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Voykit pocket guide · Spain
Valencia
València
Stay 2–3 nights to cover the old town, Arts & Sciences and a beach day; skip if you only have one night in Spain.
Valencia is Spain's third-largest city, balancing a Gothic core with futuristic architecture and wide beaches. It is more manageable than Madrid or Barcelona: key sights are within walking distance of the centre. The Turia riverbed park connects the historic district to the City of Arts and Sciences. March brings the Fallas festival, which dominates the city schedule.
- Country
- Spain
- Local name
- València
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat/humidity), Mar 1–19 (Fallas crowds)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including tapas bars and taxis in the cities.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EU and EEA plans roam at home prices; UK and other plans may charge — check before you land.
- Emergency
- Police 091 · National Emergency 112 · Ambulance/Fire 061
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Bar or café: Leave small change or nothing.; Restaurant: Round up or 5–10% for good service; service is not usually added.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter: €1–2 a bag.; Guide on a free walking tour: €10–15 a person is the expected payment.
- Water
- Tap water is safe across the mainland; it tastes of chlorine in some coastal areas. Ask for 'agua del grifo' in restaurants — by law since 2025 they must offer it free (check local application).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars and cafés (buy a coffee). Stations and shopping centres have free or cheap toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (café con leche) | €1.50–2.50 |
| Tapas plate | €3–6 |
| Beer (crujiente/caña) | €2–3 |
| Paella lunch (per person share) | €15–25 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | €10–15 |
| SUMA 10 transport card | €8 |
| Museum entry (general range) | €5–15 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- VLC · Valencia Airport
- Metro lines 3/5 to Xàtiva station, ~21 min, €3.90 + €1 card fee
Typical fares
- Airport → Centre, Metro
- €3.90 + €1 card fee, ~21 min
- Airport → Centre, Bus 150
- €1.50, ~30–40 min
- Taxi Airport → Centre
- €20–25 incl. supplement
Get around
Walk the centre. Metro Lines 3/5 connect airport to downtown. Bus 150 is cheaper (€1.50) but slower. Buy a SUMA 10 card for metro/bus flexibility (approx €8 for 10 journeys in single zone; verify zone coverage for airport/beach). Taxis are metered; airport supplement applies.
See and do
Known for
- Paella Valenciana
- Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències
- Llotja de la Seda
- Fallas festival
- Mercat Central
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Albufera Natural Park | Bus or tram to El Palmar; check current EMT routes as lines change (check) | About 1 h each way |
| Sagunto | Cercanías C2 train, about 30 min | About 45 min each way |
| Gandía | Regional train or bus, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h each way |
Sleep
- Ciutat Vella (Old Town)
- Central for sightseeing; noisy at night near bars.
- Russafa
- Trendy cafes and nightlife; 10-min walk to Old Town.
- El Cabanyal
- Beach access and seafood restaurants; tram connection.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good morning | Bon diabon dee-ah |
| Thank you | Gràciesgra-see-es |
| Please | Si us plausee oos plow |
| How much is it? | Quant val?kant val |
| Where is the toilet? | On és el bany?on es el ban-yo |
| The bill, please | El compte, si us plauel kom-teh, see oos plow |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Two kisses on the cheek (right then left) between friends and when introduced socially; handshake in business; avoid: Being stiff — Spaniards stand close and touch arms
- Meal times: Late lunch and dinner; long sobremesa (chat after eating); avoid: Rushing to leave or asking for the bill with the last bite
- Noise: Join in the lively conversation; avoid: Reading loud voices as anger
- Siesta hours: Keep noise down in residential buildings 15:00–17:00 and after 23:00; avoid: Phone calls to people at lunch time
- Dress: Smart casual in cities; locals rarely wear shorts in Madrid in town; avoid: Swimwear or bare torsos away from the beach
- Regional pride: Ask about local dishes and festivals; avoid: Assuming Catalan or Basque are dialects of Spanish
Scams and watch-outs
- Street signs use Valencian names, not Spanish; maps may differ.
- Bike lanes are everywhere; watch for cyclists when crossing.
- Fallas fireworks run late into the night during mid-March.
- Many shops close Sundays except tourist zones.
Low risk centrally. Watch bags in Mercat Central and on trams. Avoid isolated beach areas late at night. Scams are rare compared to Barcelona.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Valencia yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Paella Valenciana
- Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències
- Llotja de la Seda
- Fallas festival
- Mercat Central
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Valencia Official Tourism: www.visitvalencia.com/en/home
- Wikivoyage: Valencia, revision 5361491 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5361491
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/valencia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.