3 days in Valencia

City of Arts and Sciences

A group of white, futuristic buildings set among pools at the end of the Turia gardens. You can walk around the outside for free, while the science museum, the planetarium and the aquarium each charge their own admission.

2 h 30 visitAlways open

Go in the last hour of daylight, when the heat has gone and the buildings begin to light up.

The esplanades and walkways are open to walk through. Each building keeps its own opening hours, which change by season, and the Oceanogràfic has its own stop in this plan.

Source: Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, checked October 5, 2026

Oceanogràfic

A large aquarium laid out as separate pavilions, each for a different marine habitat, with an underwater tunnel and a dolphin show. Most of the route is walked outdoors between the buildings.

5 h visit (official site suggests 4 h)Open 10:00 am–6:00 pm · last entry 5:00 pm

Arrive at opening and do the outdoor pavilions first, then keep the covered ones for the hottest or wettest part of the day.

Tickets are sold online and at the ticket office. The official site advises booking ahead on weekends, public holidays and in high season. Choose the date when you buy, because the price depends on it.

Hours change by date. In October 2026 most days run 10:00 to 18:00 and Saturdays 10:00 to 20:00, with some long weekends open later. The official calendar shows the exact hours for each day. The ticket office closes one hour before the park.

Source: Oceanogràfic València, checked October 5, 2026

Mercado Central

A large covered food market in an early 20th century modernist hall. Stalls sell fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, rice and cured goods.

1 h visitOpen 7:30 am–3:00 pm

Come between 09:00 and 11:00, when the stalls are full and most of the crowd is local.

Monday to Saturday 07:30 to 15:00. The official page lists no Sunday hours.

Source: Mercat Central de València, checked October 5, 2026

Torres de Quart

A 15th century Gothic city gate with two round towers, still pitted by cannon fire from the early 19th century. A stone stair leads to a roof terrace.

40 min visitOpen 10:00 am–2:00 pm · last entry 1:30 pm

Link it with the Serranos towers in one walk through El Carmen, and check the sky first, since the climb can close in bad weather.

Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 19:00, Sunday and public holidays 10:00 to 14:00. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Closed on 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 25 December. The city council says visits depend on daylight and can be limited by rain, fog or strong wind.

Source: Ajuntament de València, checked October 5, 2026

Torres de Serranos

A Gothic city gate with two towers and a stair up to a roof terrace. The top gives a view over the old town and the Turia gardens.

40 min visitOpen 10:00 am–2:00 pm · last entry 1:30 pm

Pick a clear afternoon and climb in the second half of the day, when the light on the river bed is softer.

Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 19:00, Sunday and public holidays 10:00 to 14:00. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Closed on 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 25 December. The city council says visits depend on daylight and can be limited by rain, fog or strong wind.

Source: Ajuntament de València, checked October 5, 2026

National Ceramics Museum

A museum of ceramics and decorative arts inside the Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas, known for its carved alabaster doorway. The rooms run from Valencian tiles to Chinese porcelain.

1 h 15 visitOpen 10:00 am–2:00 pmAdult ticket €3

Saturday after 16:00 is free, but the rooms are busier then. A weekday morning is calmer.

Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 20:00, Sunday and public holidays 10:00 to 14:00. Closed on Mondays, 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 24, 25 and 31 December and two local holidays. The galleries start to clear 15 minutes before closing.

Source: Museo Nacional de Cerámica y Artes Suntuarias González Martí, checked October 5, 2026

Turia Gardens

A long park in the dry bed of the old river Turia, with paths, sports fields and playgrounds from the Bioparc to the City of Arts and Sciences. It is the easiest way to cross the city on foot or by bike.

2 h visitAlways open

Ride or walk the eastern stretch toward the City of Arts and Sciences in the late afternoon, then return by tram or bus. In summer, shade is scarce in the middle of the day.

Source: Visit Valencia, checked October 5, 2026

Ruzafa

A grid of low streets south of the old town with cafés, small galleries and a covered market. It is a place to eat and walk more than a place for sights.

1 h 30 visitAlways open

Come in the late afternoon and stay for dinner, because most of the area works after 19:00. Treat the market as a morning visit.

Source: Visit Valencia, checked October 5, 2026

Malvarrosa Beach

The best-known urban beach of Valencia, a wide strip of sand with a promenade and seafront restaurants. It runs north from the Las Arenas hotel.

2 h visitAlways open

In summer, arrive before 11:00 to get space, and keep the evening for a walk on the promenade.

Source: Visit Valencia, checked October 5, 2026

La Lonja de la Seda

The Gothic silk exchange of Valencia, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The columned trading hall is the main reason to go in, and the visit is short.

1 h visitOpen 10:00 am–2:00 pm · last entry 1:30 pm

Go at opening or after 17:00, and pair it with the Mercado Central, which stands across the square.

Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 19:00, Sunday and public holidays 10:00 to 14:00. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Closed on 1 and 6 January, 1 May and 25 December. Free guided visits to the tower run on several days a week at set times and need an advance reservation.

Source: Ajuntament de València, checked October 5, 2026

Valencia Cathedral and Miguelete

A cathedral begun in the 13th century that mixes Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque parts. The cultural visit includes the museum and an audio guide, and the Miguelete bell tower is a separate ticket.

1 h 40 visitOpen 2:00 pm–5:30 pm · last entry 4:30 pmAdult ticket €12

Come on a weekday morning, right at 10:30. Sunday only opens in the afternoon, and 9 October is a regional holiday with the cathedral closed.

Cultural visit from 1 January to 30 June and from 1 October to 31 December: Monday to Friday 10:30 to 18:30, Saturday 10:30 to 17:30, Sunday 14:00 to 17:30, with last entry one hour before closing. From 1 July to 30 September Saturday runs to 18:30 and Sunday from 14:00 to 18:30. The Miguelete opens daily 10:00 to 18:45, with last entry half an hour before closing. The cathedral is closed on 1 and 6 January, 19 March, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, 9 October, 8 December and 25 December.

Source: Catedral de Valencia, checked October 5, 2026

Museu de Belles Arts

A large art museum with Valencian painting, Spanish masters and a room for Joaquín Sorolla, free to enter. It stands beside the Turia gardens.

1 h 40 visitOpen 10:00 am–8:00 pm · last entry 7:30 pm

A good choice for a wet or very hot afternoon. Go in the morning if you want the Sorolla room quiet.

Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 20:00, closed on Mondays. Last entry is 19:30, which leaves little time, so arrive earlier. Closed on 1 January and 25 December, and open 10:00 to 14:00 on 24 and 31 December.

Source: Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia, checked October 5, 2026

Plaza de la Virgen

The central square of the old town, set between the cathedral and the baroque basilica of the Virgen de los Desamparados, with a fountain in the middle.

30 min visitAlways open

Come in the evening, when the square is lit and the tour groups have gone.

Source: Visit Valencia, checked October 5, 2026

El Carmen

The oldest part of the old town, a maze of narrow streets, small squares and street murals. It is quiet in the morning and busy after dark.

2 h visitAlways open

Walk it in the late afternoon, when the squares fill with tables, and keep the gate towers for daylight.

Source: Visit Valencia, checked October 5, 2026