Popular Tour Itineraries Featuring Valencia

Valencia is a city of arts and science, with lots of interactive and exciting programs, eye-catching architecture, not to mention the surrounding natural site, the Albufera National Park. In the hometown of the paella, you should either taste or learn how to prepare it. To explore and absorb all these, we recommend staying at least three days.

“The Fallas” is one of Valencia’s main annual events, and worth considering visiting in early Spring for. During this festival that celebrates the end of winter, massive figures made of paper and cardboard are constructed and then burned to ashes on the night of March 19th.

When visiting Valencia, there are two things that you must try before returning back home. The first is the internationally renowned Spanish dish, with origins from this very city; Paella. Although you can find this popular dish all over Spain, the original recipe is from Valencia. You can even take a private paella cooking class, so you’ll be able to recreate it back home. The second must-try is Valencian horchata. Unlike the rice based Mexican horchata, this drink is made from tiger nuts that are soaked, ground, and sweetened. It is usually accompanied by fartons, sugar-dusted pastry fingers.

You can expect to spend 35-40 EUR/person/day (40-45 USD) for food, beverages, transportation, and random leisure needs (spontaneous visit to a museum). If you plan to take excursions, the average cost may rise to 100-120 EUR/person/day (110-130 USD). Day trips usually include transportation, some food, and drink.

It is a challenge to highlight just a few cultural venues in Valencia. They are abundant. The cathedral and La Lonja de la Seda are the most well-known sites. To discover some of the modern art, visit the contemporary art institute, aka Ivam, or MuVIM. To get closer to science, you should not miss a visit to the City of Art and Science Complex, which is one of the grandest attractions in the city.

The easiest way to get around in Valencia is the metro and the other means of local transport. You can benefit from the Valencia Card, which entitles visitors to an unlimited number of rides on the city vehicles and offers discount admission to some must-see sights. Biking is also an option in Valencia. The city is flat, and the bike road network is excellent.

There are busy shopping streets, like Calle de Colón, which is the signature shopping street in Valencia. Here you will find international as well as local fashion stores. High-end designer stores line up on Calle de Poeta Querol. To dig deeper into the creativity of the Spanish spirit and mind, you should go a bit further, to Ruzafa, Canovas, or El Carmen quarters. Canovas is home to chic clothes, El Carmen to vintage items, meanwhile Ruzafa is a gift, coffee, and tea shop heaven. Please note that in Spain these small shops usually close for a few hours in the afternoon. Make sure to double-check opening hours before heading out!

When visiting Valencia, keep in mind that the official language is Spanish, but they also speak Valenciano - a variation of Catalan, spoken in Catalonia.

In a country with such a diverse gastronomy culture, no one with a dietary restriction remains hungry. A great variety of vegetable and rice-based appetizers, soups, and main courses will spoil vegetarians or gluten-intolerants. Apart from the various traditional dishes, you will find shops and restaurants specialized in offering food for people living with dietary restrictions.

ATMs are safe to withdraw cash in Spain, as long as you decline the "helpful" conversion rate the ATM may offer. You can use your credit card in most restaurants, cafés, and bars. For some hidden or street-based souvenir shops, you might need cash, but it is very seldom. In case using your credit card, please always require payment in the local currency, which is EUR in Spain.

Valencia is a safe city. A little threat of pickpocketing may be present during festivals, but that's because of the assembled crowd.