The birthplace of paella and home to one of the most beautiful rooms in Spain. Valencia is compact, photogenic, and slightly under-the-radar compared to its neighbours. Two nights is enough to hit the highlights and eat incredibly well.
Day 1 — Monday, October 19
Arrive from Seville ~9pm · Quick dinner near hotel
AVE 03981 departs Seville 16:44, arrives Valencia Joaquín Sorolla 21:06. Taxi or 12 min walk to Mon Suites Catedral. Late check-in — and despite the hour you're already in the heart of the old town, 50m from the Cathedral. Plenty of tapas bars within a 3-minute walk; no need to go anywhere ambitious tonight.
Day 2 — Tuesday, October 20
Morning: Lonja + Market · Afternoon: Arts & Sciences · Evening: Paella
La Lonja de la Seda first thing (opens 10am, 20–30 min visit). Walk next door to Mercado Central for grazing brunch. Afternoon: taxi to Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias for the architecture. Evening: taxi to El Cabanyal for wood-fired paella at Casa Carmela (book ahead!).
Day 3 — Wednesday, October 21
Morning: Valencia Cathedral · Turia Gardens run · Departure: Train to Barcelona departs 3:36pm
Train doesn't leave until 15:36 from Estació del Nord — a useful morning. The Cathedral is 1 min from the hotel and opens at 10am (Holy Grail, Miguelete tower). Or use the morning for a run through the Turia Gardens — entrance is 2 min away. Horchata at a local horchatería before heading back to pack. Taxi or 12 min walk to Estació del Nord. Allow 30 min before departure. EUROMED 01162 departs 15:36, arrives Barcelona Sants 19:00.
Booking Status
| Item | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ Seville → Valencia train | Booked | Oct 19 · AVE 03981 dep 16:44 |
| ✅ Mon Suites Catedral | Booked | Oct 19–21 · Check-in 9:30pm |
| ⬜ Casa Carmela dinner | Not booked | Oct 20 · Book ahead — popular paella spot |
| ✅ Valencia → Barcelona train | Booked | Oct 21 · EUROMED 01162 dep 15:36 |
Attractions
La Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange)
★★★★★ 4.7 (18,000)UNESCO World Heritage 15th-century Gothic silk exchange. The Contract Hall has twisted palm-tree columns rising to a starry ceiling — one of the most beautiful rooms in Spain. Don't miss it.
Tickets: TripAdvisor
Mercado Central
★★★★★ 4.6 (28,000)Art Nouveau building (1928) with iron pillars and stained glass domes. Over 1000 stalls — the largest fresh-food market in Europe. Go mid-morning for the buzz.
Valencia Cathedral & Miguelete Tower
★★★★★ 4.5 (14,000)A mix of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque — claims to house the Holy Grail. The Miguelete tower offers 360° views but involves narrow spiral stairs.
Tickets: Viator · TripAdvisor
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
★★★★★ 4.7 (42,000)Santiago Calatrava's futuristic complex in the drained Turia riverbed. Stunning architecture — the exterior alone is worth the visit. Science museum, aquarium, and opera house inside.
Tickets: Viator · TripAdvisor
Hotels
✅ Mon Suites Catedral BOOKED
★★★★★ TripAdvisor Travellers' ChoiceCarrer Guillem Del Rei 1, Valencia. Studio, 1 Queen Bed. Check-in: 9:30pm · Check-out: Oct 21 11:00am. 50m from the Cathedral — right in the heart of the old town.
Excellent choice. You're essentially inside the sights — 50m from the Cathedral, 250m from La Lonja, 270m from Mercado Central. Reviewers consistently describe it as "central location but surprisingly quiet" — the old town lanes are pedestrianised and relatively calm overnight. Safe neighbourhood, well within the historic tourist zone. La Lonja and the Mercado are literally a 3-min walk, which makes the most of your short 2-night stay. One note: some reviews mention occasional weekend night noise from the bar scene on nearby streets — request a rear-facing room if light sleeper. Booking.com rates the location as one of the highest in Valencia.
Restaurants
🍽️ What to order in Valencia: Valencia invented paella — the real version is paella valenciana, made with rabbit and chicken (not seafood), cooked over orange-tree wood, with a crispy socarrat crust at the bottom. Order it for lunch, never dinner — no self-respecting Valencian eats paella at night. Also try fideuà (paella made with thin noodles instead of rice), fresh horchata (tiger nut milk — try it at a horchatería, chilled, with fartons), and all i pebre (eel in garlic-paprika sauce, a traditional El Palmar dish).
Casa Carmela
★★★★★ 4.5 (5,600)The real deal — wood-fired paella cooked over orange-tree branches. In the fishing neighbourhood of El Cabanyal. Book ahead, this is a pilgrimage.
La Pepica
★★★★★ 4.0 (8,200)Paella since 1898, on the beach. Hemingway ate here. Classic, reliable, and atmospheric.
Navarro
★★★★★ 4.0 (1,400)Family-run since 1950. Traditional Valencian rice dishes and seafood. In the old town — easy for a first-night dinner.
Wine & Cocktail Bars
🥂 Try locally: Agua de Valencia — Valencia's famous cocktail of fresh orange juice, cava, vodka, and gin, typically served in a large shared jug. Invented at Café de las Horas (which is on the restaurant list). Also worth trying: wines from the Utiel-Requena DO, just inland from the city — especially the Bobal grape, which makes deep, earthy reds.
Small Shops & Museums
🏺 Museo Nacional de Cerámica (Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas)
★★★★★ 4.6 (8,500)Stunning Rococo palace facade (one of the most ornate in Spain). Ceramics collection inside. The building is worth seeing from outside even if you skip the interior.
🏃 Running Routes
Turia Gardens (Jardí del Túria)
A 9km park built in the drained riverbed that runs through the entire city. Flat, shaded, with dedicated running paths. Passes the City of Arts and Sciences at the eastern end. Valencia's most popular running route — you'll see dozens of locals out every morning. An official 5K circuit is marked within the park.
📏 5-9km (choose your section) 🛤️ Paved + soft paths, completely flat 🏃 ~2 min run to nearest entrance (400m) 📐 Total door-to-door: 5.8–9.8km
Maps: GreatRuns · AllTrails · Official 5K Circuit
📚 Further Reading
Rick Steves — Spain Guide — Overview of Spain including Valencia tips. Also check the Rick Steves Forum — Valencia for traveller advice.
Rick Steves Audio Tours (Spain) — Free self-guided audio walking tours. Download the Audio Europe app.
Seat61 — Train Travel in Spain — Best independent guide to Spanish trains.
Transport
🚕 Getting Around
Joaquín Sorolla station → Hotel: Taxi €6, ~5 min
Old town is compact and flat — entirely walkable. Taxis only needed for El Cabanyal (paella!) and the Arts & Sciences complex.
🗺️ Valencia → Barcelona on Rome2Rio → (compare train, bus, car options)
🚄 Train Bookings
| Route | Date | Train | Depart | Arrive | Class | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sevilla Santa Justa → Valencia Joaquín Sorolla | Sun Oct 19 | AVE 03981 | 16:44 | 21:06 | Confort (Coach 1) | 4B / 4C |
| Valencia Estació del Nord → Barcelona Sants | Tue Oct 21 | EUROMED 01162 | 15:36 | 19:00 | Confort (Coach 13) | 8A / 9A |
✅ All trains booked via Renfe. Tickets issued.