How Many Days to Spend in Valencia

If you are a first-time visitor, then you are probably wondering how many days you should spend in Valencia. This is a valid question, one that has both a short and a long answer.

How many days to spend in Valencia? The short answer

Three or four days. The perfect Valencia itinerary is either 3 or 4 full days. Which means spending 4 or 5 nights in Valencia. This is just about enough time to see all the major attractions, try the world-famous paella, and gain a basic understanding of the city and local way of life.

In a hurry? Check out my handcrafted Valencia itineraries:

💡 Tip: If you’ve got a flight that’s either very early on the day you arrive or very late on the day you leave, you might be tempted to cut your trip short and stay for just three or four nights. The latter might work well for you, but the former might work against you. My advice is to try to arrive the night before and get a good night’s rest so you can fully enjoy everything Valencia has to offer from day one. If you need hotel recommendations, check out the best areas to stay in Valencia as well as the best luxury hotels in Valencia.

How many days to spend in Valencia? The long answer

Valencia is a beautiful city with a rich history, vibrant culture, and plenty of attractions to keep you busy. The number of days you spend in Valencia really depends on your personal interests, budget, travel style, and the time of the year you visit.

Personally, I believe you should spend 4 full days in Valencia. This way you can see all the most important tourist attractions in the city and pack in some unforgettable experiences. And the best part is that you won’t have to rush from one place to the next, as 4 days give you plenty of time to enjoy Valencia.

If, on the other hand, your trip is anything less than 4 days, you will inevitably miss some cool spots. But if you decide to stay longer, you might or might not run out of things to do.

Sure, the most common advice for Spain’s major tourist hubs, such as Madrid and Barcelona, is to spend anything between 5 and 7 days. But Valencia is smaller and doesn’t have museums of the caliber of El Prado (although it has the next best thing), nor is it dotted with Gaudí’s architectural wonders.

Valencia is a pretty compact city, with most attractions concentrated in only three areas – the City of Arts and Sciences, the Old Town, and the beach.

• At the City of Arts and Sciences, you can spend anything from 2 hours to a whole day.
• In the historical Old Town, you could easily spend 2 days checking out its every nook and cranny.
• As for how much time you spend exploring the miles-long urban beaches, it’s really up to you. Valencia has wide stretches of fine, golden sand where you can sunbathe from April to October. I recommend you allocate at least half a day just to walk along the promenade, eat a good paella, and explore the marina. More if you want to lounge on the beach.

The amount of time you spend in Valencia can also depend on your travel style and your travel party.

• If you’re looking to relax and enjoy some sunshine, Valencia has plenty of beaches and parks to explore. You could add an extra day or two just to lounge on the beach, or explore the lush gardens and fountains of Turia Park, which stretches for 9 long kilometers.
• If you’re a fan of history and architecture and enjoy admiring the beauty of the city’s man-made structures, then you should definitely plan on spending at least 2 days in Valencia’s historic center alone. You might also want to visit Ruzafa, and the Modernista buildings of Pla del Real, Pla del Remei, and Gran Via.
• If you’re planning a family trip to Valencia, remember that everything takes longer when traveling with children. So you might need an extra day or two. Check out what to do in Valencia with kids.
• If you are a 20-something who likes to party and have new and exciting experiences, spending a whole week in Valencia will give you enough time to experience the city’s nightlife without the pressure of getting up early every morning. Check out what to do in Valencia as a young adult.
• If you like getting off the beaten path, you might also want to visit some nearby towns, villages, or natural wonders. There are many fun day trips from Valencia you can do by train or car. You should extend your trip based on how many of these day trips you want to do.

The time of the year you visit can also have a big influence on how many days you spend in Valencia. Here are some tips, but you can also check out my post on the best time to visit Valencia, as it is organized by month.

• If you are visiting Valencia during the summer months and love spending time on the beach, you should add a few extra days so you can fully enjoy the sun, the sand, and the sea. Valencia has three urban beaches and several other blue flag beaches just outside the city, with many quieter beaches and coves along the coastline, both to the north and to the south. If you plan to check out several of them, you should add extra days accordingly. See the best beaches in Valencia.
• If you are visiting Valencia in winter, that is from December to February, you might not need more than 3 days, since lounging on the beach is not an option. Valencia gets plenty of sunshine during the winter, but it can still be chilly and you might not feel like spending the whole day outdoors. Therefore, these are the perfect months for visiting Valencia’s Christmas markets and museums and treating yourself to a little retail therapy.
• If you are visiting Valencia during the last days of Las Fallas Festival (from March 15th to 19th), take into consideration that the city center gets extremely busy. While enjoying the festivities, you will experience a different Valencia. Also, there are so many things to do during Las Fallas and so much food to try, that you won’t get to do many of the normal touristic activities or visit many of the attractions. If you are visiting Valencia during the last days of Las Fallas the best thing you can do is to book a couple of extra days, either before March 15th or after March 19th. However, keep in mind that many businesses are closed on March 20th.

So how many days in Valencia? Suggested itineraries

For most people, spending 3 or 4 days in Valencia is enough to fully experience all that the city has to offer. This will give you enough time to explore the city center, visit some museums and galleries, try the local cuisine, and relax on the beach or in the park.

1 day in Valencia

If you are spending only 1 day in Valencia, make sure you check out my one day in Valencia itinerary. It’s a realistic account of what you can do in Valencia in 24 hours, yet it packs quite a lot, from the top attractions in the Old Town to the City of Arts and Sciences, before ending up in the marina.

2 days in Valencia

If you have roughly 48 hours in Valencia, I suggest you follow my 2 day itinerary. On day 1, you can visit the historical center, including some interesting museums and Valencia’s top food and gastro markets. On day 2, I recommend you visit the El Cabañal neighborhood, the beach, and the City of Arts and Sciences.

3 days in Valencia

If you plan to visit Valencia in 3 days, you will have just enough time to visit several neighborhoods, discover the City of Arts and Sciences and get a glimpse of the local culture. You’ll also have time to taste some of the best food in Valencia and relax on the beach.

4 days in Valencia

Spending 4 days in Valencia means that you’ll have plenty of time to explore all the main sights and maybe even a couple of hidden gems. You can stroll through the hipster Ruzafa and discover the Eixample neighborhood. You’ll even have time to plan a short day trip outside of the city.