Here’s my ultimate Valencia road trip itinerary through the Spanish region of the Valencian Community – perfect for those looking to explore the hidden gems beyond the city. If you love road-tripping in Europe, this route is a great way to combine a classic Valencia city break with lesser-known regional highlights.
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7-day Road Trip Itinerary for Valencia, Spain
One Week in the Region of Valencia
While the region of the Valencian Community has been my home for the past 15+ years, planning new Spanish road trips still feels exciting for me. In this post, I will share a brief Valencia Road Trip Itinerary for those of you who plan to visit Valencia for a week and want to cross off your Spain Bucket list all of the local hidden gems. For a longer itinerary, you can combine this trip with my Castellon Road Trip, Valencia to Alicante Road Trip, Valencia to Barcelona road trip, or Madrid to Valencia Road Trip.
You might already know that Valencia is one of the top Spanish cities and the capital of the Valencian Community (or La Comunidad Valenciana in Spanish). The whole region of the Valencia Community is formed by three provinces – Valencia, Castellon, and Alicante. The capital of each province holds the same name. This Valencia Road Trip itinerary is mostly focused on top landmarks of Valencia and Castellon, to read more about Alicante, head to this other article of mine instead.
Planning you trip to Valencia
To make the most of your week in Valencia, consider following one of these three main travel strategies:
- to spend the whole week of your holidays in the city of Valencia (for this plan check out my ultimate Valencia Bucket List)
- to stay in Valencia, while dedicating two days to the city, and then explore the rest of the region via day trips (or organized day tours)
- to spend one day in Valencia, and plan an exciting road trip across the Valencian Community
To be honest, I personally prefer the last two options – but ultimately, it depends on what kind of trip you’re looking for. I know many international travelers come to Valencia for its beaches, and if your idea of a perfect day includes slow mornings by the Mediterranean, you can easily pair that with a few adventurous water activities and save your afternoons for sightseeing.
That said, I usually don’t recommend this relaxed beach-first itinerary to friends – unless they’re visiting Valencia with kids. In my experience, 95% of children enjoy Valencia’s interactive museums far more than scenic hikes or charming, remote villages. But if you’re traveling solo, with a partner, or with friends, why not take full advantage and explore the region beyond the city limits?
Even though I still see travel articles calling Valencia “one of Spain’s most underrated cities,” I think that narrative is outdated. That may have been true when I first visited in 2005, but today Valencia is one of the most visited cities in Spain – right after Madrid and Barcelona – and a regular stop for Mediterranean cruise travelers.
The good news? The region surrounding the city – the Valencian Community – is still packed with hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
Also, for a free downloadable PDF and maps to help you plan your trip to Spain, check out this post.
7 days in Valencia Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1 – Exploring the city of Valencia
Even if it´s not your first time in the city, spending one day in Valencia is always a great idea. New cafes, museums, and temporary expositions – things do change quickly in this Mediterranean capital. If it´s your first visit, you can follow my 1-day Itinerary for Valencia. If not – check the websites Visit Valencia and Agenda Cultural de Valencia (in Spanish) to learn more about trending events and workshops.
Where to stay in Valencia: Hotel Malcom and Barret, Sercotel Valencia Alameda, Holiday Inn Express Ciudad de las Ciencias, or Melia Valencia. I have always enjoyed living anywhere close to the City of Arts and Sciences and not in Valencia’s old town.
Day 2 – Xativa
During your Valencia Road Trip, you simply can´t miss the Castle of Xativa, one of the dreamiest Spanish castles. The small town of Xativa (also called Jativa) is known for two main historical insights – it was the first European center of paper manufacture and the birthplace of the two Popes of Rome, belonging to the famous Borgia Family. Nevertheless, the Castle of Xativa is the most unique local landmark.You can read more about my visit to Xativa in this article.
Where to stay in Xativa: Mont-Sant.
Day 3 – Bocairente and Villena
If I were to recommend only one charming local village to visit in Valencia, I´d stick with Bocairente. Usually, one morning is enough to stroll across the small town and visit the famous Moorish caves. You can read more about Bocairente and check the photo gallery from my visit in this post.
In the afternoon, you can not miss a tour of the Alataya Castle in the small town of Villena. It was built in the 12th century to provide shelter for the Muslim residents of the town. It is mostly known as home to the Treasure of Villena, a collection of 59 gold, silver, iron, and amber pieces dating back to the Bronze Age. Till the present day this is the biggest gold tableware discovery in Spain (and the second most important in Europe).
