The best day trips from Valencia

With elegant architecture, impressive eco-credentials and bohemian beaches, Valencia is easy to fall in love with. It may be tempting to spend every day of your visit in Spain's third-largest city, but do make time for day trips – there are some incredible experiences nearby.

To the west, Requena has charming wineries with hotel rooms between the vines; to the south, Dénia serves world-famous seafood; and the pristine hot springs of Montanejos are a refuge in the mountains to the north.

Plan your outings in the wider region with our list of the best day trips from Valencia.

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1. Montanejos

Why go: Swim in the hot springs
Travel time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
How to travel: by car

The balmy water of Fuente de los Baños must be one of the dreamiest bathing spots in Spain. Tall rocks shelter the transparent emerald water, and people swim through the ravine ushered by warm currents from hot springs. The water is always around 25ºC (77ºF), although it often feels a bit chillier, so it is comfortable for wild swimming year-round. Legend goes that 13th-century king Abú Zayd made these baths so his wives could bathe in the water's rich minerals and maintain their youthful beauty.

How to get to Montanejos from Valencia:

Driving is the easiest way to arrive, but if renting a car isn't an option, join one of the tours from Valencia's city center. GoValencia Tours hosts a day-long trip, departing from Estación del Norte.

2. La Albufera

Why go: Take a boat trip on the freshwater lake
Travel time: 30 minutes
How to travel: by bus

The Parque Natural de la Albufera is a historic nature reserve around 15km south of Valencia. People have fished the freshwater lake here since prehistoric times, and the rice paddies have been around since the 18th century. The rice is used in the best paellas – try one in El Palmar (Bon Aire has rice paddy views and an award-winning house paella).

A handful of boat trips operate in the area. Try Paseos en Barca El Pero for a private tour, taking in reeds, patient herons and triangle-shaped farmhouses called barracas.

How to get to La Albufera from Valencia:

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It's a 30-minute drive south, but the bus is an excellent alternative. Take the number 24 from Porta de la Mar; it runs every hour until around midnight.

3. Requena

Why go: Sip fabulous wine
Travel time: 1 hour
How to travel: by car

From guided tours of high-tech cellars to popping bottles of cava on romantic patios, the wineries of Requena make a perfect escape. Carthaginians first made wine here in the 7th century BCE, and production has continued ever since.

Dozens of wineries surround rolling fields – visit as many as you can. Visitors are greeted like old friends at Chozas Carrascal; this modern finca (rural estate) is the best for guided tours, with tastings and nibbles. Bodega Sierra Norte prioritizes sustainability, and its tasting room has spectacular views over the vineyards.

Want to stay longer? The old town of Requena makes a beautiful base. Book a sandalwood-scented room at Los Canilleros.

How to get to Requena from Valencia:

It takes 2 hours to reach Requena's train station from Valencia's Estación del Norte. By car, it takes around 1 hour, and those wheels will come in very useful when visiting wineries nearby.

4. Sagunto

Why go: Explore the hilltop castle
Travel time: 40 minutes
How to travel: by train

Around 28km north of Valencia, the town of Sagunto offers spectacular panoramas of the coast from its vast hilltop castle, the free-to-visit Castillo de Sagunto. It's a rewarding day trip from Valencia, especially for history fans. Below the castle you can visit the Teatro Romano, also free. Finish the day in the twisting streets of Sagunto's old town, and order a glass of bobal red in Vivavins, a chirpy wine bar on a postcard-perfect square.

How to get to Sagunto from Valencia:

It's a 30-minute drive, but save yourself the stress of parking and catch the train. Take the C6 train from Estación del Norte to Sagunto.

5. Chulilla

Why go: Walk the epic hanging bridges
Travel time: 1 hour
How to travel: by car

With white houses clinging to the hillside, phenomenal climbing routes and fantastic walks, Chulilla makes a strong case for a day away. The hike that most people tackle is the 10km Ruta de los Puentes Colgantes (also known as Ruta de los Pantaneros). It's a scenic path dotted with wild irises that follows the Río Turia to a reservoir, traversing two wobbly wooden bridges on the way (the first section is very high with no fence). Celebrate your safe return to town with a beer on the festoon-lit terrace of Goscanos, where the views of Castillo de Chulilla are unbeatable.

How to get to Chulilla from Valencia:

Rent a car; it's quicker and offers the most flexibility. A bus operated by Hispano Chelvana runs once a day on weekdays, but the stop must be requested at least the day before; the ride is around 90 minutes.

6. Dénia

Why go: Feast on fresh seafood
Travel time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
How to travel: by car

Locals flock to sea-facing Dénia for pebbly coves and glorious seafood. It's one of only two towns in Spain to be named a City of Gastronomy by UNESCO (Burgos is the other). It's famed for gambas rojas (red prawns), which are fished in deep water off the coast. El Farallo is a gamba roja specialist, while El Baret de Miquel is a cozy tavern run by a chef who closed his Michelin-starred restaurant to open a more down-to-earth joint. Don't miss the natural wine selection at Niki & Niki and the wonky wooden beams at the 100-year-old Casa Benjamin.

How to get to Dénia from Valencia:

There's no direct train between Valencia and Dénia, but the drive is straightforward. There are also efficient bus connections from Valencia, run by Alsa.