Best Things to do in Valencia in a 3-Day Itinerary

Have you ever thought about traveling to Valencia, Spain? The region is known for its beautiful beaches, medieval architecture, and of course, its paella.

So what should you do in 3-days? Here are some great things to do during your stay:

Explore the city’s historic center; try paella at a local restaurant; take an excursion to the Albufera. And much more, keep reading!

• Check Out: Best Activities in Valencia
• Amazon: Lonely Planet Valencia Travel Guide

What to See and Do in Valencia in 3 Days?

Day 1. Walk through the Turia Gardens and Historic Center of Valencia

We stayed at the Holiday Inn, which is near the city of Arts and Sciences. From this hotel, you can walk through the Jardines del Turia towards the Cathedral of Valencia.

• Where to Stay in Valencia for Every Budget

Turia Gardens (Jardines del Turia)

The Turia Gardens are located in the old way of the Turia river, which was diverted to avoid the continuous flooding that the city suffered from.

At present, it is an urban park of more than 9 kilometers, which is passable, that crosses a great part of the city.

Throughout the park, there are 18 bridges of different ages and styles.

Also, along this way, you will reach different museums and points of interest in the city such as the Palacio de la Música, which has bars and cafes, ponds, children’s area, etc.

Square of the Porta de la Mar

I took a detour to enter the city through the Plaza de la Porta de la Mar. It is a square in the Ciutat Vella of Valencia that consists of a triumphal arch made from an imperialist style.

Next, there is a park with millenary trees, which is good for resting a bit, especially on hot days. Then, I cross the park and continue to Carrer de la Pau.

I loved this street; I was walking and wandering among its perpendiculars since you looked left and right and there was some interesting corner, square or museum and since this day was all to myself.

I did it at my pace and preference, so it took a few hours to get there to the Cathedral, which was the goal I left the hotel that morning.

Plaza de la Reina and Cathedral of Valencia

At the end of Carrer de la Pau, you arrive at the Plaza de la Reina, where in front of you, you have the Church of Santa Catalina with a beautiful bell tower.

It is one of the Gothic churches of the city of Valencia and was built on an old mosque in the neighborhood of the Cathedral.

To the right of Carrer de la Pau, crossing the Plaza de la Reina is the Cathedral of Valencia, whose full name is “Cathedral Church-Metropolitan Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady of Valencia.” However, it is known as the Seu (Cathedral in Valencian).

It is mostly made up of Gothic style and was built on an old mosque, which was built on the old Visigothic cathedral, which had been built on top of a temple dedicated to Jupiter or Diana.

Square of the Virgin of Valencia

Surrounding the Cathedral on the left, you arrive at the Plaza de la Virgen; the origin of this square dates back to Roman times.

Here you can see 3 important buildings of the city: La Seu (Cathedral), the Generalitat building, and the Basilica of the Virgin of the Desamparados.

We can also see the Fountain of the Turia that was inaugurated in 1976, in which we see Neptune surrounded by 8 naked women, representing the 8 acequias of the Vega de Valencia.

Torre de Serranos

From here, I continue to the Torres de Serranos. The Serranos Tower is one of Valencia’s best-preserved monuments, dating from the fourteenth century, and is Gothic and was one of the 12 entrances to the city.

It has had several uses throughout the centuries, and thanks to having been a prison, it was saved from its dismantling in the 19th century when it was ordered to remove the city’s walls.

Nowadays, you can visit and go up to the top and contemplate the city.

Day 2. City of Arts and Sciences

The City of Arts and Sciences is, without a doubt, a place that you have to know about Valencia.

Although you cannot pay for the entrance to the different facilities even if you wanted to, it is a place that you have to visit for its architecture and modernism. It is a symbol of Valencia.

The City of Arts and Sciences is a complex made up of 3 buildings, the Oceanografic, the Science Museum, and the Hemispheric.

I leave you a photo day and night so you can see it. It is worth a visit at any time of the day !!!

The Oceanografic

The Oceanografic is the largest aquarium in Europe. Honestly, I have never entered because I don’t like aquariums and prefer to see the animals in their natural habitat.

But the building on the outside is very cool.

The Science Museum

This museum has interactive exhibitions and has become a world reference, teaching “Science and Technology” in a fun and entertaining way for all audiences.

It is located in a building designed by Santiago Calatrava and has more than 26,000 square meters of exhibitions. You haven’t to go in a hurry!

Valencia’s Hemisferic

The Hemispheric was the first of the three buildings to open the doors to the public; Santiago Calatrava also designed it. It is a projection room with a concave screen of 900 square meters!

Valencia. Day 3. Market, Lonja de la Seda and Albufera

I do not know what the markets have, but whenever I go to a city I like to visit, this is the perfect place to see the city’s life. It is a part of the city doing everyday things.

Central Market of Valencia

The Central Market began its construction at the beginning of the last century and had more than 8,000 square meters.

It is the largest center in Europe dedicated to fresh products. I left it for the last day, so I could buy some things and take them home.

The schedule is from Monday to Saturday from 7 to 15 hours. We also took advantage of a delicious paella to eat in the area.

Lonja de la Seda

The silk market of Valencia was built in the 15th century. It is of European civil Gothic origin, and it is a magnificent building, especially the Hall of the Columns.

The whole set will have about 2000 square meters. It is located a few meters from the central market and in the historic center of the city.

In 1996 it was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The fish market was a symbol of the city’s commercial power and prosperity.

It is said that in the mid-fifteenth century, the Valencian mercantile prosperity had reached such a level that the General Council of the City considered insufficient the Market they had at that time.

So they ordered to build the most beautiful, magnificent, and sumptuous market that was to be the honor of the city.

We can visit it from Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (€ 2 the entrance) and on Sundays and holidays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (free admission).

Also, visit the Museum of the Silk to know a little more about Valencian history.

Church of Saint Nicholas

Known as “the Valencian Sistine Chapel,” San Nicolás is one of the most attractive temples in the city. It has nearly 2,000 square meters of perfectly restored fresco paintings that leave visitors breathless.

The spectacular paintings that decorate the vault are twice as large as the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

With more than 700 years of age, San Nicolás, which was already a place of worship in Roman times before being a mosque and a Christian church afterward, is a clear example of a perfect coexistence between a Gothic structure temple and a splendid Baroque decoration.

The visit is a sensory experience that allows you to travel through this space both with specialized guides and more independently using audio guides in several languages.

It is located at 35 Caballeros street, in the heart of the old town, and is accessed by a corridor between two buildings where you would not imagine that there could be such a wonderful treasure behind the doors of access.

Albufera Natural Park

To end the day, we go to the Albufera de Valencia. It is a Natural Park that you can visit and see its flora and fauna. As a curiosity, it has the largest lake in Spain.

It is located a few kilometers from Valencia, and you get there very well by car and by bus. You can also take a boat trip that costs € 5.

Prepare Your Trip to Valencia

• Where to stay in Valencia
• Best Travel Insurance for your trips
• Guided Tours in Valencia
• Hotels in Valencia
• Best Things to do in Costa Blanca

Are you from Valencia, or have you been to Valencia? What do you recommend for our next visit?

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Last Updated on 8 February, 2022 by Veronica