3 Days In Valencia, Spain - What To Visit, Daily Itinerary
Valencia impressed us from the beginning with the atmosphere and the good energy we felt in this city. Valencia is very chic and attractive, with a lot of sights that would attract any tourist who comes to visit here: the lively historic center, the beautiful beaches of the Mediterranean Sea, and the City of Arts and Sciences, the most emblematic place of the city.
We visited Valencia in February, and I can say that it was one of the best ideas, Valencia was waiting for us with sun and temperatures up to 18-20 degrees. In this article I described our experience in Valencia and how we organized our program in 3 days.
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona. Located in the east of the country on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Valencia has a population of approximately 800,000 inhabitants, with a metropolitan area of over 1.5 million inhabitants.
Valencia is a destination that can be visited in any season of the year, thanks to the warm temperatures in winter. However, the best time for a trip here is spring or autumn: better prices for flights and accommodation than during the summer, perfect weather for both exploring and the beach, and a lower number of tourists than in the peak season.
Valencia is one of the most visited cities in Spain, and is especially appreciated by those traveling with children. It is a very child-friendly city, with many activities and very attractive places for the little ones, such as the City of Arts and Sciences, with the Oceanographic and Science Museum, respectively the Bioparc zoo. Although perhaps not as crowded as Barcelona or Madrid, Valencia impresses with the many tourist attractions it offers.
Valencia is a city by the sea, and thus has wide, extended beaches with fine sand, perfect for a longer vacation here.
How to get around in Valencia
Valencia has a well-organized public transport system, you can easily travel between destinations by metro, tram or bus.
A ticket costs 1.5 euros.
- For the bus, you can buy the ticket directly from the driver or from the EMTicket application.
- For the tram or subway, you need a card where you can load the amount of money and then validate it before getting on the means of transport. These cards can be bought and loaded from the vending machines in the stations, and the card costs 1 euro.
For more information, check the official website: https://www.visitvalencia.com/en/plan-your-trip-to-valencia/getting-around .
How to get from the airport to Valencia
From the airport to the city center there is a distance of 12 km. The easiest and fastest way to get to the city is by metro 3 or 5, and a ticket costs almost 5 euros. With the Valencia Tourist Card, however, the metro ticket is included.
The price of a taxi ride is around 20 euros.
How much are the entrance fees in Valencia
Valencia Tourist Card
Recommended for tourists is the purchase of the Valencia Tourist Card, considered the most convenient option for tourists: it offers unlimited travel for 24/48/72 hours by any means of transport, including the metro from the airport. Besides these, they also offer discounts or free entrances to certain touristic attractions.
If you plan to visit at least one of the important attractions in Valencia (Oceanographic, Science Museum or Bioparc), I recommend you to buy a combined ticket: entrance to these sights and a Valencia Tourist Card/72 hours.
We chose to combine the entrance to the Oceanographic, Science Museum, Hemisferic and Valencia Tourist Card for 72 hours, for which we paid 58 euros. Bought separately, we would have paid at least 70 euros.
Ticket prices in Valencia
Below you will find a table with current prices at important tourist attractions in Valencia. You can buy the tickets directly from the official site or from GetYourGuide.
| Obiectiv | Adult | Copil (4-12 ani) | Senior (>65 ani) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valencia Tourist Card 24 ore | €13.5 | €12.75 | €13.5 |
| Valencia Tourist Card 48 ore | €18 | €17 | €18 |
| Valencia Tourist Card 72 ore | €22.5 | €21.25 | €22.5 |
| Oceanographic | €38.5 | €28.5 | €28.5 |
| Science Museum | €8.7 | €6.7 | €6.7 |
| Bioparc | €26.9 | €20 | €21 |
| Oceanographic + Science Museum | €40.7 | €30.7 | €30.7 |
| Oceanographic + Science Museum + Hemispheric | €46.7 | €36.7 | €36.7 |
| VTC 72 hours + Oceanographic | €55.23 | €45.48 | €45.48 |
| VTC 72 hours + Oceanographic + Science Museum + Hemispheric | €62.20 | €52.45 | €52.45 |
| VTC 72 hours + Oceanographic + Science Museum + Hemispheric + Bioparc | €86.41 | €71.35 | €73.05 |
What to do in Valencia - Daily itinerary
In this city break we had 2 full days at our disposal, plus the days of arrival and departure. This is how we organized our trip to Valencia:
Day 0
Because we arrived in Valencia only in the afternoon, this day was one in which we discovered slowly the city, following the next day where we would have taken in all the important sights in the old center.
From the airport, from the tourist information point, we purchased the Valencia Tourist Card for 72 hours, combined with the entrance tickets to the Oceanographic, Science and Hemispheric Museum. For this combination of tickets we paid approximately 52 euros/person (price for year 2022 - meanwhile, the ticket prise rose to 62 euros).
