Paella valenciana
Rice cooked in a wide pan with chicken, rabbit, flat green beans and white beans, traditionally over a wood fire. It is a lunch dish, served from around 14:00, and it is cooked to order, so expect a wait.
Valencia
What to eat in Valencia
- Paella valenciana
- Arroz a banda
- Fideuà
- Horchata with fartons
Data checked on October 5, 2026
Arroz a banda
Rice cooked in fish stock and served with a spoonful of garlic mayonnaise. A good choice if you want rice without meat.
Fideuà
A paella made with short noodles instead of rice, usually with seafood. It is a dish of the Valencian coast.
Horchata with fartons
A cold, sweet drink made from tiger nuts, served with a soft, sugar-dusted pastry for dipping. People have it in the afternoon, and the tiger nuts are grown near the city.
Esmorzaret
A mid-morning filled roll with a small drink, a local habit around 10:30 or 11:00. Many bars sell a set of roll and coffee or a small beer.
Agua de Valencia
A cold mix of cava, orange juice and spirits, made with the local oranges. It is stronger than it tastes, so share a jug.
Every itinerary on this site keeps a lunch break after 12:30, so there is room for a proper meal in the middle of the day.
What a meal costs
- Meal in an inexpensive restaurant
- €17
- Three courses for two, mid-range restaurant
- €60
- Coffee
- €2.41
Besides the sights
- Cycle the Turia gardensRide the old riverbed on a flat path from the Bioparc end to the City of Arts and Sciences, stopping at the bridges and playgrounds on the way. Rent a bike for a few hours and ride early or late in summer.
- Walk the CabanyalCabanyal is the old fishermen's quarter by the beach, known for its low streets and tiled house fronts. Walk from the tram stop toward the sea in the late afternoon.
- See a mascletà in MarchDuring the Fallas festival a loud daytime firework display called the mascletà goes off in the central square at 14:00. Stand at the edge of the crowd and bring ear protection.
- A morning at a neighbourhood marketBuy fruit and cured meats at a market in Ruzafa, then eat standing at a bar counter. Local shoppers go before midday.
- An evening concert at the Palau de la MúsicaThe glass concert hall beside the Turia gardens hosts symphonic and chamber music through the year. Check the programme for dates.
Markets in the stop base