View over the rooftops of Valencia from the top of the Miguelete tower
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Valencia in 2 days

  • 2 days
  • 5.4 km on foot
  • 17 stops
  • Audio guide

Two days is the right pace for Valencia: the first for the must-sees, the second for its history, with open afternoons to leave the old town for Calatrava's futuristic district and the sea. A plan for anyone who wants to see things without rushing, eat well and go home with more than a photo of the Silk Exchange.

Day 1Markets, towers and the future

Open the day with “The best of Valencia”, from the North Station to the basilica on Plaza de la Virgen, taking in the Central Market and the Miguelete. Have a relaxed paella for lunch. The afternoon is free and goes to modern Valencia: head down into the old Turia riverbed, now a garden, and keep going to the City of Arts and Sciences. Be back in the centre for “Secret Valencia”, which feels different at dusk, from the Cats' House to the Patriarca's dragon. Dinner is horchata with fartons in Santa Catalina.

  1. Morning

    The best of Valencia: from the orange station to the Geperudeta

    Mixed · 1.7 km · 1 h 40 min

    1. North Station (Estación del Norte)A railway station decorated with oranges and orange blossom that has been welcoming people to Valencia since 1917.
    2. Town Hall SquareThe square of the mascletàs stands on the site of a medieval convent and packs a century of architecture into a small space.
    3. Central MarketA modernista cathedral of iron, glass and ceramics devoted to food, crowned by a parrot and a swordfish.
    4. Plaza RedondaA perfect circle from 1840 hidden among narrow streets, on the site of the city's old slaughterhouse.
    5. The MigueleteThe cathedral's octagonal tower is as tall as its perimeter is long, and owes its name to a seven-tonne bell.
    6. Plaza de la Virgen and the Basilica of Our Lady of the ForsakenValencia's loveliest square revolves around the Geperudeta, the slightly stooping Virgin who protected the insane and orphans.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Paella valenciana at La Pepica. Passeig de Neptú, 6

  3. Afternoon

    Turia Gardens

    After the 1957 flood the river was diverted and its dry bed became a very long park around the centre. You can walk or cycle it between bridges and orange trees, and it is the most pleasant way to reach the City of Arts and Sciences.

    Directions

    City of Arts and Sciences

    Santiago Calatrava's futuristic complex, with the Hemisfèric, the Science Museum and the Palau de les Arts, floats on sheets of water. Just strolling around the outside is worth it; if you go in, the Oceanogràfic or the museum each take half a day, so pick one.

    Directions

  4. Early evening

    Secret Valencia: cats, grails and a dragon

    Mysteries & legends · 1.9 km · 1 h 35 min

    1. The Cats' HouseA miniature house at ground level, a plaque bearing the year 1094 and a legend that accuses El Cid of hating cats.
    2. The Cathedral and the Holy ChaliceInside this cathedral is kept a two-thousand-year-old stone cup that tradition identifies with the Holy Grail.
    3. The Patriarca and its dragonFor four centuries a stuffed caiman, which Valencians call “the dragon”, has hung at the entrance to this church.
    4. Palace of the Marqués de Dos AguasValencia's most extravagant doorway fuelled the legend that only a madman could have designed it.
    5. The Silk Exchange gargoylesTwenty-eight fifteenth-century gargoyles keep watch over the Silk Exchange, and many of them are anything but pious.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Horchata with fartons at Horchatería El Siglo. Plaza de Santa Catalina, 11

Day 2Walls and sea

Spend the morning on “Walls, silk and water”: start at the Serranos Towers, continue past the Palau de la Generalitat and L'Almoina, and finish at the Silk Exchange and the Quart Towers. Near Quart, La Pilareta is a good spot for clóchinas when they are in season. In the afternoon, change of scene: metro, tram or bus to El Cabanyal, the fishermen's quarter of tiled façades, then on to Malvarrosa beach to say goodbye to Valencia with the Mediterranean in front of you.

  1. Morning

    Walls, silk and water: two thousand years of Valencia

    History · 1.8 km · 1 h 40 min

    1. Serranos TowersValencia's great medieval gate has been a triumphal arch, a prison for knights and a refuge for the Prado's paintings.
    2. Palau de la GeneralitatA house bought in 1422 became the palace of the Valencian government, with two towers built almost four centuries apart.
    3. Apostles' Door and the Water TribunalIn front of this Gothic doorway, eight farmers dispense justice every Thursday without a single sheet of paper.
    4. L'Almoina, Roman ValenciaBeneath a sheet of water and glass lie the foundations of Valentia, the city founded in 138 BC.
    5. Silk Exchange (La Lonja)The temple of trade of fifteenth-century Valencia, with a hall of columns that looks like a forest of stone palm trees.
    6. Quart TowersThe western gate of the city walls still bears in its stone the wounds of the French artillery of 1808.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Clóchinas at La Pilareta (Bar Pilar). Carrer del Moro Zeid, 13

  3. Afternoon

    El Cabanyal

    A former fishing quarter by the port, with straight streets of low houses and façades covered in coloured tiles. It mixes long-established taverns like Casa Montaña, murals and real neighbourhood life. Wander without a plan, then drift down to the beach.

    Directions

    Malvarrosa Beach

    Valencia's city beach, wide and fine-sanded, with a promenade along the whole shoreline. Places such as La Pepica and Casa Carmela have been serving rice there for over a century. A good way to end the trip with your feet in the sand.

    Directions

The map

Valencia in 2 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed Mysteries & legends History Extra sight

Loading the map…

Before you go

Tips for Valencia in 2 days

  • Valencia is flat and has bike lanes across much of the city, including along the Turia. Rental bikes and the metro save you the long stretches to the City of Arts and Sciences and the beach.
  • Spring and autumn are the best seasons. In summer start early and keep the beach for the afternoon; in March, during the Fallas, streets are closed and it is very crowded, so allow extra time.
  • If you want to go inside the Oceanogràfic or the Science Museum, book ahead and don't put both on the same day. Remember that many museums close on Mondays.

Questions

Valencia in 2 days: your questions

Is 2 days enough to see Valencia?

Yes, it is just the right amount for the old town, the City of Arts and Sciences and a little beach time. With a third day you can add the Albufera and more museums without rushing.

How much walking is there in 2 days in Valencia?

The three routes add up to about 5.4 km, spread over the two days. On top of that come the Turia gardens, the City of Arts and Sciences and El Cabanyal; for the longer stretches the metro, tram or a bike will help.

Where should you stay for 2 days in Valencia?

In the old town or near the North Station: the routes start on foot from your door and the metro takes you to the rest. You save time and can pop back for a rest in the middle of the day.

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