Stretching north from the marina, this is the beginning of Valencia's beach, the closest to the centre and the focal point of seaside life. Backed by hotels and rice restaurants, it's a lively, busy strip that's also a major zone for summer nightlife. The beach is over 100m wide, so there's room to move even in high summer.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.93 MILES
Valencia’s cathedral was built over a mosque after the 1238 reconquest. Its low, wide, brick-vaulted triple nave is mostly Gothic, with neoclassical side…
14.7 MILES
Sagunto's castle is majestically located, with stone walls girdling a twin hilltop for almost 1km. Its seven rambling, mostly ruinous sections each speak…
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias
1.77 MILES
This aesthetically stunning complex occupies a massive 350,000-sq-metre swath of the old Turia riverbed. It’s occupied by a series of spectacular…
3.13 MILES
Recently reopened to the public after a magnificent restoration, this single-naved church down a passageway is a striking sight. Over the original Gothic…
2.76 MILES
This seminary was founded in the late 16th century by San Juan de Ribera, a towering Counter-Reformation figure who wielded enormous spiritual and…
3.07 MILES
This splendid building, a Unesco World Heritage Site, was originally Valencia’s silk and commodity exchange, built in the late 15th century when the city…
4.66 MILES
This zoo devoted solely to African animals has an educational and conservationist remit and an unusual approach. Though, as always, the confinement of…
2.78 MILES
Bright and spacious, this gallery ranks among Spain’s best. Highlights include a collection of magnificent late-medieval altarpieces, and works by several…
Nearby attractions
0.55 MILES
This restored rice mill gives good background on the importance to the city of the grain, grown in the nearby Albufera, with a video (English subtitles)…
2. Mercat Municipal del Cabanyal
0.61 MILES
Sturdy old ladies brought up in the tough streets of the fishing barrio of Cabanyal jostle each other and suspiciously prod the vegetables in this vibrant…
0.67 MILES
Originally constructed in the 14th century in Gothic style, these five parallel warehouses have been much altered over the years, but are still an…
0.73 MILES
This low, squat market has an unusual indoor-outdoor design and is worth a look for its palpable sense of history (opened 1910) and community, but at the…
0.88 MILES
The middle section of Valencia's main beach is popular with joggers and cyclists for its promenade. Though it gets busy, there's plenty of space for all…
0.97 MILES
Down near the docks, this former warehouse space has been turned into a hive of creativity, with art and photography exhibitions, a library, rehearsal…
1.47 MILES
The northern stretch of Valencia's main beach has a quieter, more local scene, but still gets busy in summer. It's backed by lovely traditional houses…
1.63 MILES
Spain's most famous aquarium is the southernmost building of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. It's an impressive display, divided into a series of…