Even though Spain has never been high on my travel radar, when my lovely friend Fleur moved to Valencia, I knew I had to come to visit her and finally give it a chance. Gladly so, as Valencia quickly became one of my favorite cities in Europe. Valencia in 3 days may sound very short (which it is, I highly recommend staying longer!). However, this amount of time gives you a chance to see the best spots of the city and a unique sight into the daily life of the locals.
This Spanish city is located on the eastern coast of the country and is the birthplace of the most iconic dish of Spain – paella.
You may not be able to see everything that Valencia has to offer, but visiting a city is more than ticking off must-sees.
Day 1 in Valencia:
On your first day, start with a healthy base at one of the many breakfast spots in town and try the traditional tomato toast.
Explore local Ruzafa
Ruzafa is a local neighborhood in Valencia filled with beautiful colorful houses and trendy restaurants. Spend the morning exploring this upcoming part of the city.
Optional: Vintage Shopping
Around every corner in Ruzafa, you find many vintage shops so if you’re into shopping go on the hunt for some unique items. Some retailers blow new life into old pieces, like with this men’s polo I’m wearing in the picture below.
Visit the Old Center – Ciutat Vella
On your first day of your Valencia in 3 days itinerary, I recommend learning more about the history of the city and getting lost in the Old Center. Some highlights of the Old Center are:
- Plaza de la Virgen
- Plaza de la Reina – one of the liveliest spots in town with a view of one side of the cathedral
- Torres de Serranos – remnants of the ancient walled city. You can even climb to the top for views over Valencia.
- El Carmen – grafitti
- Valencia Cathedral
- Mercado Central – full of fresh produce.
- Santa Catalina Tower
- The Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange) – one of Europe’s most famous Gothic monuments.
The historical sights in Valencia’s old center date back more than 2000 years ago and have been home to many different civilizations like the Romans and Visigoths. If you want to learn more about Valencia, join a free walking tour! Spain Free Tours offers a various selection of tours throughout Spain.
Valencia is the birthplace of paella so end your day eating paella or tapas in one of the many restaurants in the area. Looking for something else? Try local and international cheeses at this amazing cheese bar!
Outdoor Bachata Class
In Valencia on a Saturday or Wednesday? Twice a week Kevin and Lucia offer outdoor bachata lessons throughout Valencia.
The lesson costs only €6 per person and takes around 2hrs, with afterward the social part where you can practice your bachata skills and implement your new-learned moves! It starts at 18:30 and goes on for quite a while, so I recommend having a late lunch before.
This lesson was one of the best things I’ve done during my days in Valencia!
Day 2 in Valencia:
Today you’re visiting one of the most photographed areas of the new area. But first, grab some energy at Blue Bell coffee bar, in Ruzafa.
Afterwards, rent a bicycle and make your way to the City of Arts & Science. This futuristic-like ‘little city’ is perfect to explore for the morning together with the neighboring Turia Park that crosses the city.
City of Arts & Sciences
Probably the most iconic picture of Valencia is made at the City of Arts & Sciences. It’s by far the most popular place to visit for tourists and regardless of its popularity highly worth a visit! Besides being very photogenic, there’s a lot more to explore in the complex. For example, there are museums, a 3D cinema, clubs (read along for that one;)). Even without going inside the buildings, the amazing architecture is worthwhile a visit!
During summer there are lots of water activities on the waters around the complex, fun for children and families!
More into music or dance? El Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía is setting the stage for opera, dance and open-air concerts. Check their website here for more information on tickets and tours!
Turia Park
A meeting place for all sorts of occupations in Valencia, from workouts to dog walking and from bachata classes to yoga sessions. Turia Park once used to be a river crossing the city of Valencia, but due to many floodings, the government decided to drain it and turn it into a park. It now is one of the local’s favorite and important spots in the city
This 7-kilometer park is located from the city of Arts & Sciences all the way to the Bioparc on the other side of town. If you hired a bicycle for your 3 days in Valencia, get lost in the park and admire all the locals living their daily lives here.
Bring your reusable waterbottle, there are taps throughout the park!
In Spain, people tend to have dinner around 9 pm which leaves you with enough time to go back to your accommodation to freshen up for dinner. San Tommaso is an Italian restaurant and is often fully booked already months in advance. Highly recommend the burrata and cheeseboard as starters!
Day 3 in Valencia:
On the last day of your 3-day trip to Valencia, grab some early breakfast in the neighborhood of your accommodation. Today will be a relaxing day to slow down a bit.
The Beach in Valencia
Valencia is known to be extremely hot, especially from the end of June to August. Therefore, after all the sightseeing in the last few days, cool off at the beach! Hop on a bus and catch some fresh breezes or take a dip in the ocean.
Picnic in Turia Park
Undoubtedly the best choice we’ve made during these days – having a picnic in the park. In the late afternoon, head to the Supermercado to gather all the food and drinks.
