Valencia, Spain
This birthplace of paella was once the wealthiest city in the Kingdom of Aragon. Today the third largest city in Spain, the locals speak a mixture of Valencian and Spanish. It’s also a gateway to Ibiza and the busiest container port on the Mediterranean. Let’s visit Valencia!
Visiting Valencia: Let’s Take a Walk!

The Amazing City of Arts and Sciences
Located east of the city center you’ll find seven very unique and futuristic structures that make up one of Valencia’s most visited destination. Here you’ll find L’Oceanografic, Europe’s largest aquarium, a futuristic opera house, a museum resembling the skeleton of a whale, and more. The City of Arts and Sciences is a must when visiting Valencia.
Be A Kid at Parque Gulliver

Commissioned in 1990, this park comes complete with a 230-foot long sculpture of Gulliver (hence the name). Climb Gulliver’s leg, slide down his arm, or just sit back and relax. With or without kids you should take a walk around this free park.
Catch Some Rays at Malvarrosa Beach

Over 1 mile long and nearly 200 feet wide this is Valencia’s most popular beach. Fine golden sand, cafes, and restaurants, get your beach on at Malvarrosa Beach.
Visiting Valencia: Let Us Eat!
The Tastes And Smells of Mercat de Russafa
This 58-year-old, colorful market features over 150 stalls selling everything from fresh fish to local vegetables to coffee. Located in the hip Russafa neighborhood, this market is smaller than the big Central Market but much less touristy.
Valencian Cuisine At its Finest: L’estimat Paella

In Italy you eat pasta, in Vietnam, you eat pho, in Valencia you eat paella. We think there’s a law… You must eat paella! Conveniently located next to the beach in the Cabanyal neighborhood, L’estimat will fill your need for authentic paella.
Seek Out The Comforts of El Leon

El Leon is located just north of the city center in Plaza Redonda. Find a table outside a thirst-quenching gin tonic and a tasty plate of gambas a la plancha (grilled prawns). You will not be disappointed.
Visiting Valencia? Feel The Tradition!
Plaza de Toros de Valencia??

Whether or not you choose to watch an actual bullfight, you should at least visit this colosseum-esque 166-year-old bullring located in central Valencia. Our advice? While this ‘sport’ is steeped in tradition, it can be tough to watch, and you should probably do your homework before deciding. Check out this blog post and video from our visit.
Visiting Valencia: Book a Tour!
Getting to Valencia
TRAIN
Trains throughout Spain are a great option. You’ll avoid lines at the airport, enjoy beautiful scenery, and they can be very comfortable. If you plan on doing a lot of traveling through Spain, make sure to look into the Spain Pass, available only to non-residents. Fares & Schedules
FLY
If planned in advance you can find reasonable, direct flights from many cities in Spain for under $30, including Tenerife, Santiago de Compostela, and Bilbao. Fly from neighboring countries like Paris, France for $17, Pisa, Italy for $19, or Frankfurt, Germany for $31 with our favorite flight search site, Skyscanner.
Valencia Flight Deals
BUS
Buses are not our favorite mode of travel.. The seats are generally cramped, the ride is bumpy, and departure/arrival times can be unpredictable. This said bus travel is generally the least expensive. In particular, the route from Madrid, Spain is only $25 but takes 4.5 hours.
Valencia Airport to City Center
BUS
For under $3, the Aerobus from the airport to the city center takes about 20 minutes.
TAXI
You’ll find the taxi stand just outside arrivals. It takes about 12 minutes to get to the city center by taxi, and it costs around $20.
METRO
Take either the Red 3 Line or the Green 5 Line from the airport to the city center in 25 minutes for about $5.50.
Getting around in Valencia
UBER
Uber is slowly navigating their way into Spain, although currently only available in Madrid. As for now, Valencia does not offer Uber.
WALK
Walkscore.com gives Valencia a score of 100, calling it a walker’s paradise. We also found this to be true. Walking around Valencia is highly recommended.
METRO
Public transport in Valencia is very user-friendly. Called Metrovalencia, the extensive network of 9 color-coded lines will have you very well-connected throughout the city. Most tickets are about $2, but if you plan on taking multiple Metro trips, look into the Valencia Tourist Card. Purchase a 24, 48, or 72-hour card and get free rides, Museum discounts, and even a free tapa and beer.
Where To Stay in Valencia
HOTELS
Valencia is home to a wide range of hotels. High-end hotels like Hotel Las Arenas Balneario Resort or The Westin Valencia run about $450 a night, while reasonably priced hotels like Hotel Mas Camarena or Hotel Mediterraneo go for about $50 a night. We recommend shopping Agoda.com, the most competitive resource when searching for hotels in Valencia.
Valencia Hotel Deals
HOSTELS
With only 41 hostels in Valencia, you should plan ahead to find one that suits all of your needs. Prices generally range between $10-$20 a night for a dorm room, while private rooms run about $40-$50 per night. Hostelworld is our recommended resource when searching for hostels in Valencia.
Valencia Hostel Deals
AIRBNB
We love Airbnb! From private rooms to entire homes, there are plenty of choices when visiting Valencia. If you’re a first-timer with Airbnb, use this coupon and enjoy $35 off of your stay.
NEIGHBORHOODS

Choosing a neighborhood is an important part of trip planning that should not be overlooked! Valencia is a large city with 19 districts, each sub-divided into unique neighborhoods. While our general recommendation is to stay closer to the city center, here are some areas worth considering when staying in Valencia…
El Carmen
This old medieval neighborhood is located in District 1 or Ciutat Vella. Known for charming, narrow streets and lively nightlife, this neighborhood is full of tourists, street art, restaurants, and bars.
L’Eixample
Find this quintessential bourgeois neighborhood, just east of city center. Shop till you drop on famous Colon Street or head to Plaza de Toros and check out a bullfight.

Benimaclet
Located northeast of the city center, this neighborhood is home to the University and is known as the student district. This very low-key and quiet neighborhood is just far enough away from the hustle of the city.
Russafa
This sub-district of L’Eixample, just south of city center is THE place to be. Home to numerous cafes, restaurants that spill into the sidewalks, and the colorful Mercat de Russafa.
Cabanyal
This historic fishermen’s village by the sea is our hands-down, recommended neighborhood. Located just east of city center, traditional Cabanyal is home to beautifully-tiled homes, the giant Malvarrosa beach, and some of the best paella in town.
Valencia Travel Tips:
Valencia Travel Tips: Tipping
Spain’s national currency is the Euro and is currently exchanging at 0.9EUR to $1USD. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM machines are readily available.
Valencia Travel Tips: Money
While tipping in bars is not expected, a common tip to a restaurant server or taxi driver is 10%.
Valencia travel tips: Insurance
Traveling through Valencia is exciting and safe, but you never know when some good travel insurance could come in handy. World Nomads offers the best coverage in the business, is affordable, and is quick to act should something go wrong. For more info, check out our recent World Nomads blog post.
4 Responses to “Planning to Visit Valencia? Here’s THE Travel Guide.”
The Jetset Boyz
For us, one of the joys of travelling is trying new food & regional specialities. Paella originates in the Valencia region, so when we were there last October we decided to a Paella making experience. We spent a fun half day with a paella master learning the secrets of authentic Paella Valenciana.
Now we’re hooked and look to do at least one cooking experience in each city we visit. Recently in Barcelona we did two. It’s so much fun, and you get to meet some really fab people.
Josh Sedivy
Wow, that does sound like an amazing experience! We looove paella, and food in general, really. Maybe we should start adding a cooking lesson to our agenda as well. 🙂
Gisela de Villa
Can you recommend schl or teacher of cooking paella. Planning to visit Spain fall of 2018 and would like to learn authentic paella cooking in half day. Probably Valencia, Barcelona and Madrid. Thank you!
Josh Sedivy
Hello Gisela, thanks for reaching out! We don’t have a personal connection for Spanish cooking but would love to learn paella in Valencia one day. Please let us know what you find! 🙂