From the airport we could reach the accommodation in the center (close to the central Mercado), by metro 3 or 5. The journey by metro took 20 minutes, and the ticket was included in the Valencia Tourist Card.
Day 1
Center
We started the day by visiting the historical center, with all its main sights. Typical of Iberian cities, in Valencia we found an old center with a very good energy, with many lively squares, restaurants, terraces, and impressive monuments.
El Carmen district
El Carmen is one of the most historic and picturesque neighborhoods in Valencia, located in the heart of the city center. With its narrow and labyrinth streets, squares and old buildings, El Carmen is a neighborhood full of life and energy, but also of history, being known for its cultural life. Here are numerous historical monuments, museums, art galleries or event spaces, and the streets are animated by various street artists.
Plaza de la Reina
Plaza de la Reina is one of the most beautiful squares in Valencia, a pedestrian square surrounded by historical buildings, cafes, restaurants and shops. The square is located near other important tourist attractions, such as the Cathedral of Valencia.
Cathedral of Valencia and El Miguelete Tower
The Cathedral of Valencia, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria, is located in Plaza de la Reina. The construction of the cathedral began in the 13th century and combines different architectural styles, such as Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque.
In this cathedral it is said that the real Holy Grail is kept, the cup from which Jesus drank at the last supper. To enter the Cathedral you need to pay an entrance ticket worth 8 euros, and with the tourist card you have a 10% discount.
Also here, you can climb the cathedral tower, called El Miguelete Tower. The ticket to climb the tower costs 2 euros, but expect a climb that will require some physical effort. You will only go up on the stairs, a number of 207 steps, in a narrow spiral. When we reached the top, we had a very beautiful view of Valencia, so it was definitely worth the effort. But I would not recommend this experience to those who are claustrophobic or who do not have an acceptable physical condition.
Plaza de la Virgen
Behind the Cathedral is the Plaza de la Virgen, a pedestrian square built entirely of marble, with Neptune's fountain in the middle. The square is surrounded by many terraces, and the area is animated by many street singers. In the square is also the Church of Virgen de los Desamparados, Virgin of the Underprivileged.
Serranos Towers
Torres de Serranos is a symbol of Valencia and represents the entrance gate of the old city, in the times when the city was surrounded by defensive walls. Tourists can climb here, and the entrance ticket is included in the Valencia Tourist Card.
Mercado Central
Mercado Central is the specific Spanish market, the largest in the city, which welcomes you with a lot of traditional products very nicely displayed. The building has an interesting architecture, and what impressed me the most here was the cleanliness and setup inside the market.
Plaza del Ayuntamiento (City Hall Square of Valencia)
The Town Hall Square is the largest central square in Valencia, where you can admire the impressive building of the town hall. The square is spread over a large area, it is very open, lively and full of locals and tourists, with a lot of shops and restaurants nearby.
Plaza de Toros
At the end of the Town Hall Square is the Plaza de Toros, with the bullring, where these traditional Spanish events take place. Although I personally do not agree with these activities, because of animal cruelty, the building of the arena is beautiful. Unfortunately, however, the bullfights have not yet been canceled in Valencia.
Horchateria de Santa Catalina
Horchateria de Santa Catalina is a traditional cafe in Valencia, one of the most popular locations that tourists choose to serve a traditional dish, in a historic and authentic atmosphere. Particular here is horchata, a traditional Valencian drink made from water, sugar and almond milk. The cafe has been open for more than a hundred years and offers other local specialties, such as churros served with hot chocolate.
The narrowest building in Europe
A few steps away from Horchaterie is also what is said to be the narrowest building in Europe, with a width of only 107 cm, one of the most photographed buildings in Valencia.
Turia Gardens
The Turia Gardens are the public park in Valencia, located on an area of over 9 km in the city center. More than 50 years ago, the Turia river crossed the site of this park. After several episodes in which this river flooded the city, in 1957, following a strong flood that caused major damage in the city, the Turia was diverted outside the city, and thus, on the site of the former river, it was decided to develop a green area, which remained until today.
Now the Turia park is an oasis of greenery and peace in the city center, a place for which the residents of Valencia ar very proud of, suitable for spending various outdoor activities. Here you can find walking areas, children's parks, bike paths or football fields.
Among the most important attractions in Turia Park I mention the Palace of Music, a fascinating building intended for concerts and other cultural events, and Gulliver Park, a children's park where the main character from Jonathan Swift's novel, Gulliver, is represented.
At the end of the park is the City of Arts and Sciences, which I visited the next day.
Malvarrosa Beach
Valencia also has a beautiful beach at the sea, surrounded by a pedestrian promenade at the end of which you will find the port of Valencia. Malvarrosa beach stretches for about 2 km and has a width of almost 60 meters. The beach is located east of the city center and can be easily reached by metro or bus.
