05 Feb One day in Valencia – itinerary, tips and photography route
As usual I am standing in the airport and waiting for my flight home to Bucharest.
I just finished my first holiday of the year. 3 days in Valencia and Cuenca.
I had amazing weather, weather that surpassed even my expectations.
2 days with 21 degrees Celsius and one day with 17 degrees. Not bad for the end of January.
With these articles from Valencia I will change things a bit on my blog.
I will go into more detail as the articles unfold and, for now, all I have to say is that this trip involved very little preparation beforehand.
I did not look for good restaurants, for the best accommodation deals and, frankly, I had no major expectations regarding photography.
And I truly think this was for the best.
I spent two and a half days in Valencia and half a day in Cuenca and, while you could do the same, I wanted to write this article for people who are only able to spend one day in this place.
Planning your one day in Valencia
Before starting, just take one thing into consideration.
Get yourself good accommodation. From Valencia airport you can take metro 3 or 5 directly into the city and I strongly recommend a hotel or Airbnb near Xativa metro station.
This is what I did and, trust me, if you only have one day in Valencia you want to be close to the old town.
While Valencia has a good metro, tram and bus network, it makes no sense to ride for 20 minutes just to get there.
So that rules out accommodation near The City of Sciences or Malvarrosa beach.
Second of all, you need to ask yourself whether, with only one day to spend in Valencia, some things are worth doing.
I, for one, ruled out visiting the inside of the City of Sciences.
If you want to visit it, you can check available tickets here.
I decided I had already seen too many museums and aquariums so I only wanted to stroll and take my time walking through that area.
One day in Valencia itinerary
If that’s all you’ve got and you are decently fit.
If you love photography and are willing to work harder for some good photos, I would suggest starting your day at Malvarrosa beach.
Personally, even though I visited Malvarrosa twice, I would advise you to skip it.
What you need to know is that monuments, churches and important sights usually open between 10:00 and 11:00 in the morning.
If you love shooting people and buildings, start in Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
A simple route could go from Plaza del Ayuntamiento to Mercat Central, Llotja de la Seda, Santa Catalina, the Cathedral, Plaza de la Virgen and further on.
Mercat Central
Great for photos and atmosphere. Similar to La Boqueria in Barcelona.
La Llonja de Seda
The courtyard, the columns and especially the windows are perfect for photography.
Santa Catalina
Climb the tower for great views over the city.
The Cathedral
Another tower, different perspective, and views over Plaza de la Virgen.
Small tip: if you visit on Thursday, you might catch the Water Tribunal near the Cathedral.
Parroquia de San Nicolas
Easy to miss from the outside but amazing inside.
House of Cats
Quick stop, good photo opportunity, and surprisingly popular.
Torres de Serranos
Another quick climb with great views and photo opportunities.
City of Sciences
End your day here. Sunset is the best moment.
If you’re short on time, grab a cab and head directly there.
Afterwards you can return to Plaza del Ayuntamiento and enjoy the view from above.
Final thoughts
This is my idea for spending one day in Valencia.
If you can stay longer, do it, but if one day is all you have, this route works very well.
The city is compact, easy to explore and quite affordable when it comes to entrance fees.
Valencia can also be used as a base for visiting other places like Cuenca, Albufera or Alicante.
If you plan to use transport, keep your metro card and recharge it instead of buying new ones.
If you’re planning your trip, check my complete Spain travel guide here.
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