What to see in Valencia in 1, 2 or 3 days

What to book before you go

• Oceanogràfic. Prices change by date: a standard ticket ranges from €35.90 to €43.05 on its price calendar, and opening hours vary too. Buy a dated ticket online and check your day's closing time: the ticket office shuts an hour before.
• Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero. Free entry on Wednesday afternoons requires booking on its website.
• Cathedral and Micalet. No need to book. The cultural visit costs €12 with audio guide and includes the museum; the Micalet tower climb is €3 (official website).

Flying in? All the options are in our airport to city centre guide. For concerts, exhibitions or matches during your stay, check the Valencia events calendar.

Day 1: the old town

Morning (about 3 hours). Start at the Central Market, open Monday to Saturday from 7:30 to 15:00 (official website); it is closed on Sundays. Across the street is the Silk Exchange (La Lonja), a World Heritage Site, open Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 19:00 and on Sundays and public holidays 10:00 to 14:00. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for each.

Walk about 10 minutes to the Cathedral. From October to June, cultural visits run Monday to Friday 10:30 to 18:30, Saturday 10:30 to 17:30 and Sunday 14:00 to 17:30. Allow an hour for the church, the Holy Chalice chapel and the museum. Then climb the Micalet, the bell tower, open daily 10:00 to 18:45.

Afternoon. Come out onto Plaza de la Virgen and carry on to the Torres de Serranos, the old city gate. From 16 October they open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 18:00 and on Sundays and holidays 10:00 to 15:00, and entry costs €2. Then lose yourself in the Barrio del Carmen as far as the Torres de Quart at the other end.

Evening. Head back towards Plaza del Ayuntamiento via Plaza de la Reina.

Day 2: Turia Gardens, City of Arts and Sciences and the beach

Morning. Drop down into the Turia Gardens, the old riverbed turned into a park, and follow it towards the sea on foot or by bike. From the Torres de Serranos to the City of Arts and Sciences is about 50 minutes' walk.

Midday and afternoon (about 4 hours). Spend them at the Oceanogràfic aquarium, or at the Science Museum and the Hemisfèric, part of the same complex. Calatrava's buildings are free to see from outside. Science Museum and Hemisfèric hours and prices are on the City of Arts and Sciences website.

Sunset and evening. Head to the sea: El Cabanyal, the old fishermen's district with tiled façades, and the promenade along Malvarrosa beach. From the City of Arts and Sciences, take an EMT city bus or a taxi.

Day 3: museums and the Albufera

Morning (about 3 hours). Pick two museums:

• National Ceramics Museum, in the Palace of the Marqués de Dos Aguas with its alabaster doorway: free for everyone until 10 December 2026.
• Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero (CAHH): contemporary art in a palace in the centre. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 20:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 15:00; €12.
• IVAM: modern art, Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 19:00 (official website).
• L'ETNO, the ethnology museum: always free, Tuesday to Sunday.

Afternoon (half-day trip). The Albufera Natural Park lies about 10 km from the city, according to Visit València: rice fields, the lagoon, dunes and beaches. Boat trips leave from the village of El Palmar. Stay for sunset, which is the reason to go in the afternoon. Check that page for public transport.

Where to watch the sunset

• The Albufera, from a boat or the lakeshore. This is Valencia's classic sunset.
• The Micalet, only in midwinter, when it gets dark before the tower closes at 18:45. Remember that last entry is half an hour earlier.
• City of Arts and Sciences, at dusk, with the lit buildings reflected in the water.

The exact time for each day is on our Valencia events calendar. At Malvarrosa the sun rises over the sea, so it is better for sunrise.

What to do if it rains

Valencia has plenty under cover: the Central Market (mornings), La Lonja, the Cathedral and its museum, the Ceramics Museum, CAHH, IVAM, L'ETNO and the Science Museum. The Oceanogràfic has outdoor walkways between buildings, so bring an umbrella. Save the Albufera and the Turia for a dry day.

Two ways to save money

1. Use the free days and hours. According to the official websites:

All the free hours, day by day, are on our free museums in Valencia page.

2. Consider the Valencia Tourist Card. It is the official card from Visit València. The 24, 48 or 72-hour card starts at €17 (€15.30 if bought on its website) and includes city buses, metro and tram in zones AB, airport stop included, plus entry to 14 municipal museums and monuments, among them La Lonja and the Serranos and Quart towers. It gives up to 50% off the City of Arts and Sciences, the Oceanogràfic and Bioparc, and 20% off the Cathedral. It pays off if you will use public transport a lot and see monuments on weekdays; if you visit on a Sunday, when several are free anyway, it does not.