Recommended Things To Do In Valencia: Beach Days, Nightlife & Cuisine

Overlooking the Mediterranean from gold-tinted beaches and medieval watchtowers, Valencia is Spain's third-biggest city and perhaps its most surprising. While the Old Town is packed with things to do in Valencia's central labyrinth of historical churches, palaces and marketplaces, outer neighbourhoods reveal more layers to the city's appeal. Green rings, lively student quarters, cutting-edge architecture and cultural curiosities await the urban explorer, while surrounding countryside welcomes the adventurous day-tripper. At the core of it all is the food – not just the world-famous paella but all those other distinctly Valencian dishes and drinks.
 

The word Valenciano encompasses the city and its citizens, but also the surrounding region, the native gastronomy and even the local language, which is much closer to Catalan than to Castilian Spanish (the latter is now spoken as standard). Residents might also tell you that Valencia has its very own state of mind. To enter that spirit, get to know the place one barrio at a time, moving outward from the centre and inland from the sea.

Valencia's historic core was built up over more than 2,000 years by successive civilisations. Wandering the narrow streets of central neighbourhoods El Carmen, La Seu and La Xerea, you'll see traces of those very different influences, from ruined Roman baths to the grand designs that made this town a Renaissance powerhouse of art, trade and architecture. The city's main commercial hubs are here too, with busy shopping streets through Sant Francesc and El Mercat.

• Climb El Miguelete: Valencia Cathedral is a spectacular 13th-century landmark packed with Renaissance paintings and religious relics. Inside you can see the chalice that many believe to be the original Holy Grail, and the preserved arm of Saint Vincent the Martyr. But for the full cathedral experience, climb the bell tower known as El Miguelete, where 207 steps lead up a winding spiral staircase to glorious views from more than 50 metres over the city. Bell tower open 10am-6:45pm, admission €3
  
  
• Walk the former city walls: Valencia's medieval walls are now mostly destroyed, but the Torres de Serranos still stand. Built as a defensive gate in the 14th century, these sturdy polygonal towers were later used as a prison, and a safehouse for artistic treasures during the Spanish Civil War. Climb the upper terraces for another fine lookout point over the city. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-7pm, Sundays and holidays 10am-2pm, admission €2
  
  
• Take a break beneath the orange trees: La Lonja de la Seda (The Silk Exchange) is a magnificent Gothic trading hall complete with a star-shaped vault, intricate helical columns and sculptural, mythical animals. A favourite thing to do in Valencia is take a calming break in the courtyard, shaded and fragranced by the city's signature orange trees. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-7pm, Sundays and holidays 10am-2pm, admission €2
  
  
• Combine tapas trawl and shopping spree: The city's Central Market is a marvel of Valencian Modernism, a bold architectural style of the early 20th century that fused metal and glass into a temple for everyday food shopping. Amid the stalls you can browse for fresh fruit, stop for tapas or sandwiches at the Central Bar run by masterchef Ricard Camarena, and pick up local souvenirs from ham and wines to ceramics and paella pans. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30am-3pm, closed Sundays

More of that wonderful Valencian Modernism is displayed across elegant façades in Ruzafa, El Pla del Remei and Gran Vía, a suite of 19th-century neighbourhoods just outside the Old Town. Many high-end shops and gourmet restaurants are clustered in this area, and the revitalised quarter of Ruzafa is particularly known for the boho-chic feel of its art scene and nightlife.

• Browse the boutiques: Valencia has all the big-name Spanish brands and international chain stores, but this district is also great for one-off indie shops for books, crafts, records, artwork and vintage clothes. Essential stops include Anita F for women's fashions (Carrer del Literat Azorín 14), Paranoid for custom T-shirts (Carrer de Sevilla 7) and GNOMO for designer gifts by local artisans (Carrer de Cuba 32).
  
  
• Eat and drink al fresco: Many of Valencia's coolest cafés and bistros are packed into this district, and most have terraces where you can admire the architecture and soak up the atmosphere. Enjoy quality coffee and light bites on the pavement patio of Ubik Café (Carrer del Literat Azorín 13) before heading inside for a live music session or author event, and try La Salita de Begoña (Carrer de Pere III el Gran 11) for Mediterranean fine dining on the garden patio of a vintage townhouse.
  
  
• Stay out very late: At least one big night out is a compulsory thing to do in Valencia, and some of the best bars and nightclubs are within a few streets of each other. Start with craft beer at Olhöps (Carrer de Suecia 21), move on to cocktails at Café Berlin (Carrer de Cadis 22-24) and dance until daybreak at Play Club (Carrer de Cuba 8, weekends only).

The eastern edge of Valencia follows a walkable, bikeable maritime promenade from the old fishing port of El Cabanyal to beachfront neighbourhoods La Malva-rosa and Las Arenas. Much of the city's culture, and especially its gastronomy, is drawn from those districts closest to the Mediterranean.

