For a taste of the great Spanish painters, head to the Valencia Museum of Fine Arts, which boasts one of the most comprehensive collections of Spanish art in the country—including several local Valencian artists.
Located in the city's heart and boasting more than 2,000 years of history, Valencia’s Old Town (Ciutat Vella) is one of the largest in Europe. Recognizable for its narrow, atmospheric streets—and featuring historical landmarks ranging from churches and markets to museums and more—the Old Town is at the top of most visitors' to-do lists.
Enjoy dance, opera, and music—all in one performance space. Celebrated for its modern design and world-class arts, Opera House Valencia (Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia) also offers tours and educational programs.
Head to the Plaza del Mercado to find Valencia’s Central Market—famous across Europe for its huge selection of fresh produce and local specialties including cured meats, seafood, and cheese. You can also take a café break on the square, and see another historic landmark, the Lonja de la Seda.
Home to Valencia Club de Fútbol, Mestalla Stadium (Estadio de Mestalla) is one of Spain’s oldest soccer stadiums. Book a guided tour to learn about the stadium’s past, visit areas that are not usually accessible to the public—including the changing rooms and the pitch—and scale the vertigo-inducing North Stand seating.
Located in the northwest of the city, Bioparc Valencia is an immersion zoo, where the barriers between animals and visitors are hidden or removed, and animals of different species reside safely side by side. This creates the sensation of observing animals in the wilds of the savanna, equatorial forest, African wetlands, and Madagascar.
With its spaceship-like ovoid shape, the Hemisfèric cinema is a standout building in Valencia’s futuristic City of Arts and Sciences. Visitors come here to admire the architecture of Santiago Calatrava and to watch immersive IMAX movies.
Housed in the brick cisterns of an old city reservoir, the Valencia History Museum (Museu d'Història de València) preserves and showcases Valencian history, from Roman to modern times. Its collection includes archeological artifacts, artworks, documents, photos, and multimedia and interactive exhibits.
Valencia’s Fallas festival is an annual pyrotechnic spectacle on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. If you can’t make it to the festival, there’s always the Museum of Las Fallas (Museo Fallero), where you can experience the festivities’ color, culture, and energy year-round.
Founded in 1953 and now known worldwide, Lladró is celebrated for its high-end porcelain pieces. Perfect for fans of the brand, the Lladró Museum, located north of Valencia, hosts two exhibition areas. Visitors can also tour the Lladró factory to meet the artisan producers and see how Lladró’s sculptures are made.
The busiest container port in the Mediterranean and one of Spain's most popular cruise liner destinations, the Valencia Cruise Port serves as the gateway to Valencia—both city and region. Ships dock just 3 miles (4 kilometers) from downtown, and the port also hosts ferries bound for the Balearics.
Situated on the idyllic Costa del Azahar between Valencia and Alicante, the seaside city of Gandia is a picture-perfect beach destination that’s still largely unknown among international travelers. You’ll find golden sands as well as nature parks, centuries-old palaces, and historic monasteries.
Located where a royal palace once stood (later demolished in 1810), the Valencia Royal Gardens (Jardines del Real) are one of the city’s loveliest public green spaces. Connected to the larger Turia Riverbed Gardens, the gardens brim with orange and palm trees and host walking paths and ornamental gardens.
Site of the birthplace of San Vicente Ferrer—a 15th-century friar and preacher who was later venerated as a saint—the House of San Vicente Ferrer is an essential religious and historical landmark in Valencia. Featuring a chapel and celebrated for its ceramic tiles and other heritage features, it also hosts a well that is said to be miraculous.
The imposing, castle-like San Miguel de los Reyes Monastery (Monasterio de San Miguel de los Reyes) is a former Hieronymite monastery and prison built in the 16th century in the Valencian baroque style. A national monument, it houses the Valencian Library (Biblioteca Valenciana) and serves as a public cultural center, hosting exhibitions, concerts, and other events throughout the year.
