UltimateCity Guide Valencia
Our favourites
The Hemisfèric, the Palau de les Arts and the Science Museum around the long pool of the City of Arts and Sciences at dusk The Hemisfèric, the Palau de les Arts and the Science Museum around the long pool of the City of Arts and Sciences at dusk The spiralling columns and star vaults of the trading hall of La Lonja de la Seda The painted glass dome of the Mercado Central, seen from below Sunset over the Albufera lagoon from the bow of a traditional wooden boat

The city guide to Valencia, Spain

Best of Valencia

Calatrava’s white buildings at the end of a nine-kilometre garden, a Gothic silk exchange, paella cooked over wood by the sea and the fire of Las Fallas: Valencia, checked place by place.

Where to eatWhat to see
A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels, après and ski schools, resort by resort

Your trusted, one‑stop guide to Valencia

Valencia grew around its cathedral and the Gothic Lonja, inside walls whose great gates still stand. When the River Turia was moved away, its old bed became a garden that runs right through the city to the City of Arts and Sciences, and on to the old port and the beaches. Here are the hotels and the 2026 MICHELIN stars, the paella houses and the markets, the museums, Las Fallas and day trips to the Albufera, Sagunto, Xàtiva, Dénia and Jávea, and Requena. We’ve checked every listing against the venue’s own website or an official source, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero

New in the old town

A palace full of contemporary art

Ciutat Vella·Contemporary art

The Palacio Valeriola on Calle del Mar reopened in November 2023 as the Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero, with more than a hundred works from Miró and Tàpies to Anish Kapoor and Anselm Kiefer. Book on cahh.es.

Plan your visit

Valencia by neighbourhood

From the old town to the sea: each area has its own guide.

The spiralling columns and star vaults of the trading hall of La Lonja de la SedaNeighbourhood guideCiutat Vella & El CarmenThe cathedral, the Lonja and the marketThe iron arches and glass roof inside the Mercado de ColónNeighbourhood guideEixample & RuzafaModernist markets and new restaurantsThe Hemisfèric, the Palau de les Arts and the Science Museum around the long pool of the City of Arts and Sciences at duskNeighbourhood guideCity of Arts and SciencesCalatrava and CandelaClipped hedges and cypresses in the Turia Garden, with the Palau de les Arts in the distanceNeighbourhood guideThe Turia GardenNine kilometres of gardensThe pool and palms of the Hotel Las Arenas Balneario Resort at nightNeighbourhood guideEl Cabanyal & MalvarrosaTiled houses and paella by the seaThe white decks of Veles e Vents in La Marina de ValènciaNeighbourhood guideLa MarinaThe old port

Plan your trip

The practical things to know before you go.

The Romanesque Palau doorway of Valencia CathedralBefore you goValencia essentialsEntry, money, Fallas and getting aroundA painted ninot of a falla, seen through a frame of festival lightsFestivalLas Fallas15–19 MarchThe Hemisfèric, the Palau de les Arts and the Science Museum around the long pool of the City of Arts and Sciences at duskItineraryThree days in ValenciaThe classic first visitThe pool and palms of the Hotel Las Arenas Balneario Resort at nightLuxury guideLuxury ValenciaThe finest addresses

Beyond Valencia

The rice lagoon, two castle towns, the Costa Blanca and wine country.

Sunset over the Albufera lagoon from the bow of a traditional wooden boatBeyond ValenciaLa Albufera & El PalmarThe rice lagoon at sunsetSagunto castle on its ridge, above the restored Roman theatreBeyond ValenciaSaguntoA castle and a Roman theatreXàtiva and its collegiate church seen from the castleBeyond ValenciaXàtivaA castle above the townDénia’s castle lit above the harbour at nightBeyond ValenciaDénia & JáveaHarbours and great kitchensThe tasting room of a winery in Requena, with stone walls and bottles of the house winesBeyond ValenciaRequenaA walled town among vineyards

In depth: Valencia’s back stories

Calatrava and Candela, paella, the hotels, trains and ferries, and where to buy.

The white arches and palms of the Umbracle walkway at the City of Arts and SciencesThe back storyCalatrava, Candela and the old riverHow a river became a gardenA paella valenciana with chicken, rabbit and beans, in the panThe back storyEating in ValenciaPaella and the 2026 starsThe white façade of The Westin Valencia on Amadeo de SaboyaThe back storyWhere to stayPalaces, the Turia, the beachThe ornate façade of the Estació del NordThe back storyBy train and ferryMadrid and the islandsThe iron arches and glass roof inside the Mercado de ColónThe back storyBuying in ValenciaNeighbourhoods and rulesThe spiralling columns and star vaults of the trading hall of La Lonja de la SedaFun factsValencia fun factsThings you might not know

