Valencia City Guide

The Spanish city of Valencia with its historic and modern architecture, beautiful gardens and fascinating museums, is the perfect destination if you want to combine a city break and a beach holiday. Marvel at the magnificent cathedral, see the dolphins at the Oceanogràfic and relax on the golden sands of Valencia’s beaches.

What to do and see in and around Valencia

Valencia Cathedral
The Cathedral of St Mary dates back to 1238, before which time it was a mosque. This gothic, baroque and romanesque Cathedral is most famous as the home of the "Holy Chalice of the Lord Supper" since 1437 when it was given to the church by King Alfonso V the Magnanimous. Other highlights of the cathedral include the renaissance frescoes and the Miguelete belltower.

City of Arts and Sciences
This spectacular avant-garde complex is a triumph of 21st century architecture and was designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava. This fabulous area is home to the Hemisfèric where visitors can watch IMAX films, the Palau de les Arts where music lovers can visit the opera and the vast Oceanogràfic marine park.

Lonja de los Mercaderes
Dating back to the late 15th century the Lonja de los Mercaderes or Silk Exchange is a perfect example of the Valencian gothic style architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to see the elegant spiral staircase in the interior of the Lonja’s tower.

Beaches
With over 2.8 km of golden sandy beaches close to the city centre, water babies should have a whale of a time in Valencia.

L'Oceanogràfic
This vast marine park (the largest in Europe) is a must for anyone interested in marine life. See ecosystems from all of the world’s oceans and make sure you visit the dolphin show.

Bioparc
Bioparc is a zoo with a twist, where animals live in 100,000 square metres of land with almost invisible barriers within the former Turia Riverbed. A whole host of animals inhabit the park, from lions and leopards to elephants and giraffes.

IVAM
This fabulous modern art museum is itself a piece of art with its cube like appearance. IVAM or the Valencian Institute of Modern Art hosts both permanent and temporary collections with a large part of the permanent collection dedicated to the sculptor Julio González.

Turia Gardens
The Turia Gardens cuts a green swathe through the heart of Valencia where the river used to run. The Turia Gardens are a great place to relax and are very close to many of Valencia’s cultural highlights.

Serranos Towers
These 14th century polygonal towers are modelled on the towers of Carcassonne and are joined by a wall decorated with fine tracery work and the arms of the city.

Central Market
The people of Valencia have been going to the Central Market since its inception in 1928. Housed in a massive modernist building the market contains 959 stalls selling everything from fruit, meat and cheese to ceramics.