Best things to do and see in Valencia

There are cities that have had charm for many years and others that, in addition to having it, do everything possible to continue to increase their attractiveness. In this second group of cities is Valencia, with a wide range of old and modern neighborhoods, museums of all kinds, a unique historical and architectural wealth, unique festivals with lots of life in the streets and a cuisine that is claimed and recognized around the world.

The modern charm of the City of Arts and Sciences

Designed by the famous Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava, the City of Arts and Sciences is today a fundamental icon for the city of Valencia. It is a huge complex of buildings dedicated to cultural and scientific leisure, perfect for a visit with friends or family, which was built within a radius of 2 km in the old Turia riverbed. As there are many things to see and of different kinds, the ideal is to reserve a whole day to visit it, starting with the exteriors and facades of all its buildings, its roads and bridges, and its many fountains. Then you can visit the Hemisfèric, the Palau de les Artes, the Museu de les Ciències and the Oceanogràfic, three places worth visiting, paying the corresponding entrance fees. You can buy them separately or through different packs and promotions.

The best Gothic in The Cathedral and the Holy Chalice

The Cathedral of Valencia has two invaluable treasures in its interior. On the one hand, the Holy Chalice, the supposed cup from which Jesus Christ drank at the famous Last Supper. Many archaeologists and researchers agree that it could be a finely polished agate cup. On the other hand, it has one of the largest collections of Spanish Renaissance paintings in the world and canvases by Goya in its museum. All these facts make the visit unavoidable, in addition to its Gothic architectural charm, with remains of elements of the old Romanesque and Baroque site on which it was built.

Enjoy the best paellas and rice dishes in Spain.

There is no doubt that Valencia has the best rice dishes and the most authentic paellas. It is a reputation that the city and its surroundings have earned with the passing of decades and recipes, which have been passed down from generation to generation and are today one of its greatest assets. Lobster paella, lobster paella, lobster rice, rock fish rice, Valencian chicken and rabbit paella, baked rice, arroz a banda and many other local varieties to eat in the traditional way: the paella in the center and one spoon per person to enjoy with friends, family or lovers. The best restaurants are located in the area of La Marina, Malvarrosa Beach and other neighborhoods near the coast, although there are also excellent restaurants in El Carmen.

Medieval atmosphere in the Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange)

It is one of the most famous buildings in the city, in Gothic style and declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. Located in the center of the city, in front of the Central Market, it covers a rectangular area of about 1990 square meters, with three distinct bodies: a garden with orange trees, a columned hall with the Taula or Table where commercial transactions took place during the Middle Ages and a chapel dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. For many years, the Lonja also functioned as a jail for merchants who owed money and were late with their payments. General admission is 2 €.

Wildlife at Bioparc

It is a very innovative zoological park, with wild animals that live practically without barriers and with effective security measures to make the walk for tourists pleasant and without any inconvenience. It has an area of 100,000 square meters on the old Turia riverbed and operates under the concept of zoo-immersion, which means respecting one hundred percent the habitat of the animals and not adapting it to the needs of visitors. What can be seen at Bioparc? Rhinos, elephants, gorillas, leopards, lemurs, hyenas, giraffes, lions, porcupines, ostriches and much more. All species are protected and preserved from extinction by highly trained personnel. General admission (from 13 to 64 years old) is 26,90 €; reduced admission for 4 to 12 years old is 21 € and for over 65 years old is 20,60 €. Children under 4 years old are free.

Valencia in Fallas

The major festivities of the city of Valencia are an event awaited by all Valencian women and men and also by many tourists from Spain and the whole world. They are celebrated in March and are dedicated to the patron saint of carpenters, Saint Joseph. In the past, it was the members of this guild who took the old junk to the street and made a bonfire with it all on the eve of the Saint’s day, March 19. Today the Fallas are a mega-show of giant puppets and fireworks, lights and lots of firecrackers with festivities, music, drinks and food. And thousands and thousands of people in the streets of all the neighborhoods of the city. If you go to Valencia in March, we recommend that you make your visit coincide with the Fallas and that you book flights and hotels well in advance, because there is overbooking for these dates.

Experience soccer with a tour of the Mestalla

The Mestalla stadium is the home stadium of Valencia CF and owes its name to an irrigation ditch that used to be in the area. With its recent remodeling, it has become one of the most modern stadiums in Spanish soccer, but it preserves its history and memories intact. If you are passionate about soccer, you can’t miss a tour of its facilities, press room, players’ locker room, stands and much more. General admission costs 6,90 € and includes a guided tour. And if your vacation in Valencia coincides with a soccer match, you can’t miss it.

Night visit to the Valencian “Sistine Chapel”.

The church-museum of St. Nicholas is known by that name because of the detail of its dome, reminiscent of the work of the great Michelangelo in the Vatican. Since it was restored, in 2016, it is the most visited building in the city and has expanded its offer for night visits, a moment when the light and the atmosphere acquire a unique mysticism, which make it magical. The church has had different periods of construction and extensions, so that, as a whole, it represents a good catalog of the different architectural styles between the years 1200 and 1700. The general price of the night visit is 8 €.

A unique site in the world: the Fallero Museum

If you do not visit Valencia during the Fallas season, there is no problem because its spirit is present all year round and in its maximum expression in the Fallas Museum, which is located in the city of Valencia. tells the history and secrets of this celebrationdeclared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco in 2016. The Fallas figures that are saved from the flames every year thanks to popular vote (the so-called “ninots indultats”) are exhibited and there are detailed explanations of how these figures are built and what symbolism they represent. There is also a wide variety of photographs, videos, posters and much more. General admission is 2 €.

A stroll through the Cabanyal

The Cabanyal neighborhood is one of the most picturesque and authentic that can be found in Valencia. It is an old fishermen’s area that still maintains the charm of its very characteristic facades, full of colorful tiles. It has recently become very fashionable and has regained vitality and color lost after years of neglect and decay. It has many cultural venues and great tapas bars, as well as a good assortment of modernist buildings, the Lonja de Pescadores, the Grao Market and the spectacular Ice Factory which, in the evenings, usually hosts a food-trucks fair.

A horchata at the Plaza de la Reina

The quintessential drink of Valencia is horchata, a refreshing white, milky, non-alcoholic liquid obtained from the tiger nut, a dried fruit similar to almonds. And the most famous horchatería in the city is Santa Catalina, in the Plaza de la Reina and with 200 years of history. There they serve the drink according to their traditional recipe and it is ideal for a refreshing break with fartons, the typical pastries of the city, very soft and fluffy. A glass of horchata costs 2,50 €.