6 best day trips from Valencia

Day trips compared

The day trips

15 km · About 30–40 minutes by bus

1.Albufera and El Palmar

A freshwater lagoon surrounded by rice fields in a natural park south of the city, where traditional flat-bottomed boats take visitors out at sunset. The village of El Palmar is lined with restaurants serving paella and all i pebre, and dune-backed beaches at El Saler are nearby.

Getting there

EMT bus 25 from the city centre

Best for

Food lovers, Couples, Families

30 km · About 30 minutes by train

2.Sagunto

A town famous for its resistance to Hannibal in 219 BC, with a restored Roman theatre and a long hilltop castle whose walls hold Iberian, Roman and Moorish remains. The old Jewish quarter lies between them on the slope.

Getting there

Cercanías line C6 from Valencia to Sagunt

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

60 km · About 1 hour by train

3.Xàtiva

Birthplace of the two Borgia popes, Xàtiva is a handsome old town below a huge castle stretched along a ridge, with sweeping views over the surrounding orchards. The climb to the castle is steep; taxis and a tourist train go up in season.

Getting there

Regional or Cercanías train from Valencia to Xàtiva

Best for

Culture, Couples, Quiet stays

140 km · About 1.5 hours by car

4.Peñíscola

A walled old town on a rocky peninsula topped by the Templar castle where the antipope Benedict XIII, known as Papa Luna, lived in the 15th century. Long sandy beaches stretch either side of the peninsula.

Getting there

Car, or train to Benicarló-Peñíscola then bus

Best for

Families, Beach, Culture

65 km · About 1 hour by car

5.Chulilla

A white village above a gorge of the Turia river, where a popular trail crosses hanging footbridges and passes rock-climbing walls and green river pools. It is busy on weekends and best on a weekday.

Getting there

Car or organised hiking trip

Best for

Quiet stays, Couples, Families

70 km · About 1 hour by car or train

6.Requena

The centre of the Utiel-Requena wine region, known for the Bobal grape, has a walled medieval quarter called La Villa with a network of old underground cellars that can be visited. Many wineries in the surrounding countryside offer tastings.

Getting there

Car or regional train from Valencia

Best for

Food lovers, Couples, Culture

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• EMT buses cover the whole city, including the City of Arts and Sciences and the beaches, and line 25 runs south to the Albufera and El Palmar.
• Joaquín Sorolla station has high-speed trains to Madrid in under two hours, and Estación del Norte has Cercanías commuter trains to Sagunto, Xàtiva and Gandia.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask