Valencia

City of Arts and Sciences

Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències

Turia

A complex of futuristic structures by architect Santiago Calatrava, built in the former bed of the Turia River, including the Palau de les Arts opera house, the Príncipe Felipe science museum, the eye-shaped Hemisfèric cinema and planetarium, and the Umbracle botanical garden. The white structures over turquoise pools are the symbol of modern Valencia.

Tip: The grounds can be walked and photographed from outside for free — for most people, that's the main draw. It's prettiest at dusk, when the buildings light up and reflect in the water. The science museum is good for kids; adults will find the exterior enough. A combined ticket with the Oceanogràfic is better value. From the center, it's a forty-minute walk through Turia park, or fifteen by bike.

Admission:

free from outside, museum around 9 €

Time needed:

2 h

Oceanogràfic

L'Oceanogràfic

Turia

Europe's largest aquarium, part of the City of Arts and Sciences, with underwater tunnels, sharks, belugas, penguins and marine ecosystems from every ocean. The underwater Submarino restaurant building and the lily-pad-shaped pavilion were designed by Félix Candela.

Tip: Allow four hours — the grounds are huge. Tickets are cheaper online. The shark tunnel is best in the morning, when it's less crowded. The Submarino restaurant, surrounded by the aquarium, is pricier but memorable. The best day out in Valencia for families with children.

Admission:

around 40 €

Time needed:

3–4 h

Cathedral and the Miguelete tower

Catedral de València

Ciutat Vella

Built from the thirteenth century on the site of a mosque, the cathedral combines Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. Its chapel holds an agate chalice venerated by the church as the Holy Grail of the Last Supper. The Miguelete bell tower has two hundred seven steps and views over the whole city.

Tip: The chalice is in the Gothic Chapel of the Holy Grail immediately to the right of the entrance. Access to the Miguelete tower is separate, and the spiral stairs are narrow. Every Thursday at noon, the Water Tribunal — Europe's oldest court — convenes before the Apostles' Door to settle irrigation disputes as it has since medieval times; it lasts a few minutes and is conducted in Valencian.

Admission:

around 9 €, tower around 3 €

Time needed:

1.5 h

La Lonja de la Seda

La Llotja de la Seda

Ciutat Vella

A Gothic silk exchange from the late fifteenth century, listed as UNESCO World Heritage. The columned trading hall has spiral columns that branch out like palm trees into the vaulted ceiling. Silk was traded here, and the building also housed a commercial court and a debtors' prison.

Tip: The main hall is small but one of the most beautiful Gothic spaces in Europe; forty minutes is enough for a visit. Look for grotesque gargoyles on the walls, including erotic ones. Entry is free on Sundays. The Central Market sits right across the street, so both can be combined into one morning.

Admission:

around 2 €

Time needed:

45 min

Central Market

Mercat Central

Ciutat Vella

An Art Nouveau market hall from 1928 with iron structure, ceramics and a glass dome, one of Europe's largest with more than three hundred stalls. It sells fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, jamón, cheeses and spices from Valencian farmers.

Tip: Best between nine and eleven in the morning, when locals do their shopping. Closed in the afternoon and on Sundays. Inside is the Central bar by chef Ricard Camarena, good for a quick lunch at the counter. Pick up oranges or horchata. The 1916 Colón market in Eixample is smaller and has cafés.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

1 h

Turia Gardens

Jardí del Túria

Turia

A nine-kilometer park in the former bed of the Turia River, diverted around the city after a devastating flood in 1957. Paths, playgrounds, running tracks, sports facilities and gardens run under eighteen bridges all the way to the City of Arts and Sciences.

Tip: Best done by renting a bike and riding the whole park from the Bioparc to the City of Arts and Sciences in about an hour. The Gulliver playground, with a giant figure kids climb over, is a highlight. Locals jog here in the morning and sit around in the evening. Shade is everywhere, making it an ideal summer walk.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

1–2 h

Torres de Serranos

Torres de Serrans

Ciutat Vella

A fourteenth-century Gothic city gate with two massive towers, one of only two surviving gates of the medieval walls. It served as the main entrance to the city from the north and later as a prison for nobility.

Tip: Climbing the towers rewards you with excellent views over the old town and Turia park. Entry is free on Sundays. During Fallas, the festivities begin here with a proclamation from the towers. The other surviving gate, Torres de Quart, still bears pockmarks from Napoleonic cannonballs.

Admission:

around 2 €

Time needed:

30 min

Plaça de la Mare de Déu

Ciutat Vella

Valencia's prettiest square, between the cathedral, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken and the Generalitat palace, with a fountain symbolizing the Turia River and its irrigation canals. A Roman forum once stood here.

Tip: The basilica holds a statue of the Virgin of the Forsaken, patron saint of Valencia; during Fallas, a giant flower figure made of thousands of bouquets is built in front of it. The terrace cafés around the square are pricier but worth it in the evening, with the cathedral lit up. Beneath the square, the L'Almoina archaeological museum shows Roman ruins visible through a glass floor.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

30 min

Cabanyal and Malvarrosa beach

El Cabanyal i la Malva-rosa

Cabanyal

A former fishing quarter by the sea, with houses fronted in colorful tiles, backing onto the wide sandy Malvarrosa and Las Arenas beaches with their promenade. This is where paella is eaten at the beachside restaurants.

Tip: Cabanyal has the most authentic bars — try Casa Montaña, a traditional bodega dating from 1836. The beach is wide and clean, with sunbeds and showers. La Pepica and Casa Carmela restaurants cook paella over wood; book ahead for lunch. It's a twenty-minute tram or bus ride from the center.

Admission:

free

Time needed:

half day