Valencia Tours, Tickets & Things to Do
Discover the best Valencia tours, City of Arts and Sciences and Oceanogràfic tickets, old town and cathedral walks, authentic paella cooking classes, tapas tours, bike rides and Albufera boat trips. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Valencia itinerary.
Explore Valencia by interest
Whatever brings you to Valencia — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
City of Arts & Sciences
Calatrava’s futuristic white complex.
ExploreOld town & cathedral
The Holy Grail, Lonja and Central Market.
ExplorePaella cooking
Learn the dish in its birthplace.
ExploreTapas & food tours
The Central Market and horchata.
ExploreBike & Turia
Cycle the green riverbed park.
ExploreOceanogràfic
Europe’s largest aquarium.
ExploreAlbufera Park
Rice fields and sunset boat trips.
ExplorePeñíscola
A clifftop castle and walled town.
ExploreTop attractions in Valencia
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
City of Arts & Sciences
Calatrava’s futuristic white complex.
Cathedral & old town
The Holy Grail and the Miguelete.
Paella & Central Market
The birthplace of paella.
Oceanogràfic
Europe’s largest aquarium.
Turia Gardens
The green riverbed park to cycle.
Albufera Park
Rice fields and sunset boat trips.
Malvarrosa beach
The city beach and seafront paella.
Peñíscola
A clifftop castle and walled town.
Valencia in 1 day
- 1Old town & cathedral
- 2Central Market & paella
- 3City of Arts & Sciences
- 4Turia Gardens
Valencia in 2 days
- 1Day 1: old town & paella
- 2City of Arts
- 3Day 2: Oceanogràfic
- 4Albufera sunset
Valencia in 3 days
- 1Day 1: old town & paella
- 2Day 2: City of Arts & Oceanogràfic
- 3Day 3: Albufera or Peñíscola
- 4Beach evenings
Valencia with kids
- 1Oceanogràfic aquarium
- 2Science Museum
- 3Turia park & Gulliver
- 4Albufera boat trip
City of Arts & Sciences
- 1Oceanogràfic — Europe's largest aquarium
- 2Hemisfèric IMAX & Science Museum
- 3City of Arts tour by bike or Segway
- 4Sunset over the Turia Gardens
Paella & Food Experience
- 1Central Market tapas & horchata tasting
- 2Hands-on Valencian paella cooking class
- 3Albufera boat ride through rice fields
- 4Traditional paella lunch by the lake
30 min awayAlbufera Park
Rice fields and sunset boat trips.
1.5 hrs awayPeñíscola
A clifftop Templar castle and walled town.
40 min awaySan José Caves
Europe’s longest navigable underground river.
1.25 hrs awayMontanejos
Turquoise thermal pools and hiking.
1 hr awayXàtiva
A hilltop castle and historic town.
1 hr awayRequena wine
Vineyards and cava in the Utiel-Requena region.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Valencia visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Spring (April–June) and early autumn (September–October) bring warm, sunny weather — the best times to visit.
Las Fallas (March)
Valencia’s spectacular Fallas festival in March fills the streets with giant sculptures, fireworks and fire — incredible but very busy, so book ahead.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Warm, blossoming days ideal for the city, the gardens and the beach, with the sea warming by June.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Hot and sunny, great for the beach but warm for sightseeing; the City of Arts and Oceanogràfic offer cool respite.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Warm sea, golden light and thinner crowds — a lovely time for the city and coast.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Mild and quiet, with pleasant days for sightseeing and the lowest prices.
One day
Enough for the old town, paella and the City of Arts and Sciences.
Two days
Add the Oceanogràfic and an Albufera sunset boat trip.
Three days
The sweet spot: the city, the attractions, and a coastal day trip.
Four to five days
Add the beach, Peñíscola and the wine region.
A week or more
Use Valencia as a base for the Costa Blanca and inland Valencia.
Travelling with kids
Mix the Oceanogràfic, the Turia park and the beach at a gentle pace.
Bikes & e-bikes
Flat Valencia is one of Spain’s best cycling cities, with the car-free Turia Gardens and bike lanes linking the sights and beach.
On foot
The compact old town is easily walkable, with the cathedral, market and squares close together.
Metro & trams
The metro and tram reach the City of Arts, the beach and the airport; one ticket covers public transport.
Buses
City buses fill the gaps and reach the City of Arts and Sciences and the seafront.
Day-trip transport
Tours bundle transport for the Albufera and Peñíscola; trains and buses also serve the region.
From the airport
Valencia Airport links to the centre by metro (lines 3 and 5) in about 20–25 minutes.
Book the Oceanogràfic ahead
The Oceanogràfic and combined City of Arts tickets are best pre-booked, especially in summer and at weekends.
Eat paella at lunch
Valencians eat paella at lunchtime, not dinner; for the authentic dish, head to El Palmar by the Albufera or take a cooking class.
Plan around Las Fallas
During Las Fallas (mid-March), the city is spectacular but packed and noisy with fireworks — book far ahead or visit either side.
Currency & value
Spain uses the euro; Valencia is great value, with excellent, affordable food and free gardens.
Rent a bike
Cycling the Turia Gardens is the best way to see Valencia — flat, scenic and car-free from the old town to the beach.
Valencia Tourist Card
The tourist card includes free transport and attraction discounts — good value for a busy itinerary.
Oceanogràfic
Timed aquarium tickets sell out at peak times — book ahead.
Paella cooking classes
Popular small-group classes fill up — reserve early.
Albufera boat trips
Sunset boat trips have limited places — book ahead.
Peñíscola day trips
Coastal day trips fill up in summer — reserve early.
Food & tapas tours
Small-group tours have limited places — book ahead.
Las Fallas
Mid-March fills hotels and tours months ahead — plan early.
City of Arts & Sciences
Around €10–15 for the science museum, or €30–40 for the Oceanogràfic; combined tickets save money.
Paella cooking classes
Roughly €55–85 for a paella class with a market visit and sangría.
Old town & food tours
About €20–55 for a guided old town walk or a tapas food tour.
Bike tours
Around €25–40 for a guided bike or e-bike tour, or less to hire a bike.
Albufera & Peñíscola
About €30–60 for an Albufera trip or a Peñíscola day trip.
How to save
Cycle the free Turia Gardens, enjoy the free old town, and use the tourist card for transport and discounts.
Valencia through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Warm days and the spectacular Las Fallas festival.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Book ahead around mid-March Fallas.
- Best for
- Hot, sunny days for the beach.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Use indoor attractions to escape the midday heat.
- Best for
- Warm sea, golden light and thinner crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- A lovely time for the city and coast.
- Best for
- Mild, quiet days with the lowest prices.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Pleasant for sightseeing; pack a light layer.