Here, I recommend you double-check the opening hours online. Usually, the Alataya Castle is closed on Mondays and open in the mornings from Tuesday to Sunday (from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and in the afternoons from Tuesday to Saturday (from 4 p.m. to 7 pm). You can get your tickets online or stop by the Villena Tourist Office (Plaza de Santiago, 5). Alternatively, you have other two Spanish castles to visit nearby – The Castle of Biar and the Sax Castle.
Where to stay in Bocairente: ABBI SUITES or L’Agora Hotel.
Day 4 – Requena and Sagunto
Requena is a unique small town to taste local delicatessen of the Valencia region and shop for some local food souvenirs from Spain. Besides its unique caves and the secret museum Casa del Arte Mayor de la Seda, the village is known for its wine and cheese-tasting experiences. While Valencia can not outnumber the wineries in La Rioja, tasting wine in different Spanish regions is always interesting. The popular bodegas of Requena are Murviedro, Bodegas Hispano Suizas, Bodegas del Valle, Bodegas Carcel de Corpa, Pago de Tharsys, and Coviñas Bodega Coop. The local goat-milk cheese production is Hoya de la Iglesia.
After, your wine or cheese-tasting tour I suggest you head to Sagunto, known for some of the most unique Roman ruins in Spain. On the road to Sagunto, you can also make a quick stop in Alboraya at Horchateria Daniel to savor the authentic horchata, Valencia´s most traditional drink.
Aside from the hilltop remains of the Roman Castle, Sagunto is also known for the oldest traces of the Jewish presence in Spain (dating back to the 2nd century). If you are not into Roman Ruins at all, another interesting sightseeing alternatives near Sagunto are the Caves of Sant josep, known for the longest navigable underground river in Europe (you need to book your entrance online).
Where to stay near Sagunto: Hotel Barú or AGH Canet.
Day 5 – Vilafames and/or Benicassim
At this point of your Valencia Road Trip, you will start exploring the top landmarks of the Castellon Province. One of the most beautiful villages of Castellon is Villafames. It is my personal favorite, however, street art lovers might enjoy visiting the secret graffiti village of Fanzara instead, or even swimming in the hot springs of Montanejos (depending on the dates of your Valencia Road Trip).
Nevertheless, if you want to take a small break from sightseeing, you can simply spend the day enjoying the beaches of Benicassim. You can read more about my beach getaway to Benicassim in this post. There are lots of delicious seafood restaurants in the port area of El Grao de Castellon, for instance, El Mirador del Port (!try the sea urchins!), Mediterraneo, and Tasca del Puerto. The touristy alternative to Benicassim is the nearest Oropesa and its Marina D´Or Resort.
Where to stay: PALASIET Thalasso Hotel or RH Silene Hotel & Spa.
Day 6 – Morella
Morella is one of the top storybook locations in Spain, most of the Valencia day tours usually combine a visit to Morella and Peñiscola, but in my opinion, that´s too much for one day. You can read more about my visit to Morella in this post.
If you enjoy visiting mysterious and haunted places in Spain, right near Morella you will find Santuario de la Virgen de Balma. It is a sanctuary carved on a rock and located near the tiny village of Zorita del Maestrazgo. Back in the Middle Ages, it used to be the ultimate destination for those “possessed by the Devil”. People would come to Santuario de la Virgen de Balma in search of Divine Healing. Even though most of those searching for the magical cure were suffering from illnesses modern medicine now has clear names for (like epilepsy, for instance), back then those people were simply doomed and could only hope for a miracle.
Also, some of the secret villages of Teruel (like Mirambel, for instance) are located quite close to Morella. So, you can easily combine your day in Morella with visiting at least one Spanish village off the beaten path.
Where to stay: Hotel Cardenal Ram or Hotel Restaurante & Spa Palacio Matutano-Daudén (45 mins away from Morella).
Day 7 – Peñiscola
On the last day of your Valencia road trip, you can spend a day (or morning) in Peñiscola, known for its stunning Castle of Pope Luna which served as one of the most iconic GOT filming locations in Spain. You can read more about Peñiscola in this post.
If you are doing this Valencia Road Trip in February, do not miss the Artichoke Gastronomic weeks in the nearest small town of Benicarlo. Also, those of you who love birds might enjoy visiting the nearest Jardin del Papagayo – it is still one of my kids’ all-time favorites in Spain.
Where to stay: Hotel Boutique Barra Alta or Duna Hotel Boutique.
