First call for visitor cites open!

La Lonja

Carrer de la Llotja, 2
This splendid building, a Unesco World Heritage site, was originally València’s silk and commodity exchange, built in the late 15th century when the city was booming. It’s one of Spain’s finest examples of a civil Gothic building. Two main structures flank a citrus-studded courtyard: the magnificent Sala de Contratación, a cathedral of commerce with soaring twisted pillars, and the Consulado del Mar, where a maritime tribunal sat. The top floor boasts a stunning coffered ceiling brought here from another building.

Mercado Central

Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges, s/n
mercadocentral.es
València’s vast Modernista covered market, constructed in 1928, is a swirl of smells, movement and colour. Spectacular seafood counters display cephalopods galore and numerous fish species, meat stalls groan under the weight of sausages and giant steaks, while the fruit and vegetables, many produced locally in València’s huerta (area of market gardens), are of special quality. A tapas bar lets you sip a wine and enjoy the atmosphere.

Torres de Quart

Plaça de Santa Úrsula, 1
Spain’s most magnificent city gate is quite a sight from the new town. You can clamber to the top of the 15th-century structure, which faces towards Madrid and the setting sun. Up high, notice the pockmarks caused by French cannonballs during the 19th-century Napoleonic invasion.

Torres de Serranos

Plaça dels Furs, s/n
Once the main exit to Barcelona and the north, the imposing 14th-century Torres de Serranos overlooks the former bed of the Río Turia. Together with the Torres de Quart, it is all that remains of València’s old city walls. Climb to the top for a great overview of the Barrio del Carmen and riverbed.

Plaza de la Virgen

Plaça de la Verge, s/n
Busy Plaza de la Virgen, ringed by cafes and imposing public buildings, was once the forum of Roman València. The reclining figure in its central fountain represents the Río Turia, while the eight maidens with their gushing pots symbolise the main irrigation canals flowing from it.

Centro del Carmen CCCC

Carrer del Museu, 2
consorcimuseus.gva.es/centro-del-carmen
Behind the church on the landmark Plaza del Carmen, this centre occupies the handsome Gothic cloister and rooms of the monastery that once backed it. It’s in a fairly severe Cistercian style and devoted to temporary exhibitions; there are usually several on at a time. It’s worth a visit for a stroll around the cloister alone.

Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas

Calle Poeta Querol, 2

culturaydeporte.gob.es/mnceramica

Quite a sight from outside, this immoderate palace has a pair of wonderfully extravagant rococo caryatids curling around the main entrance. The exterior also boasts flamboyant Modernista features. The interior offers further sumptuous delights in what is now the Museo Nacional de Cerámica.

Institut Valencià d’Art Modern IVAM

Carrer de Guillem de Castro, 118
ivam.es
This impressive gallery hosts excellent temporary exhibitions and owns a small but impressive collection of 20th-century Spanish art. The most reliably permanent exhibition on display is the Julio González collection. This Catalan sculptor (1876– 1942) lived in Paris and produced exquisite work with iron that influenced later artists such as David Smith and Eduardo Chillida.
The González collection was a major reason for the gallery’s creation and there are some great pieces here – the iron Masque d’adolescent is exquisite – and they are beautifully lit and displayed. Along with some classical nudes and busts in bronze, plaster, terracotta and stone, his offbeat iron forms are very much of his time and are sometimes reminiscent of the painted works of Picasso. The modest scale of González’ pieces prefigure more monumental works later in the 20th century. The gallery’s cafe makes a pleasant spot for a drink.

Barri del Carme

Centro del Carmen CCCC

Carrer del Museu, 2
consorcimuseus.gva.es/centro-del-carmen

Barri del Carme

Jardines del Turia

Stretching the length of Río Turia’s former course, this 9km-long lung of green is a fabulous mix of playing fields, cycling, jogging and walking paths, lawns and playgrounds. As it curves around the eastern part of the city, it’s also a pleasant way of getting around. See Lilliputian kids scrambling over a magnificent, ever-patient Gulliver south of the Palau de la Música.

Museo de Bellas Artes

Carrer de Sant Pius V, 9
museobellasartesvalencia.gva.es
Bright and spacious, this gallery ranks among Spain’s best. Highlights include a collection of magnificent late-medieval altarpieces, and works by several Spanish masters, including some great Goya portraits, a haunting Velázquez self-portrait, an El Greco John the Baptist and works by Murillos, Riberas and the Ribaltas, father and son. Downstairs, an excellent series of rooms focuses on the great, versatile Valencian painter Joaquín Sorolla (1863–1923), who, at his best, seemed to capture the spirit of an age through sensitive portraiture.

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias

Av. del Professor López Piñero, 7
cac.es
This aesthetically stunning complex occupies a massive 350,000-sq-metre swath of the old Turia riverbed. It’s occupied by a series of spectacular buildings that are mostly the work of world-famous, locally born architect Santiago Calatrava. The principal buildings are a majestic opera house, a science museum, a 3D cinema and an aquarium..
The promenades and pools around the buildings make for pleasant strolling and you can hire bikes, paddleboards and various other contraptions to enjoy them.

Bombas Gens

Av. de Burjassot, 54
bombasgens.com
This conversion of a handsome art deco factory that once made hydraulic pumps has created an intriguing space for modern art. There’s a particularly good photography collection, displayed to great advantage in the high-ceilinged spaces. The project, which receives no public funding, also has a cafeteria for underprivileged youths and holds the new restaurant of local master chef Ricard Camarena.

Playa de las Arenas

Stretching north from the marina, this is the beginning of València’s beach, the closest to the centre and the focal point of seaside life. Backed by hotels and rice restaurants, it’s a lively, busy strip that’s also a major zone for summer nightlife. The beach is over 100m wide, so there’s room to move even in high summer.

Playa de las Patacona

The northern stretch of València’s main beach has a quieter, more local scene, but still gets busy in summer. It’s backed by lovely traditional houses that have been converted into eateries, and there are also several appealing chiringuito (beach-bar) options on the sand. Like the rest of the strip, it’s a wide, flat stretch of beach with plenty of room to move even in peak season.

The Albufera natural park is only 10 kilometres from the city. It is a Mediterranean ecosystem with a combination of wild dune beaches, pine forests, rice fields and a huge freshwater lake. You don’t need a car to reach it, bus number 25 takes you straight there or you can take the Albufera Bus Turistic for a panoramic visit.
In order to learn more about the area’s biodiversity, take a boat ride on the lake’s calm water or take a bike ride or stroll along one of the six marked routes in the park. Paella was invented in this area, so why not try one? You can also discover other local culinary delights, such as all-i-pebre or llisa adobada.
We recommend you spend at least 6 hours on this visit in order to take a boat ride, discover a part of the park and try some of the local cuisine.

Russafa

Russafa

Russafa

Russafa

Russafa

Russafa

Russafa