If you are planning to spend 2 days in Valencia – look no further. Here´s an Ultimate Guide to Valencia, full of local tips and ideas!
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How to Spend 2 days in Valencia
Living near the city of Valencia
After my 15+ expat years in the Valencia region, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve visited the city. Whenever my family doesn’t feel like hiking, we plan a new weekend getaway to Valencia with the kids.
My first weekend in Valencia took place almost 20 years ago: back then it was totally one of the most underrated cities in Spain. Nowadays, Valencia is one of the most visited Spanish capitals, after Barcelona and Madrid, and even a popular stop for the Mediterranean Cruises.

What is Valencia known for
First of all, Valencia is internationally famous as the birthplace of Spanish paella, which is still a favorite meal for the locals on Sundays.
Secondly, Valencia was once the birthplace of a few famous Spaniards in history: painters Joaquin Sorolla and Vicente Benllure, the writer Vicente Blasco Ibañez, the movie director Luis Garcia Berlanga, and the composer Vicente Martin y Soler. Also, don’t forget the architect Santiago Calatrava (who created The City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia) and the scandalous Borgia family (check the full list of Valencia sites related to them).
Another unique thing you should know about Valencia is the fact that the city is home to the Holy Grail (the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper), one of Christianity´s most elusive relics.
Beach lovers would be happy to discover that Valencia has the biggest number of high-rated beaches in Spain (marked with a blue flag – a top local award). Some of the beaches are located within the city, like Playa Malvarrosa and Playa Cabanyal, others could be an easy Valencia Day Trip (like my favorite Benicasim).
Another unique feature of Valencia city is its globally famous Las Fallas Festival – one of the top Festivities in Spain (taking place every March).


How much time to spend in Valencia
2 or 3 days is enough to visit all of the top Valencia landmarks. You can even manage to see a lot of Valencia in one single day. However, to check out all of the Valencia sights and explore Valencia day trips – you´d easily need a full week in Valencia.
But let’s say that for the first visit – 2 days in Valencia is a perfect match to make a first impression.
Where to stay in Valencia
It really depends on your sightseeing plan. If your travel goal is to enjoy a Valencia city break – pick central locations for your accommodation, like MYR Puerta Serranos, Cosmo Hotel Boutique, or Helen Berger Boutique Hotel.
In case you plan to do at least one Valencia day trip by train – hotels near the train station might be for you (since these are also quite central), like the stylish Vincci Lys, Zenit Valencia, or the budget-friendly Hotel 19-30 Valencia.
If you plan to rent a car and do some hiking near Valencia or Valencia Day trips, booking a hotel in the old city center might not be the best idea: you will lose time in traffic and pay for the overpriced parking. I really like the modern neighborhoods near the city of Arts and Sciences: Sercotel Valencia Alameda 41 or AC Hotel Valencia by Marriott.

Unique Tours in Valencia
Popular tours to enjoy Valencia include Essentials and World Heritages Sites Walking Tour, City Highlights Guided Bike Tour, and Segway Tour of Old Town.
If you love Spanish shows – check out Palosanto Flamenco Show and Flamenco Show with Dinner at La Bulería. For more ideas check my full article The Best Day Tours From Valencia.
What to eat in Valencia
You should definitely not miss paella and horchata. For more ideas, check out my posts Cute Cafes in Valencia and Traditional almuerzo in Valencia.
If you dream of experiencing the foodie arena of Valencia, you might love one of these unique tours: Daytime Tapas-Tasting Tour w/ Central Market Visit, Old Town Tour, Wine & Tapas, Traditional Paella Cooking Class & Dinner, Valencia Street Food Tour, Wine Tasting with Professional Sommelier, or City of Arts & Sciences Tour with Rooftop Wine & Tapas.
- Top 10 lists of Valencia's must-sees, including La Catedral, Jardín del Turia, Barrio del Carmen, and La Lonja de la Seda
- Valencia's most exciting areas, with the best places for sightseeing, food and drink, and shopping
- Themed lists, including the best beaches, tapas bars, architectural highlights, parks, and much more
- Easy-to-follow itineraries, perfect for a day trip, a weekend, or a week
- A laminated pull-out map of Valencia, plus five full-color area maps
An Ultimate 2 Days in Valencia Itinerary
Weekend in Valencia – Day 1


