the AC Hotel by Marriott Valencia, just 15-minutes walk away. Another unique thing to do in this area includes visiting the Museo Fallero to learn all about the city’s renowned fiesta of Las Fallas.

Eixample

Mercat de Colón,

The Eixample neighbourhood is the more modern expansion of the city, sitting just south of the Ciutat Vella. Well-to-do Valencians and tourists walk along its wide streets, shopping and dining. The highlight of Eixample is the elegant Mercat de Colón, which has been renovated from an early 20th century market to house several great places to eat and drink. Try Habitual, which is run by one of Valencia’s best chefs – Ricard Camarena – and serves up an array of Mediterranean tapas, and seafood dishes. Or cool down with a traditional Valencian orxata (tiger nut milk) at Horchatería Daniel. Base yourself right next to the market by booking a room at the AC Hotel by Marriott Colon Valencia with its cosy plant-filled roof terrace.

Explore further west to find the Estació del Nord, one of Valencia’s two main train stations. Rather than buying a ticket and hopping on a train, however, spend some time admiring this architectural marvel. Built between 1906 and 1917, its art nouveau façade is adorned with ceramic Valencia oranges and its interior is even better. Right next to the station, you’ll find another impressive masterpiece – the city’s grand bullring. Discover more interesting things to do in Eixample by basing yourself at the opulent Hospes Palau de Mar, Valencia, A Member of Design Hotels, housed in two 19th-century palaces with an indulgent rooftop spa.

Ruzafa

Hipsters, young professionals and bohemians come together in what is Valencia’s coolest barrio. Think hidden cocktail bars, trendy sushi restaurants, cool concept stores and hip coffee shops. Ruzafa lies to the south of Eixample, just behind the train station and bullring. Head to Ubik Cafe, a Ruzafa institution, located inside a cosy bookstore where you can settle down with a coffee, a slice of cake and a book or order one of their delicious vegetarian or vegan dishes.

This neighbourhood is also one of the best places to visit to experience Valencian nightlife. Sample the range of offerings at the Olhöps Craft Beer House or try the city’s famous cocktail, Agua de Valencia at La Bella de Cádiz – a quirky bar housed in a funky junk shop, complete with mannequins, old fashioned posters and dusty rocking horses. The Westin Valencia is just a 10-minute cab ride away from Ruzafa, so is a great base for exploring this area of the city.

El Cabanyal

Valencia's El Cabanyal neighbourhood is full of historic houses

Valencia’s old fisherman’s neighbourhood of Cabanyal lies around five kilometres east of the city centre, a short drive from the smart AC Hotel Valencia. This is where to go to find Valencia’s long stretches of golden beaches – Playa de Las Arenas and Playa Malvarrosa. Once gritty and run-down, El Cabanyal has been given a facelift in recent years. Now its colourful façades with wrought iron balconies make it one of the city’s most attractive neighbourhoods.

Valencia is of course home of the paella, and there’s nothing better than sitting at one of the many beachside restaurants to try one. Head to Casa Carmela, founded in 1922, and where the paellas are cooked over traditional orange wood fires. Alternative things to do here include visiting the little-known Rice Museum to learn about Valencia’s most famous product. Housed in an old rice mill, it’s filled with fascinating old machinery.

El Botànic and La Saïdia

Valencia's Turia Gardens stretch for nine kilometres

Lovers of nature, plants and gardens will love these two green neighbourhoods, which offer a bit of respite from the city. Begin in El Botànic with a visit to the city’s Botanical Gardens, which belong to Valencia University and date back to the 16th century. They’re filled with everything from monumental trees to medicinal plant collections. Next to this lies the Jardín de Las Hespérides, home to over 50 varieties of citrus trees and statues inspired by Greek mythology.

Take a little detour north to Bombas Gens, a modern art gallery, housed in an old factory with air raid shelters that were used during the Spanish Civil War. From here, it’s a short walk to the Turia Gardens. Located in the city’s dried up riverbed, they stretch for nine kilometres, wrapping around the city centre from the Bioparc to the City of Arts and Sciences. They’re filled with green spaces, bike lanes, ornamental ponds and even tennis courts. One of the best things to do is to hire a bicycle to ride around them. Halfway around, you’ll see the Jardins del Real, located in La Saïdia, huge landscaped gardens with fountains, manicured hedges and peaceful walkways. Among the many fun things to do with the kids in Valencia is a trip to the playful Gulliver Park, centred around the novel Gulliver’s Travels.

Go deeper

There are two official languages spoken in Valencia – Spanish and Valencian, which is a dialect of Catalan. While Spanish is the predominant language, it’s still worth learning a few words in Valencian. Bon dia (good morning), gràcies (thank you) and adéu (goodbye) will be much appreciated.

To understand more about the origins of paella, take a day trip to the vast Albufera lagoon - birthplace of the famous Spanish dish. The lagoon is surrounded by rice fields and wetlands, where you enjoy everything from beautiful boat tours by sunset to cycle rides around the lakeshore and bird watching experiences. Of course you should also stop at one of the small nearby villages to try a paella.

Published: July 26, 2022