Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Valencia?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Valencia?
Not sure how much time you'll need in Valencia, Spain? Most people spend two to three days in Valencia during their visit. After all, the cultural coastal city will let you learn about the history of the town, taste delicious cuisine, grab some drinks at a bar, and admire the wonderful scenery.
Valencia offers an idyllic climate with Mediterranean sunshine, palm-line plazas, and long stretches of sandy coastline. The Ciutat Vella (old town) is filled with historic architecture and striking cathedrals, but the city itself is full of a vibrant and youthful energy. It is the third largest city in Spain and it offers no shortage of sights and activities. It's also the birthplace of paella, so it has a long running culinary tradition that is not to be missed.
Do you have one or two days to visit Valencia? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Valencia?
One day is usually not enough time to experience the cultural coastal city of Valencia, so you may find yourself somewhat rushed. You don't want to miss the chance to learn about the history of the town, taste delicious cuisine, grab some drinks at a bar, and admire the wonderful scenery. You'll likely want more than one day, as many tourists set aside around two to three days for their visit. However, if your schedule is tight, we have a handful of recommendations to make the most of your journey.
How to spend a day in Valencia
The charming atmosphere and history of the old town area is worth exploring, so spend the day learning about the history and culture of the area. For culture, history, and the majority of the city's attractions, you'll want to spend your time in Ciutat Vella (old town).
A few tour suggestions include:
- Valencia Best Food, Traditions & History Tour ($120)
- Valencia guided tours - walking tours - ($164)
- Valencia Old Town Tour with Wine & Tapas in 11th Century Historic Monument ($82)
The culinary scene in Valencia is world famous, and draws visitors from around the globe. Make sure you spend time enjoying breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some of this coastal city's best restaurants. And consider a food tour, too. Many are either a half day or just a few hours, so you can fit one into your schedule easily. The city is famous as the birthplace of paella, which is one of Spain's most famous dishes. Beyond the paella, there are a number of other amazing traditional dishes. Fideuà is similar to paella but made with noodles instead of rice. All i pebre is an eel and potato dish and clóchinas are tiny local mussels. For dessert make sure you try the flan de calabaza, which is pumpkin flavored. Many restaurants also have tapas that can be shared. Restaurants in the old town are charming and delicious, but out by the beaches the quality isn't as good.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Two wineries tour with wine tasting ($131)
- Vegetable Paella cooking class, tapas and visit market ($66)
- Authentic Valencian Paella Cooking Class ($75)
Valencia is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the coastal city, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. Walking is the best way to explore many parts of the city and you can walk from one side of the Ciutat Vella to the other in about 20 minutes. This area is where you'll find most of the city's main attractions. There are other neighborhoods that are a bit less pedestrian-friendly.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Valencia?
To do everything that Valencia has to offer, you'll need more than a weekend, but two or three days does allow you a bit more time to explore. You'll have a chance to experience at least some of the highlights. In addition to the great charming old town and fun food, visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery, museums and landmarks, and big city activities. By staying a night or two, you'll be able to take advantage of the most interesting activities found here, and we have some suggestions below.
Valencia, Spain
How to spend 2 days in Valencia
Having a weekend (two to three days) in Valencia will provide you with more time to take in the best activities in the coastal city.
Don't miss La Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències during your trip to Valencia, as it's one of this destination's most well-known attractions. You should make sure to set aside enough time to see it.
The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. Dinner starts late, so you can expect the nightlife to pick up even later. During the summer there are all night terrace parties and year round you'll find nightclubs filled from evening to dawn. If all night raves aren't really your thing, you'll also find plenty of local bars where you can hang out with friends in a more relaxed setting. The nightlife scene really is varied enough that there's something for everyone.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Pub Crawl Tour in the Old town of Valencia ($17)
The public transit in Valencia is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the coastal city quite easily and affordably. Public transit is available in the form of buses and a tram/metro system but the system isn't as comprehensive as it could be and much of the city is surprisingly dependent on cars.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Valencia, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.