Valencia To Do List: Top Sights, Weather and UK Flights

Valencia is a large coastal city on the Mediterranean, and most of the things to see and do in Valencia are within easy reach of each other. The historic core holds Valencia Cathedral, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken, the Palau de la Generalitat Valenciana and the Palau del Marqués de Dos Aigües, which houses the National Museum of Ceramics and Sumptuary Arts González Martí. A short walk further brings you to the Museu de Belles Arts de València, the Institut Valencià d'Art Modern, the Valencian Museum of Ethnology, the Museu de Prehistòria and the Palace of the Borgias.

The modern face of the city is the City of Arts and Sciences, about 2 miles from the centre. It brings together the Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe, the L'Umbracle sculpture garden and L'Oceanogràfic, the aquarium that families tend to put first among the Valencia must see attractions. Add the Plaza de Toros and the Palau de la Música, and there is enough stuff to do in Valencia to fill a long weekend or a full week.

Most British visitors stay in Valencia itself, which keeps the cathedral quarter, the museums and the City of Arts and Sciences close at hand. If you would rather be by the sea, Alboraya is a coastal town around 2.5 miles from the centre and about ten minutes from the airport, with a handful of its own sights.

Further out, La Pobla de Farnals is a smaller coastal town around 8 miles away, suited to a quieter stay. Inland, Manises sits right beside the airport, handy for late arrivals or early departures, while Catarroja, about 5 miles from the city and some eleven minutes from the terminal, is a residential alternative.

The best months to visit Valencia, Spain, are May, June, July, August and October. May and October both reach around 24°C with few rainy days, which makes them ideal for walking the old town. In July and August the Valencia temp climbs to about 31°C by day and rarely falls below 22°C at night, with only two to four rainy days a month.

September stays warm at around 28°C but is the wettest month, with about 84mm over eight days, and March is also showery. Winter is mild for a city break, with highs of 16°C to 17°C in December, January and February and only three or four rainy days a month.

Valencia airport (VLC) has direct flights from the United Kingdom and is unusually close to the city: about one minute from Manises, around eight minutes from central Valencia, ten minutes from Alboraya and eleven from Catarroja. Transfers are therefore short, which is a real advantage on a weekend break.

If you are touring Spain, Valencia also has a ferry port around 4 miles from the centre, and Dénia's port is about 47 miles away.

Many British travellers book a package, which bundles the flight, the hotel and the airport transfer into one booking. Given the short drive from VLC, the transfer is quick, and you can usually choose a board basis such as room only, bed and breakfast or half board. Prices rise during UK school holidays, so travelling outside those weeks generally pays.

On this page you can compare package deals from several UK holiday providers, check hotel prices, browse tours and tickets for the main Valencia sights, and compare car hire if you plan to explore beyond the city.