Make sure to bring a small speaker to put on the latest Spanish hits! Spend the full evening here, watching the locals live their daily life, have deep conversations, watch the sunset through the palm trees and be present. 💛
We decided to take a seat next to the City of Arts of Science for some sunset views and spend hours in the park until the sun had set. I don’t recommend staying after 10 pm in the park as all locals leave at this time as well.
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Valencia’s nightlife
Nightlife in Valencia is bustling and goes on until the early mornings. If you’re in the city between Thursday – Sunday, dance the night away with locals on Latin music and reggaeton at Havana.
L’Umbracle / MYA
On Friday and Saturday nights, L’Umbracle transforms into an outdoor club. It’s known for its cool setting, with surrounding palm trees and white arches covering the urban garden.
On Sunday L’Umbracle is closed, but the underground club called ‘MYA’ is open and from the same owner as L’Umbracle. Expect a mix of Pop, Afro Beats, and Latin music.
Best Restaurants in Valencia
Breakfast/lunch:
- Artysana – cheap & delicious!
- Bluebell – make sure to try their own coffee brand.
- Black bird
Coffee on to go:
- Fran Cafe – highly recommend the matcha iced latte!
Dinner:
- San Tommaso – book months in advance if possible!
- Quesomentero – for only €32 you have a menu full of different cheeses & dishes, including drinks.
Try Valencia’s most iconic cocktail – Agua de Valencia made of oranges, cava, gin & wodka (🔞)
The best area to stay in Valencia
Sleeping in Valencia is best done in the local neighborhood of Ruzafa. Besides many affordable Airbnbs, the area is full of bars, trendy coffee bars & vintage shops! It’s a 20-minute walk from the old center and 30 min from the City of Arts & Science. Therefore, the perfect area to base yourself during your 3 days in Valencia.
Check all accommodation options in Valencia here!
We spend 4 nights in an Airbnb hosted by a lovely Spanish man (& dog) who rents out 3 rooms in his apartment. You share the bathroom and small kitchen area with the others and we paid €50 per night for a 2pers room, with views of the streets.
If you would love to book with Miguel, this is the link to his Airbnb! This is not an affiliate link, I just recommend staying there as the location is perfect, and Miguel is super friendly and helpful!
Budget for Valencia in 3 days
Safe to say, that I was pleasantly surprised by how cheap Valencia was. Even our ‘fairly last-minute’ Airbnb in Ruzafa was relatively cheap, plus the trendy cafes that are popular among travelers! Some restaurants even offer el menu del dia, with 3 courses for only €15.
- Espresso, €1.5
- Price per meal, €4 – €20
- 1lt Sangria, €10
- Drinks in clubs, €5 – €12
- Hostel, €20/€40 pn
- Hotel/airbnb, €40 – €€€ pn
- Local transport, €1.5 – €6
How to get around during your 3 days in Valencia
By Foot
Valencia isn’t the biggest city of all so we mainly walked everywhere which was max 30 min each. However, their local transport works wel, is super easy and cheap – so I recommend making use of it.
Public Transport
For visiting places like the beach, which is out of the city center, the buses work amazing and we used Google Maps to see the bus stops and timetables. But for destinations further away (for example, the airport) the metro works really good as well!
Plan your trip on Google Maps, which will show you the closest station/bus stop and which line to use.
Private Transport
Next to public transport, you can opt for your own transport and rent a bicycle for a few days. I don’t recommend renting a scooter or car to roam around the city as there’s so much to explore along the way. Take it slow and admire Valencia’s local life & beauty.
How to get to Valencia
Valencia had its own international airport only 20 minutes away from the center with direct connections through all of Europe.
Getting from the airport to the city
After arriving at the airport, take a metro line to the neighborhood depending on your accommodation. If you’re staying in Ruzafa, you can either take metro line 3 or 5.
Use Skyscanner for the best flight deals to Colombia!
Best time to visit Valencia
During the summer months in Europe, Valencia is extremely hot with temperatures until 40 degrees Celsius. Because of this, I recommend avoiding July – August as sightseeing on foot during the day isn’t very enjoyable. The best months are May – June & September with temperatures warm enough for the beach and not yet too hot for exploring and no big crowds.
Besides all the above-mentioned activities, there are of course a lot more cool things to do in Valencia and this guide for 3 Valencia in 3 days couldn’t include all of them unfortunately.
If you want more tips, make sure to check out my dear friend Fleur from FloraFlies.nl. She lives in Valencia and shares all her adventures on her Instagram and tips on her travel blog! I do hope with this itinerary that you’ll have an amazing and local experience!
Let me know which activity you put on top of your list for your next trip to Valencia! 🙂
Really great photos. You took the time to capture not just the places but the energy in Russafa!
Happy to hear! 🙂