A plan for Valencia

Valentia Edetanorum was established as a Roman colony in the second century BCE. In the early 8th century CE the Moors invaded, and Balansiyya became the capital of the Muslim Taifa of Valencia, thriving as a trading centre for paper, silk, ceramics, glass, and silver. With a brief interlude of Christian control in the 11th century under El Cid, the city remained in Muslim hands until the Christian Reconquista led by King Jaume I of Aragon in 1238, and was incorporated as a kingdom under the Crown of Aragon.

Valencia experienced its golden age in the 15th century, with a growing population and flowering of Valencian culture and the arts. Significant monuments from this period include the cathedral’s Micalet, the UNESCO-listed Llotja de la Seda, and the Torres dels Serrans (Serrano Tower). During this period it became one of the most influential cities of the Mediterranean, and helped to fund Christopher Columbus's first voyages to the Americas.

In 1609 the Spanish government ordered the expulsion of all Jews and Moriscos (Muslim descendants) from the kingdom to north Africa. The latter made up about a third of the population of Valencia and the surrounding region, and their forced removal brought about a major economic downturn, and in some nearby communities, economic collapse. It was more than a century before the city began to recover.

Valencia was the capital of Republican Spain from 1936 to 1939, and during the Spanish Civil War sustained heavy bombardment by Franco’s forces, both by air and sea. Franco retaliated for Valencia’s Republican past with cultural and ideological repression, and banned the use of the Catalan/Valencian language throughout all the territories. In 1957 the Túria River overflowed its banks leading to catastrophic flooding of the old city centre with more than 80 dead. The river was consequently diverted to the south of the city, but it was not until the return of democracy that the original abandoned riverbed was finally converted into a park – now one of the city’s most outstanding features.

Monuments and architecture

1 Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias / City of Arts and Science), Av Autopista del Saler, 5 (take metro to Ciutat Arts i Ciències - Justícia 10 ), ☏ +34 90 210 0031. Call centre: Mon-Fri 09:00-20:00, Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 10:00-15:00. This ultra-modern architectural complex on the former Turia riverbed was designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava and Spanish-Mexican architect Félix Candela. If you don't want to pay the steep admission charges to the individual sights, you can wander around the complex and appreciate the architecture from outside for free. Combined admission for all sights (mid season): €46.40 (adults), €36.30 (reduced); valid for 3 days, however the same venue cannot be visited twice. You can buy day tickets for individual sections, see below.. (updated Mar 2025)

2 El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe (Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe / Príncipe Felipe Science Museum). Winter Mon-Thu 10:00-18:00, Fri Sat 10:00-19:00; spring/fall and Christmas season daily 10:00-19:00; summer daily 10:00-21:00. A science museum designed to resemble a whale skeleton, it has interactive exhibits on three floors. €9.40 (adults), €6.90 (concessions). (updated Mar 2025)

3 L’Oceanogràfic (Oceanogràfic 10 ). Hours vary by season, open daily. The largest oceanarium in Europe, and the second-largest in the world, has seven sections devoted to different ecological zones. The building was designed by Félix Candela to resemble a water lily. Highlights include a dolphinarium, a walk-through shark tunnel, a shark tank (open for public diving), and spherical bird aviary. There are several restaurants on-site, and with so many attractions it’s easy to make this into an all-day affair. high season €41.80 (adults), €31.00 (concession). (updated May 2025)

Falles

One of Spain’s most spectacular fire festivals, Falles (Spanish: Fallas) can be best characterised as a fire-fireworks-gunpowder street party extravaganza. The festival draws up to two million visitors annually, and is listed as a UNESCO ‘intangible cultural heritage’.

Its origins date to the Middle Ages when the city’s carpenters burned piles of scraps in the streets and plazas near their workshops on 19 March, the eve of the day of San Josep (Spanish: San José, or St. Joseph). In the 18th century, it became customary to fashion these piles of junk with papier mache into human figures and sculptures, called ninots (Valencian for 'dolls'), which were assembled to form larger fallas. Eventually these fallas began to take on a satirical nature.

Around 1870, Falles and Carnival were banned. In response to this, a popular movement arose to revive and preserve these traditions, resulting in a competition in 1885 for the best and most artistic falla. This prompted the development of casal fallers, neighbourhood associations which work year-round raising money and designing their fallas. Today there are about 400 casal fallers which each design an adult falla (falla mayor), and a smaller children’s falla (falla infantil); more than 400 of these fallas are burned on public streets every year. Many fallas reach 25-30 m in height – the best of these are in a special category Secció Especial (Spanish: Sección Especiál) and compete for the top prize, awarded annually by the City Council.

A secondary feature of Falles are daily fireworks events, including gunpowder demonstrations (mascletàs) and large nightly fireworks displays (castillos del fuego). Along with these displays, people set off fireworks all day in the streets, beginning early in the morning and continuing throughout the day, making the city seem like a war zone and making it very difficult to catch any sleep.

