Spain / Valencia & the Costa Blanca / ValenciaValencia
Paella's Home, the City of Arts and Sciences and a Riverbed Park
Spain's third city, on the Mediterranean: the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences with Europe's largest aquarium, a 9 km park in the old riverbed of the Turia, the cathedral that keeps a Holy Grail, the silk exchange (La Lonja) and the Central Market. Paella was born in the rice fields of the Albufera lagoon just south; a vegetable paella (paella de verduras) is easy to find. Fallas in March and La Tomatina in nearby Buñol in late August are its famous festivals. About 1h50 from Madrid by high-speed train.
Highlights
- City of Arts and Sciences and the Oceanogràfic
- Cycle the Turia riverbed park
- Cathedral, the Holy Grail and the Miguelete tower
- La Lonja silk exchange
- Central Market
- Sunset boat on the Albufera and paella in El Palmar
- Malvarrosa beach
Things to do
- City of Arts and Sciences and the OceanogràficMorning · 4h
- Old town: Cathedral, La Lonja and the Central MarketMorning · 3h
- Cycle the Turia GardensAfternoon · 2h 30m
- Albufera sunset boat and paella in El PalmarEvening · 4h
- Malvarrosa beach afternoonAfternoon · 3h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: March – June, September – October
Worth knowing
August: Spain on Holiday
August is when Spain takes its holidays: beaches, islands and coast towns are at their fullest and dearest, ferries to the Balearics and trains to the coast sell out, and in Madrid and other inland cities many family restaurants and small shops close for two or three weeks. Book rooms, ferries and trains months ahead, or come in June or September.
Heads up
Autumn Storms (DANA)
From September to November cold-drop storms (DANA, or gota fría) can bring torrential rain and flash floods to the east coast in a few hours, as in the Valencia region in October 2024. Watch the AEMET weather warnings, follow local alerts on your phone, and keep away from dry riverbeds and underpasses when a red warning is out.
- Las Fallas — Valencia's fire festival: hundreds of giant papier-mâché satirical figures stand in the streets, with deafening daytime firecracker shows (the mascletà) in the town hall square and fireworks at night, and on the night of 19 March they are all burned. Crowds are huge, many streets close and hotel prices peak. Bring earplugs for the mascletà.
- La Tomatina, Buñol — The world's biggest tomato fight, in the town of Buñol about 40 km inland from Valencia: an hour of throwing tons of over-ripe tomatoes in the streets, from about 11:00. Entry is by ticket only (about €15, capped at around 20,000 people), sold months ahead by the town hall and its partners. Wear old clothes and closed shoes and bring goggles; take the early train or a booked coach from Valencia.