Valencia, Spain
Valencia is known for beautiful weather, beaches, historic attractions, and delicious food. Below are the best places to see, eat, and stay!
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Things To Do
Visit Historic Valencia
The El Mercat and La Seu neighborhoods are home to the oldest parts of the city of Valencia, dating back to 138BC, when it was founded as a Roman colony. Is this area, you can tour the Plaza de la Virgen, Valencia Cathedral, Plaza de la Reina, and many other museums. If you love archaeology, you must visit the Almoina Archaeological Center, where you can see the original Roman baths and the first road leading into Valencia over 2000 years ago.
If you love to sample different foods and shop from local vendors, head south to the Mercat Central Valencia. Not only is the building beautiful itself, it contains 86,000 sq ft of vendors selling delicious local produce, meats, souvenirs, and contains some delicious restaurants.
Central Bar, located inside the Mercat, is a delicious tapas bar – the line may be long, but it’s worth the wait! I recommend the fried zucchini flowers, meatballs in curry sauce, roast chicken croquettes, and if you’re adventurous, the pig ears. And of course, the wine!
You can spend the rest of the day touring the beautiful streets of the Old Town. This is a great place to pick up some souvenirs and try some horchata and churros con chocolate.
Take A Stroll Down the Turia
The city of Valencia surrounds Turia Park, which was once the Turia River and was redirected in the 1950s. The Turia stretches from the northern suburbs and the Bioparc (a local zoo) down to the City of Arts and Sciences to the Marina.
Walking down Turia Park is an attraction unto itself, with children’s play areas (including Gulliver – a main attraction in Valencia with tons of slides for children to enjoy in the style of the infamous Gulliver’s Travels story), music venues, and more. You may also see events and festivals on your walk, as well as beautiful gardens.
You can also visit Serrano Towers, which were designed to be defensive structures at the city gates, built in 1392. If you choose to visit this free attraction (and you should!), you can climb the steps to the top of the towers and view how the army defended their city against outsiders.
Near the end of the Turia is the City of Arts and Sciences, which includes the Reina Sofia Palace of the Arts, Hemisferic (an IMAX theatre), Museo De Las Ciencias Principe Felipe (a Science Museum), and Oceanografic (an Aquarium). Not only are these buildings amazing and futuristic, they have also been used in the filming of several movies and tv shows – including recently in Star Wars!
If you are visiting with children, the Science Museum is a fun attraction for those that enjoy hands-on play.
The Oceanografic is the largest aquarium in Europe and includes Europe’s longest underwater tunnel, and you can see dolphins, penguins, sharks, seals, an aviary, jellyfish, and so much more. For an extra ambiance, I suggest lunch or dinner at the Submarine Restaurant where you can dine surrounded by 10,000 fish.
Of course, you can’t visit Valencia without visiting the beach along the Mediterranean Sea. Located just a short walk, taxi, or bus ride from your hotel are beautiful beaches such as Playa de la Malvarrosa and Playa del Cabanyal. Bring your towel and relax while enjoying a magnificent breeze, or enjoy a walk and the view along the palm-lined promenade. Grab a drink and tapas or bocadillos at one of the many restaurants lining the beach.
Where to Eat
Paella is a dish that was first cooked and made famous in Valencia, so you must try it on your visit! There are many amazing restaurants where you can find paella, with a website even dedicated to which restaurant is the best – wikipaella.org. My favorite is Racó del Turia located in the Gran Via neighborhood. Just make sure you reserve a table ahead of time.
Local Tip: While you may find many restaurants that feature paella, make sure you enjoy it when it’s cooked to order in a large paella pan.
Lunchtime is a great time to try restaurants when they feature their Menu del Dia – a 3 course meal featuring a starter, entre, and dessert or coffee, for a low price (usually between 10-20 Euros).
Of course you cannot visit Valencia without eating tapas. While tapas restaurants are not as prevalent in Valencia as they are in Madrid, you can still find tapas on most restaurant menus. You cannot go wrong with Patatas Bravas (fried potatoes with a spicy sauce).
Where to Stay
Hospes Palau de la Mar, which is a five-star hotel with a fantastic spa. Originally a 19th century mansion, this hotel is full of charm and energy, being located just 500 meters from the historic city center. Pets are welcome in this hotel and there is even a pool. And of course, you can receive Fora perks when you book with me!
Las Arenas Balneario Resort is located on the beach of Las Arenas and was built over 100 years ago as a grand spa hotel. The hotel boasts 3 swimming pools – a heated pool, outdoor pool, and kids pool. The spa features many different treatments, massages, facials, a hair salon, and much more. There are several restaurants onsite, but the hotel is also nearby to the seafront promenade which boasts many shops and restaurants to sample the local cuisine.
Only YOU Valencia is a five star hotel located in the historic city center near the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, and just 500 meters away from the Cathedral of Valencia. Some differentiating features of this hotel are that inside there is a florist, tailor shop, and multiple restaurants (get a reservation for SLVJ Valencia even if you do not stay at this hotel – the sushi is delicious!).
No matter how long your trip to Valencia, there are so many wonderful things to do and see. ¡Hasta Pronto!