You should dedicate the first day of this Valencia weekend to the city´s Old Town area. Your must-stops for the day:
- Plaza de Ayuntamiento – Valencia City Hall (the visit is free)
- Palau de Comunicacionses – the Central Post Office ( the visit is free unless there´s a temporary exhibition inside)
- Museo Nacional de Ceramica – one of the top Ceramics Museums in Spain
- La Seu – Valencia´s Cathedral, where you can see the Holy Grail and get panoramic views from the tower
- San Nicolas de Bari & San Pedro Martir or San Nicolas Church
- Mercado de Valencia – Valencia´s Central Market
- La Estrecha – the narrowest building in Europe
- Lonja de Seda – The Silk Exchange of Valencia
- Portal de Quart – the Quart Towers, one of the old city getaways
You can visit all of the places mentioned above quite fast, except for Valencia´s Cathedral, where you might face a waiting line. Also, inside the San Nicolas Church and the Ceramics Museums of Valencia, many of you might enjoy taking time to listen to the Audio guide and marveling at all the artsy decorations.
Check out my express 1-day Valencia itinerary on Google Maps here. However, since this post focuses on spending 2 days in Valencia, there’s no need to rush. Save the final steps of that route, particularly the City of Arts and Sciences, for the second day of your Valencia weekend. Nevertheless, just keep in mind that in case you want to see the city of Valencia in a day, you can always dedicate your second day to one of the Valencia Day Trips.
Weekend in Valencia – Day 2

It is a great idea to spend the second day of your Valencia weekend around the City of Arts and Sciences. Your must-stops for the day:
- Museo de las Ciencias Principe Felipe (get your tickets in advance)
- Oceanografic Valencia (get your tickets in advance)
- Combined guided tour of both places (check availability)
To see both places fully, you’d need at least one day in Valencia. If you are visiting Valencia with kids, you might potentially need even more time. Nevertheless, if you are extremely efficient on the road and need more ideas for this second day – you can have a walk along the old riverbed of Turia to enjoy Jardi del Turia gardens, towards Museu Faller ( a museum dedicated to Las Fallas festival of Valencia).
Unique Valencia Day Tours:
Here are the most popular day tours in Valencia, in case you decide to follow my one-day express itinerary and dedicate your second day to a new Valencia day trip.
- Albufera Day Trip with Boat Tour and Transfer (check availability)
- Boat Tour Little Venice Portsaplaya (check availability)
- Caves of San José Guided Excursion (check availability)
- Montanejos Guided Hike with Thermal Pools (check availability)
- Utiel-Requena Cave & Winery Day Trip with Tasting (check availability)
- Guided Cheese Factory Tour with Wine Tasting (check availability)
- Morella and Peñíscola Day Trip with Transfers (check availability)
- Day Trip from Valencia: Xàtiva and Anna (check availability)
- Chulilla and the Hanging Bridges Day Trip (check availability)
- Bocairent and Covetes dels Moros Day Trip (check availability)
- Peña Cortada Aqueduct Hiking Day Tour (check availability)
Read more on Valencia
To explore the Valencia region like a local – check all of my Valencia articles:
- 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)
- An Ultimate 7-day Valencia Road Trip Itinerary (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)
If you want to get some visual inspiration of the top Valencia landmarks – check out my IG Highlight Valencia City.

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, Booking, and Hotellook
- Tours&excursions: My favorites for guided tours are GetYourGuide, Viator, and Klook
- 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, WayAway, 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 Trainline, Busbud, and Omio
- Car rental: To find the best deals, I use Rental Cars and Discover Cars
- Top E-Sim: GigSky helps me to avoid roaming fees and provides connectivity everywhere (even on a cruise ship)
- 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
Valencia looks beautiful! These tips and itinerary is honestly super helpful – thank you 🙂
I was in Spain for several months in Palamos. I toured all around Spain but missed Valencia (and everything on the coast between Barcelona and Malaga). I wish I had visited Valencia and tried authentic paella ( I had it just about everywhere else I visited in Spain.)