Awesome 3 Day Valencia Travel Guide Post

Are you looking for an awesome 3 day Valencia travel guide? These are some of the most recommended places to visit and things to do in Valencia.

Planning a trip to Spain is super exciting! If you’re anything like me, you’re here because you love to research and plan your trip ahead of time. As someone who loves to travel and is OBSESSED with Spain, I am giving you a travel itinerary filled with the best things to do in Valencia.

You are going to learn about places to visit like Torres de Serranos, Cathedral of Valencia, Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias, L’oceanografic, and more. After learning about these places and some helpful tips, you are going to be ready for your next Spanish travel adventure!

This is my awesome 3 day Valencia travel guide.

Day One: El Carmen Neighborhood

The oldest neighborhood in Valencia, El Carmen has many incredible places to visit. It is filled with history dating back to the 11th century. Moorish and medieval architecture still stands, and I love walking around and admiring it. If you are short on time, consider doing a bike tour instead of walking. A bike tour will include many sites that I will be sharing in this post, including this stunning neighborhood of El Carmen. Check out these famous landmarks:

Torres de Serranos

Built in the 14th century, one of the most iconic buildings in Valencia is the Torres de Serranos. This is one of twelve medieval gates of the Christian Wall that was built to protect the city. At night the gates would close to provide protection. You can tour the towers for only 2 euro! I recommend purchasing tickets on site.

Cathedral of Valencia

The most famous cathedral in Valencia houses the holy grail! I recommend touring the Cathedral of Valencia Museum and seeing paintings by Goya and Maella. You can purchase tickets on site at the museum. The history and beauty of this cathedral is breathtaking.

Mercado Central

Mercado Central is a large indoor market full of food vendors. It is one of the largest markets in Europe. The building alone of Mercado Central is a must-see. It combines art nouveau design with gothic style architecture. This is a great place to visit to do some grocery shopping, eat a light lunch, or purchase unique souvenirs.

Day Two: Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias

Located on the southeast end of Turia, the Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias is an entire architectural and cultural complex. The buildings are stunning and very modern. It has been named one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. Listed below are the different experiences within the complex.

L’oceanografic

L’oceanografic is the largest aquarium in Europe. We purchased our tickets online in advance, but I don’t think it’s necessary. When we arrived at the aquarium around 10:00 am, there was no line. Unfortunately, we were limited on time so we only spent 2 to 3 hours here, but you can easily take a half day or more to really enjoy all of the exhibits. Some of my favorites were the beluga whales, turtles, and the underwater tunnel.

Included in the basic admission is the dolphin show. The shows run throughout the day, so be sure to check the schedule when you arrive and make sure to watch one! The show is in Spanish, but there are English subtitles on the big screen. The show provides a lot of education on dolphins and what we can do to keep our planet clean for both ourselves, dolphins, and other sea creatures. It was a very entertaining show! Visiting this aquarium is an absolute MUST.

Museu de las Ciencias

Next in my Valencia travel guide is the Museu de las Ciencias, an incredible science museum. Even if you don’t go into the museum, it is worth checking out the exterior of the building. This is a great experience for children and families.

Note that there are combination tickets available if you plan on going to both of these experiences. I highly recommend devoting a whole day to get the most out of these unique museums.

Day Three: Jardin de la Turia, La Lonja de la Seda, and Toni Montoliu

Jardin de la Turia (Turia Garden)

Turia Garden is one of the most well known parks in Valencia. It takes up most of Turia, a drained river bed that was developed into a huge park. There are biking and walking paths, tennis courts, outdoor exercise equipment, and several playgrounds. I highly recommend walking through this part of the park! Consider packing a picnic and spending a few hours relaxing.

La Lonja de la Seda

Translated to the silk exchange, these buildings were built between 1482 and 1533. This landmark is now a UNESCO world heritage site. This is a secular building built in the traditional gothic style of the time period. This is a great location to take photos

Toni Montoliu

Outside of the city center, there is the incredible barraca de Toni Montoliu. A unique opportunity to be immersed in traditional Valencian culture and food. Similar to a farm to table experience, you’ll be surrounded by farmland and try dishes that use the local ingredients. We were able to watch the paella being cooked over an outdoor fire as well as getting a tour of the grounds by horse and carriage. I highly recommend ordering traditional Valencian paella.

More Things to Do

In this Valencia travel guide, I highly recommend trying these food items: paella, orange juice, and horchata. Traditional Valencian paella is made with chicken, rabbit, and snails. If you’ve heard of Valencia oranges, they originate from this city. The orange juice here is SO GOOD. And you can order it fresh squeezed at almost any restaurant. Horchata de chufa is another well known beverage of Valencia. Unlike the Mexican version that is rice milk with cinnamon, this Horchata has a more subtle taste made from ground chufa nuts.

Take your time in this historic, gorgeous city. I really enjoyed the slower pace of Valencia and felt like I could really soak in the culture of Spain here. I enjoyed taking my time walking through gothic architecture landmarks and learning new things in the museums. If you plan to visit several cities in Spain, definitely consider adding Valencia to your itinerary.

If you’re looking for other Spanish city itineraries, check out these posts:

Exciting 4 Day Madrid Travel Itinerary

Awesome 3 Day Valencia Travel Guide