The port
At the end of the beach is the port of Valencia, a place with many restaurants and cafes and a promenade area, from where you can admire the luxurious boats that dock here.
Day 2 - City of Arts and Science
We left this day for visiting the most famous tourist attraction of Valencia, namely the City of Arts and Sciences. It is the most famous, modern and futuristic attraction of Valencia, a complex of interesting buildings built at the end of the Turia garden, each with its well-defined purpose: the Oceanographic, the Science Museum, the Hemispheric, the Palace of Arts.
The constructions were started in 1996, by the architect Santiago Calatrava, and the Hemisfericul was the first building inaugurated in 1998.
To visit the City of Arts and Sciences, you will need at least a few hours, but I recommend that you spend a whole day just here. We visited the Oceanographic and the Science Museum, and for these alone we needed 7 hours.
Oceanographic
The oceanographic is the most important sight in the complex, but also the largest aquarium in Europe, with a wide variety of marine species, including dolphins, sharks, sea cats, penguins, belugas or walruses. The park is divided into several zones, depending on the climate (Mediterranean, tropical, oceanic, etc.). In addition to marine life, we also met different types of exotic birds, such as flamingos.
The oceanographic is an excellent location to spend time and get to know so many species of marine life. Surely, children will be the most enchanted by this place.
A ticket to Oceanografic costs 38 euros/adult and 28 euros/child, but you can choose different combinations of tickets to benefit of certain discounts. For more information, check the price table above, or search on the official website: https://www.visitvalencia.com/ or GetYourGuide. I recommend you to buy your ticket online in advance, so that you can enter directly, without waiting in the queues at the ticket office.
Prince Felipe Science Museum
The Science Museum is housed in a building with a very interesting shape, which resembles the skeleton of a whale.
The Science Museum is an interactive museum, with many interesting exhibits and hands-on activities, covering various topics, such as anatomy, biology, energy, science or technology. It is a place where you can try various experiments, and from which you can learn quite a lot of new and interesting things, including as an adult.
A ticket to the Science Museum costs 8.7 euros/adult and 6.7 euros/children, but you can choose different combinations of tickets to benefit from certain discounts. For more information, check the price table above, or search on the official website: https://www.visitvalencia.com/ or GetYourGuide.
Hemispheric
Hemispheric is a building with a hemispherical shape, which seems to rise directly from the water. At night, photographed in the correct position, the building seems to have the shape of an eye. The building hosts a cinema with a huge screen, in which different films are projected, generally educational documentaries.
Queen Sofia Palace of Arts
Another interesting building is represented by the Palacee of Arts, a center of modern and contemporary art, dedicated to music and performing arts.
Day 3
We left the third day for shopping and walking around the city center. Unfortunately, having the plane in the first part of the day, we didn't have enough time to visit the Bioparc, another important attraction of Valencia.
Bioparc
If you have enough time, don't miss a visit to Bioparc, the well-known zoo from Valencia. It is a different type of zoological park, where the animals live in an environment as close as possible to their natural habitat. A wide variety of exotic animals can be found here, such as gorillas, elephants, tigers or hippopotamuses.
A ticket to Bioparc costs 26.9 euros/adult and 20 euros/child, but you can choose different combinations of tickets to benefit from certain discounts. For more information, check the price table above, or search on the official website: https://www.visitvalencia.com/ . I recommend you to buy your ticket online in advance, so that you can enter directly, without waiting in the queues at the ticket office.
Where to stay in Valencia
The accommodation options are numerous, but my recommendation is to find a more central accommodation, to be as close as possible to the main touristic attractions, shops and restaurants.
You can choose to book accommodation on Booking or Airbnb, depending on your needs, preferences or prices. We decided on this 5-bed apartment from Booking, located in a central area and with a decent price: Flats Friends Soho Suites (we were 4 travelers).
What to eat in Valencia
If you come to Valencia, don't miss Paella! It is the most famous culinary dish in Spain, made of rice and chicken or seafood. The most interesting aspect is that Paella originates from Valencia. If in the rest of the country we generally find Paella with seafood or chicken, Paella Valenciana is the original recipe, cooked with rabbit and chicken.
Also in Valencia, you have to go to the Central Mercado, the typical Spanish market where you will find various culinary dishes. Here you can try a sandwich with Jamon, the traditional ham of Spain.
In Valencia there are many places to eat, with dishes from local or international cuisine. Food prices are normally pretty decent.
Where to shop in Valencia
If you are in Valencia and you want a shopping session, Carrer de Colon is the boulevard where you have to go. It is the street in the city center with many well-known brand stores, where you can easily lose a few hours walking among them. Also here you will find El Corte Ingles, the famous chain of stores in Spain, spread over several floors, which offers a wide range of famous brands.
Valencia left a very good impression on us and I recommend it to anyone who wants to visit a lively, cheerful and cultural city. It is a suitable destination for any age and any time of the year!