Paella. There are several versions of this tasteful rice dish: paella valenciana, with meat (chicken and/or rabbit usually), paella de marisco, with fish or seafood, or even paella mixta, with meat and fish at the same time, the least popular among locals. It is very difficult to say which is the 'real' paella, as every person has his/her own version (though no paella that deserves this name contains sausage, ham or meat broth, for instance). If you want to eat an authentic paella, try it at the Malvarrosa beach area; you will find there are several good restaurants. The authentic Valencian paella is made only with fresh ingredients, in a special iron pan and using a fire made with wood (not gas or electricity). Vegetarian paella is called paella vegetal or paella de verduras. Authentic paella can be rather dry, it's not a soup and shouldn't look like gumbo. Don't be shy about scraping the caramelized rice from the bottom of the pan, it's delicious! (updated Jun 2017)

Arròs a banda (arroz a banda). A side dish of rice cooked in fish stock, usually served with alioli. (updated Jun 2017)

Arròs negre (arroz negro). Also cooked in fish stock, this rice dish is black because it contains squid ink, as well as squid or cuttlefish, peppers, and paprika. (updated Jun 2017)

Fideuà. This paella-like dish, with short noodles and fish, was invented in Gandía and can be usually found in paella restaurants. It deserves a try too. (updated Jun 2017)

All i pebre. A stew made of eel, a snake like fish typical from the Albufera, a lagoon near Valencia. You can drive to El Palmar and taste it there. Delicious, but a very special taste. You can find good paella, and other traditional dishes at the restaurants there too. (updated Jun 2017)

Llet merengada (leche merengada). A kind of milk-based soft ice cream with a cinnamon-lemon taste. (updated Jun 2017)

Bunyols (buñuelos). Fried doughnuts, sometimes round shaped, sometimes like rings. Widely available only during March during the Falles celebration. Dip them in hot chocolate. Sometimes they are too oily, so don't eat a lot of them or you will not be hungry again for several hours. If you can choose the carabasa (pumpkin) version, you should try it. They are generally tastier. (updated Jun 2017)

Traditional regional drinks

Aigua de València (Agua de Valencia). 'Valencia water' is a very famous mixed drink, invented in 1959 and based on a mix of orange juice and cava, the local sparkling wine. Many modern versions also include gin and vodka as well as sugar. Be careful, as this drink packs a punch! (updated Jun 2017)

Orxata (horchata). A drink made from tigernut (Valencian: xufa, Spanish: chufa), which was first created during the Moorish period. Being cold and sweet, it is especially popular during the summer months, and can be ordered in orxateries or horchaterias and at street carts as well as in most cafés and bars. When ordering an orxata, you will most probably be asked whether you would like to have a fartón, a small pastry for being dipped in orxata, as well. (updated Jun 2017)

Cibada. An iced malt drink. (updated Jun 2017)

Llima granizada. Iced lemonade. (updated Jun 2017)

Café del temps (café del tiempo). A popular summer drink, this is espresso served with a glass of ice along with sugar and a slice of lemon. Usually sugar is mixed first into the hot espresso, which is then poured over the ice. (updated Jun 2017)

Blanc i negre (blanco y negro). Iced coffee with leche merengada, which is blend of milk, egg white, sugar, and cinnamon. (updated Jun 2017)

Cremaet. A popular coffee mixed with burned alcohol (typically rum) that is normally consumed at esmorzar (the eating that takes place between breakfast and lunch). Its sweetness depends on the time spent burning it (the more burned, the more sweet it is, and the less alcohol percentage it has). (updated Aug 2023)

Cafés and horchaterías

1 Horchatería Daniel, Avda l´Orchata, 41 (Alboraia/Alboraya; metro line 3), ☏ +34 961 858 866, info@horchateria-daniel.es. Daily 10:00-24:00. Established in 1949, this is the largest and most well-known horchatería in Alboraia (Spanish: Alboraya), a small agricultural town on the outskirts of Valencia whose primary crop is tiger nuts (chufa), the key ingredient in horchata. There is a second branch in the Mercat de Colóm (listed under 'Eat'). (updated Jan 2016)

2 Horchatería Els Sariers, Carrer Sarcet, 6 (Benimaclet), ☏ +34 963 693 879. Mon-Thu 16:00-22:00, Fri Sat 11:00-02:30, Sun 11:00-23:30. A very large and popular horchatería with artisanal fartóns. Takeaway available. (updated Aug 2016)

Streets in Valencia have two names, Valencian and Spanish, but most street signs are in Valencian only. Maps may list street names in Valencian or Spanish and rarely both, while addresses may be given in either language, which could create some confusion. Addresses in this guide are generally listed in Valencian.

The city has begun changing some Franco-era street names to those commemorating other figures, especially women. By late 2017, about 50 streets had been renamed, with more planned; online mapping services are largely up-to-date but printed maps will likely not be.

On foot

Aside from going to the beach and the City of Arts and Sciences, exploring the hub of the city requires no public transportation. Much of this city can be done walking, stopping for a coffee or a beer, and then walking more, all very leisurely. It's not necessary to have the mindset of mastering a complex public transportation system. However, for longer trips, see below for some pointers.

Pedestrians should be careful not to walk in the designated bike lanes.

By public transportation

Travellers visiting for a short period may want to consider purchasing a Valencia Tourist Card, a one-, two- or three-day pass which allows for unlimited travel on all metro and bus lines, including to/from the airport, over a period of 24 hours (€15), 48 hours (€20), or 72 hours (€25). The card also includes free admission to public museums and monuments, discounted admission for other tourist attractions, and additional discounts at some shops and restaurants. The card can be purchased at any tourist office, including at the airport, or purchased online for a discount and picked up on arrival at a tourist office. There is also a 7 day version without transport.

Valencia is quite possibly among the safest cities in Spain and Europe. As with Madrid and Barcelona, streets are filled with people at all times, even deep into the night. Valencia also has a decent police presence.

The only neighborhoods that may warrant extra precaution are Ciutat Jardí, El Cabanyal, and Aiora, in the east of the city. They are mostly deserted at night, but muggings are not unheard of.

The city's railway stations and certain metro stations might attract beggars and drunkards, but simply saying no will be enough.

The Falles celebrations attract thousands of people every year. Watch out for pickpockets.