• Discover the fisherman's quarter: El Cabanyal-Canyamelar is a labyrinth of mariner's huts with traditional tiled frontages. Within those passageways you'll find the busy Mercado Municipal del Cabañal (Carrer Martí Grajales 4) with its jumble of stalls selling everything from fresh seafood to deli meats and olives, perfect for a lunchtime picnic.
  
  
• Hit the urban beaches: A linked sequence of long, broad beaches extends north from the port. Sheer accessibility on foot or by bike makes them very busy in summer, with plenty of watersports and resort facilities. Playa de Malvarrosa is further out and slightly quieter than Playa Las Arenas, and beyond Malvarrosa Beach is the even more relaxed Playa Patacona.
  
  
• Feast on seafood: Eating outside in a fresh sea breeze is one of best things to do in Valencia, whether at a casual beach bar known as a chiringuito or a fancier beach club restaurant close to the marina. El Trompo (Paseo Maritimo de la Malvarrosa, Modulo 10) falls somewhere between the two as a famous spot on the promenade for rice and noodle dishes with local squid and shellfish.

Around the northeastern rim of the city centre, the 10-km green belt formed by the Turia Garden passes close to a string of low-key residential neighbourhoods – El Botànic, La Roqueta, La Petxina and Arrancapins – and leads out to the Quatre Carreres district, where you'll find an extraordinary complex of sci-fi architecture and cultural spaces at The City of Arts and Sciences. Looking for an affordable hotel nearby? Located right beside the vast Alfafar shopping and leisure complex, ibis Valencia Alfafar offers quick and easy road access to The City of Arts and Sciences as well as the beaches and paella restaurants of El Saler.

• See the bridges by bicycle: The Turia Garden forms a series of green spaces that fill a dried-out riverbed with grassy banks and palm-shaded paths. A leisurely bike ride takes you under the 18 bridges that span the former waterway. Most photogenic is the Puente del Reino, with its striking deployment of gargoyles.
  
  
• Explore the City of Arts and Sciences: You could spend a day or more navigating this futuristic skyline designed by Santiago Calatrava. The complex ranges across several major attractions with plenty of things to do, including Valencia's world-class aquarium, an eye-shaped entertainment centre with a planetarium, and a high-tech concert hall. Open daily 10am-7pm. Admission €9.90
  
  
• Tour the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (IVAM): From Andy Warhol to Joan Miró, the greatest names in the last century of Spanish and international art are represented at this dynamic museum. Open daily 10am-7pm, closed Monday. Admission €5, free Wednesday 4pm-7pm and all Sunday

There's no shortage of things to do in Valencia's northeast neighbourhoods, though most of them have to do with food, drink and live entertainment rather than sightseeing attractions. From tapas on a terrace to poetry slams in basement cafés, this area adds immense hangout value to a venture just outside the city centre.

• Join "The Glop": After dark, the young residents of Benimaclet bar-hop in a manner that has its own name – to glop means to sip, gulp, or take a quick drink. Start from Plaza de Benimaclet and follow the buzz between venues decorated with street art and cool counter-culture posters. Thursday is "uni night" and things get very busy.
  
  
• Enjoy horchata in the huerta: This district is the gateway to the huerta, or farmlands, at the edge of Valencia. From here you can walk or cycle right out of town on the Vía Xurra path, which follows an old rail line through fields of chufa, or tiger nuts. These roots are mixed with milk and ice to make horchata, a refreshing summer drink that Valencianos adore and tastes freshest close to the farms at Horchatería Daniel (Avenida de l'Orxata, 41)

The Mediterranean coast stretches out on either side of the city, while the interior rises to multiple mountain peaks. A day trip deeper into the Valencian region can show you another side of Spain altogether.

• Take a sunset boat ride in Albufera Natural Park: A short drive south of the city, this famous wetland reserve is said to be the birthplace of paella. After a long lunch, take a dusk cruise across the shallow lagoon into marshes that host beautiful migrating birds.
  
  
• Conquer hilltop fortresses: To the south of Valencia, Xàtiva's mighty castle was built between two mountain peaks over more than a millennium by early Iberians, Romans, Moors and Christians. Just north of town, Sagunto features its own mountain stronghold and the remains of a Roman amphitheatre. Further north is Peñíscola, where the Knights Templar built an otherworldly fort that recently appeared in TV's Game of Thrones.
  
  
• Take a thermal bath at Montanejos: About 90 minutes' drive inland, you can swim through natural hot springs at this restful mountain village, where the crystal waters of Fuente de los Baños run through a spectacular gorge at a constant year-round temperature of 25°C.

With its rich history, urban beaches and world-renowned festivities, Valencia offers so many things to do that you'll need multiple visits! Looking for more Spain inspo? Check out our handy city guides to Madrid and Barcelona.