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightSpainULTIMATE AndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.Visit the guide The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.Visit the guide The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open seaSpainULTIMATE Balearic IslandsMallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera side by side, and how to hop between them by ferry.Visit the guide The Sagrada Família lit up at nightSpainULTIMATE BarcelonaGaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four Three-Star MICHELIN kitchens, the beaches and day trips to Montserrat and Girona.Visit the guide Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunsetSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegroships & regions)ULTIMATE Cruises (linesThe world’s cruise lines for every budget, from family resort ships to yachts, expedition ships and river boats, with the cruising regions port by port.Visit the guide Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es VedràSpainULTIMATE FormenteraThe white sands of Ses Illetes, the lighthouses of La Mola and Barbaria, the craft markets and an island made for bikes.Visit the guide The Baie des Anges, NiceFranceULTIMATE French RivieraNice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez and Cassis: palace hotels, three-star tables, beach clubs, the Festival de Cannes and the painters’ coast.Visit the guide Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini calderaGreeceULTIMATE Greek IslandsIsland hopping made easy: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and the Cyclades, plus Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, with ferries, beaches, hotels and tavernas.Visit the guide Helsinki Cathedral above the South HarbourFinlandULTIMATE HelsinkiSuomenlinna and the South Harbour, saunas by the sea, Aalto and the Design District, two-starred Palace and day trips to Porvoo and Tallinn.Visit the guide The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sunSpainULTIMATE IbizaDalt Vila’s UNESCO walls, Es Vedrà, three MICHELIN-starred kitchens, the beach clubs and the quiet north, 30 minutes from Formentera.Visit the guide Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening lightTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behindSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the ThamesUnited KingdomULTIMATE LondonRoyal palaces and the Thames, great museums, West End theatre, grand hotels, and the restaurants and bars of Soho, Mayfair and the City.Visit the guide The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran VíaSpainULTIMATE MadridThe Prado and El Retiro, the Royal Palace, DiverXO’s three stars and cocido since 1870, with day trips to Toledo and Segovia.Visit the guide La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la MarSpainULTIMATE MallorcaPalma’s cathedral and palace hotels, the UNESCO Tramuntana, Deià and Sóller, nine MICHELIN-starred kitchens, and Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.Visit the guide Yachts in Puerto BanúsSpainULTIMATE MarbellaWhitewashed lanes and orange trees in the Old Town, the yachts of Puerto Banús, beach clubs on the Golden Mile and day trips to Ronda and Gibraltar.Visit the guide Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, MenorcaSpainULTIMATE MenorcaA UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: the coves of Macarella and Turqueta, World Heritage Talayotic sites, Ciutadella and Maó’s great harbour.Visit the guide Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountainsOur sister guideULTIMATE MonacoThe Casino and Monte-Carlo’s palace hotels, the Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Matterhorn in winter above ZermattOur sister guideULTIMATE Ski Resorts (Europe & North America)Ski resorts in Europe and North America, country by country, for every budget: season dates, hotels, mountain restaurants, après, ski schools and getting there.Visit the guide The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at nightNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening skyBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue skyAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’OrciaItalyULTIMATE TuscanyFlorence, Chianti, Siena, the Val d’Orcia, Pisa and Lucca, Versilia, Bolgheri, the Maremma, Arezzo and Elba.Visit the guide St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper TownCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coastUSAULTIMATE CaliforniaSan Francisco, Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe and the national parks.Visit the guide A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key WestUSAULTIMATE FloridaOrlando and the theme parks, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, St. Augustine and Scenic Highway 30A.Visit the guide The Las Vegas Strip at duskNevadaULTIMATE Las VegasThe Strip and its shows, MICHELIN dining, Sphere and Fremont Street’s neon, with Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon beyond.Visit the guide Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel MountainsCaliforniaULTIMATE Los AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.Visit the guide Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami BeachFloridaULTIMATE MiamiSouth Beach and the Art Deco district, Wynwood’s murals, the Design District, Little Havana’s cafecito and the beaches of Key Biscayne.Visit the guide Sunset at the Naples PierFloridaULTIMATE NaplesWhite-sand beaches and sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, Fifth Avenue’s terraces, grand beach resorts and golf, with the Everglades and Marco Island close by.Visit the guide The New York City skyline from Top of the RockNew YorkULTIMATE New YorkManhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the Met, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.Visit the guide The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery SpencerCaliforniaULTIMATE San FranciscoCable cars over Nob Hill, North Beach cafés, the murals of the Mission, three-star tables and the Golden Gate Bridge.Visit the guide The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the BahamasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide The Grand Palace reflected at dawnThailandULTIMATE BangkokThe Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.Visit the guide Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakOur sister guideULTIMATE Hong KongThe harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry, Cantonese dining rooms with MICHELIN stars, dim sum in the lanes of Central and the museums of West Kowloon.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourIndiaULTIMATE MumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.Visit the guide The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu RiverChinaULTIMATE ShanghaiThe grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.Visit the guide A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, KandyOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourUnited Arab EmiratesULTIMATE DubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: visitors and locals talking about Valencia, its restaurants, theatres, museums and neighbourhoods.