Customize this itinerary (+map)
Planning to stay in Valencia for more than one week? – I got you covered as well. You can easily combine the Valencia Road Trip Itinerary with my other trips across the nearest regions: Castellon Road Trip, Tarragona Road Trip, Madrid to Valencia Road Trip, a Weekend in Matarranya, Alicante to Valencia Road Trip, and One Week in Alicante.
You can save the map of this itinerary via Google maps here.
Tips for Driving in Spain
Driving in Spain for the first time? – You might find handy this Driving in Spain Guide, with Expert Videos, 360 Driving Tours and an On-The-Go PDF.
Discover more local tips for visiting Valencia:
- How to Spend an Epic Week in Valencia (read it)
- The Best Day Trips From Valencia (read it)
- Valencia With Kids (read it)
- Breakfast in Valencia – Cute Cafes You´ll Love (read it)
- Spanish Eating Habits – Almuerzo in Valencia (read it)
- Valencia Day Trip to Manises (read it)
- Valencia Hidden Gems Blog Series (read it)
- The Coolest Hikes near Valencia (read it)
- Beautiful villages of Valencia – Bocairente (read it)
- Top Valencia Day Trips by train (read it)
- Madrid To Valencia Road Trip (read it)
- Fun & Adventurous Things to do in Valencia (read it)
- Unique Valencia Gifts to Get Right Now (read it)
- Hiking to Penyagolosa: one of the Highest Peaks of Valencia (read it)
- The Borgia Sights in Valencia (read it)
- An Ultimate 3 days in Valencia Itinerary (read it)
- 20 Must-Try Foods in Valencia (read it)
Pin it:
For more Spain travel tips check out my Pinterest board Spain Travel Collection and Flipboard Travel to Spain.
- Accommodation: For short stays, I usually book via Agoda and Booking
- Tours&excursions: My favorites for guided tours are GetYourGuide and Viator
- Museums&attractions: Get mobile tickets for attractions via Tiqets (use ATC5 code for a 5% discount via this link)
- Semi-private & private tours: LivTours is my favorite place for unique & crafted experiences in Europe
- For Foodies: Eatwith is a unique platform for finding culinary experiences with locals around the world
- Audio guides: Book audio excursions & tours in 35+ countries via WeGoTrip
- Flights: Find the best deals with Skyscanner and Kiwi
- Driving in a new country? – Check out Tripiamo guides (do not miss Tripiamo Driving in Spain Guide)
- Train&bus tickets: Currently, I book via Omio (10% off with code ATC10 for first-time customers)
- Car rental: To find the best deals, I use Discover Cars
- Top E-Sim: To avoid roaming fees, I like Holafly (use ATLIFESTYLECROSSROADS for for a 5% discount)
- Shop My Level8 Suitcase: get 15% off with the code ATC15 here
- Internet Security on the road: Connect safely to public Wi-Fi and bypass censorship with NordVPN
- Transfers: For individual transfer services, I like GetTransfer and Kiwitaxi
- Suitcases&Luggage: Discover where to store your luggage on the go with Radical Storage
- Travel Insurance: Find the best trip insurance plans via VisitorsCoverage and EKTA
- Compensation for delayed/canceled flights: Check out AirHelp and Compensair
- Renting Bikes: To find motorcycles, scooters, quads, and bicycles, I use BikesBooking
- Package Tours: Head to CheapOair and Expedia
- For Bloggers: To monetize my blog, I work with Travelpayouts and Stay22
- Website Owners: For hosting services, I work with and recommend Lyrical Host (get 10% off with my code ATC10)
Wow, Xativa castle looks amazing, need to put it on my bucket list!
wonderful recommendations… Morella has been on my Spain bucket list- glad to see it on yours!
I know where I need to be for ANY information about Valencia! Wow! The amount of useful articles on here is impressive 🙂
Your 7-day Valencia road trip plan seems like the perfect blend of culture, cuisine, and adventure. Thanks for sharing your expertise. I love how you’ve included not so frequently visited places like Castle of Xativa, Sagunto, and Fanzara. As a Catholic, I’m interested in the Santuario de la Virgen de Balma. This itinerary is really a great resource. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
I had no idea Valencia had so much to offer! Bocairente seems like a dream and I’m in the chapter of my life where I’m mostly bringing back food souvenirs so Requena seems like the spot to check out. Thank you for sharing a full list of resources too. I’m checking out more of your Spain posts!