Valencia City Breaks

A guide to Valencia

Despite being one of Spain’s most enjoyable cities with a beautiful Old Town, a fantastic climate, beaches and a terrific atmosphere, Valencia receives far less attention than other Spanish cities. Add the famously clear light, wonderful sunny climate and mild winters, and you can see why Valencia city breaks remain one of Spain’s best kept secrets.

Pure charm and character

Short breaks here will inevitably focus on El Carmen, the city’s beautiful and highly enjoyable old town: a maze of picturesque streets and charming squares lined with honey-coloured buildings, packed with cafes and bars and bursting with character. Despite its go-ahead, stylish reputation, Valencia offers plenty of cultural highlights, including superb Baroque, Renaissance and Neoclassical architecture, a fascinating cathedral, the beautiful Gothic Silk Exchange and a wonderful modernist covered market. The Museu de Bellas Artes contains a superb art collection, and the impressive, futuristic City of Arts and Science is home to a planetarium, aquarium and Museum of Sciences.

Classic Spanish party atmosphere

Valencia offers some of the liveliest and most enjoyable nightlife in Spain at any time of year, and visitors can take in the amazing choice of refreshingly authentic restaurants and bars serving the region’s famous paella and rice dishes and good-time cocktails. It's vibrant nightlife and thriving gay scene is legendary throughout the country, and the city is delightfully free of tourists. Fiesta fans should plan a short break around the city’s terrific February Carnival, the July Feria and, above all, Valencia’s unbelievable, week-long fireworks extravaganza, las Fallas, in mid March.