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    Palau de les Arts

    This week's pick

    Palau de les Arts

    City of Arts and Sciences·Opera house

    Les Arts stages Handel’s Riccardo Primo with Les Arts Florissants on Sunday 25 October, then Tomás Bretón’s zarzuela La Verbena de la Paloma from 4 to 8 November, and the Michel Camilo Trio on 6 November (lesarts.com).

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    The Hemisfèric, the Palau de les Arts and the Science Museum around the long pool of the City of Arts and Sciences at duskItineraryThree days in ValenciaThree daysThe spiralling columns and star vaults of the trading hall of La Lonja de la SedaItineraryGothic Valencia in a dayOne day, on footCalatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its pool, with the Science Museum behindItineraryA day at the City of Arts and SciencesOne dayThe iron arches and glass roof inside the Mercado de ColónItineraryA property viewing day: the Eixample and the seaOne daySunset over the Albufera lagoon from the bow of a traditional wooden boatItineraryA day in the AlbuferaOne day

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1Eating in Valencia: the back storyCiutat Vella · In depth
    2. 2Ricard Camarena RestaurantBombas Gens · Creative
    3. 3Flores RarasCiutat Vella · Creative
    See all 17

    Cafés

    1. 1Horchatería de Santa CatalinaCiutat Vella · Horchatería
    2. 2Horchatería DanielAlboraya · Horchatería
    3. 3Café de las HorasEl Carmen · Café-bar
    See all 6

    Bars

    1. 1Atenea SkyCiutat Vella · Rooftop
    2. 2Àtic, Palau AlamedaAlameda · Rooftop
    3. 3Lladró Lounge BarCiutat Vella · Hotel bar
    See all 8

    Hotels

    1. 1Where to stay in Valencia: the back storyCiutat Vella · In depth
    2. 2The Westin ValenciaAlameda · Grand hotel
    3. 3Hotel Las Arenas Balneario ResortLas Arenas · Beach hotel
    See all 20

    Sights

    1. 1Calatrava, Candela and the old river: the back storyCity of Arts and Sciences · In depth
    2. 2City of Arts and SciencesCity of Arts and Sciences · Architecture and museums
    3. 3OceanogràficCity of Arts and Sciences · Aquarium
    See all 15

    Art & Culture

    1. 1Museu de Belles Arts de ValènciaJardines del Real · Fine arts
    2. 2Centro de Arte Hortensia HerreroCiutat Vella · Contemporary art
    3. 3IVAMEl Carmen · Modern art
    See all 10

    Parks & Beaches

    1. 1Jardín del TuriaTuria · Garden
    2. 2Jardí BotànicCiutat Vella · Botanical garden
    3. 3Jardines del Real (Viveros)Turia · Garden
    See all 8

    Walks

    1. 1Ciutat Vella: gates, Gothic and the marketCiutat Vella · Town walk
    2. 2The Eixample and Ruzafa: modernisme and marketsEixample · Town walk
    3. 3The Turia Garden end to endTuria · Garden walk or ride
    See all 5

    Shopping

    1. 1Calle de la Paz and Poeta QuerolCiutat Vella · Luxury shopping
    2. 2Lladró Boutique ValènciaCiutat Vella · Porcelain
    3. 3Calle Colón, Sorní and Jorge JuanEixample · Shopping streets
    See all 11

    Health

    1. 1Emergencies: call 112Valencia · Emergency number
    2. 2Duty pharmacies (MICOF)Valencia · Pharmacies
    3. 3Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La FeMalilla · Public hospital
    See all 9

    Real Estate

    1. 1Buying in Valencia: the back storyEixample · In depth
    2. 2Lucas Fox ValenciaValencia · Estate agent
    3. 3Engel & Völkers ValenciaValencia · Estate agent
    See all 6

    Developments

    1. 1Roig ArenaQuatre Carreres · Indoor arena
    2. 2Nuevo MestallaBenicalap · Stadium
    3. 3Centro de Arte Hortensia HerreroCiutat Vella · Art centre
    See all 6

    Motoring

    1. 1Radio Taxi ValenciaValencia · Taxis
    2. 2Tele Taxi ValenciaValencia · Taxis
    3. 3Circuit Ricardo TormoCheste · Motor-racing circuit
    See all 5

    Getting Around

    1. 1Valencia by train and ferry: the back storyValencia · In depth
    2. 2Valencia Airport (VLC)Manises · Airport
    3. 3MetrovalenciaValencia · Metro and tram
    See all 7

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