What to do in Valencia in 2 days

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Planning to travel to the Spanish coast? Here is what to do in Valencia on a 2 days trip. The city is full of history, flavors, modern buildings, and street art. If you don’t mind wake up early and sleep late, 2 days are more than enough to enjoy the city.

Our journey through Spain’s Mediterranean coast started in Barcelona, after some days of great fun, it was time to pack again, get a train, and head to Valencia. We didn’t have much time to stay in the city, so we did good research and planned what to do in Valencia in just 2 days.

To save time and learn about the city we booked a free walking tour with Tour Me Out Valencia, and it was a great experience. Our guide explained the city’s history, local drinks, and street art. Everything we Love!

 

1st day in Valencia

We woke up early, passed by a supermarket to buy some croissants and headed to the Jardí del Túria. An amazing 9 km river bed that in 1957 was transformed into a huge city park. Due to the severe flood, the river was diverted and now, the old river bed is a green channel that crosses the whole city. Valencia is packed with things to do and see making it one of the best holiday destinations in Spain.

Through the Turia Gardens, we reached the old town. Our walking tour meeting point was at Plaça de la Verge and from there we started exploring the city’s main attractions:

• Catedral de Valencia
• Museo Nacional de Cerámica González Martí
• Mercat Central
• Basilica de la Virgen
• El Miguelete
• Plaça de l’Ajuntament

Our guide explained Valencia’s cultural and architectural layers. Romans, Moorish, and many other people were there, their influences are on the buildings, streets and the way people live.

After a few hours of walking, we stopped by a nice café, but instead of drinking an espresso we tried “Horchata”. Hmmm… Delicious!

This sweet and refreshing drink is made from tiger nuts and it’s kinda an official beverage of the city. The taste reminds soy milk, a bit more sweet and flavored. I just loved it!

Loaded with energy, we kept walking around the city. Passed by La Lonja de la Seda, discovered some old and pretty streets, and arrived at Torre de Serranos, where our tour finished.

To celebrate our tour nothing better than another local beverage: Agua de Valencia! Our guide took us to a nice bar and we drink this fruity, delicious, dangerous drink. Made of Cava (Spanish sparkling wine), orange juice, vodka and gin, the tastes are so good that you can’t feel the alcohol. That’s why it is dangerous, after two glasses it’s hard to get up from the table. 😀

In the afternoon we open our “what to do in Valencia” list and decided to visit some special places. One of the highlights was The Valencia Cathedral,  Rob got inside to see the stunning architecture and the Holy Graal displayed in one of the chapels. I stayed outside because I wasn’t feeling so good.

He is not a religious guy, but he told me that the visit was amazing and in the Holy Graal Chapel he felt such a good and positive energy. Maybe that was God blessing him, who knows?

Later we went back to the La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia. The building constructed between 1482 – 1533 is on the top of the list of what to do in Valencia. A former market for trading silk, the palace is a masterpiece of Gothic style and it is a UNESCO Heritage site. Inside the walls, the orange trees and blue flowers invite you to sit in the garden and relax for a while.

Until the end of the day, we walked around the old town. The more we discover the city more it enchanted us. The day passed so fast, but we managed to see all the main attractions and even enjoy some delicious food.

We stopped by a nice local restaurant and tried one of the famous rice recipes. On Rob’s plate prawns, mussels and seasoned rice.

2nd day in Valencia

Buaaaahhhh… I woke up sick!!

Actually, I didn’t sleep all night because of a urinary infection. 🙁

Early in the morning, Rob went to the pharmacy to buy me some medicines and we stayed in the apartment the whole morning. When I was feeling less pain, Rob went to his run training and enjoyed a little bit more of the city.

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The second day was time to go explore the Paseo Marítimo, Marina Real Juan Carlos I, F1 Valencia Street Circuit, and Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. And here is Rob’s opinion about what to do in Valencia’s beach area:

“Around Paseo Marítimo what called my attention was the beach and the promenade full of bars and restaurants. Although the Marina Real and the chance to jog in the F1 track were the highlights of the afternoon.”

“After the jogging, I headed to the Ciudad de Las Artes y Ciencias, and my first impression was: I’m in front of Sim City’s arcologies. The impressive architecture stands out in the landscape. One of the buildings also reminds Darth Vader’s helmet 🙂 totally worth the visit!”

Our 2 day-trip has come to an end. Valencia is not as famous as Barcelona or Madrid but is a beautiful city to visit, full of bars, restaurants, and the traditional Fallas Festival that happens in March every year. We didn’t get to see the giant doll and fire festival, but this is a good excuse to come back to Valencia one more time 😉

Valencia Travel Tips 

 

• Where to stay in Valencia

There are plenty of options for hotels in Valencia, from cute boutique hotels to luxury stays. You can use the map below to search for the best accommodation in Valencia that suits your trip and budget. 

Booking.com

 

 

• Getting around Valencia

Valência is pretty easy to walk, you just need public transportation to go to the beach area: Paseo Marítimo, Marina Real, Valencia Street Circuit and Cuidad de Las Artes y Ciencias. The metro, buses, and tram are very easy to use and connect the city.

 

• How to get to Valencia

You can reach Valencia by car, bus, train, or flying. You can use Skyscanner to find the best flights to Valencia, Spain.

From Barcelona, the cheapest way we found was by train (one fast train + a regional train). You can check all trains and buses traveling to/from Valencia on OMIO or Bookaway websites. They have all the timetables, prices and you can book your ticket in advance. 

 

Looking for more travel tips to Spain? Read our guides to Spain here!