For couples · Valencia · Spain
Romantic things to do in Valencia
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Felivet, Public domain
Quick answer
Valencia suits couples who like long lunches, warm evenings and the sea: sunsets over the Albufera, illuminated Calatrava buildings and terrace dinners in old-town squares. Couples tend to stay in Ciutat Vella.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 1
- Area for couples
- Ciutat Vella
- Best months
- April–May and September–October
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset boat on the Albufera
Take a traditional flat-bottomed boat out on the lagoon at El Palmar as the sun sets over the rice fields.
2.City of Arts and Sciences by night
Walk around the floodlit buildings and their reflecting pools after dark, when the day crowds have gone.
3.Dinner in Plaza de la Virgen
Eat on a terrace facing the cathedral and the basilica as the square lights up.
4.Cycle the Turia to the sea
Ride the Turia Gardens to the City of Arts and Sciences and on to the port and beach for a seafront lunch.
5.Ruzafa evening
Book a table at one of Ruzafa's restaurants and finish with cocktails in the neighbourhood's bars.
Sights couples love
Landmark · Ciutat Vella
Plaza de la Virgen and the Water Tribunal
Arrive a few minutes before noon on a Thursday to watch the Water Tribunal; the session is short and held entirely in Valencian.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Couples
- Photo spot
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture and couples
Ciutat Vella
The historic centre inside the line of the old walls holds most of Valencia's monuments: the cathedral and Plaza de la Virgen, the Lonja de la Seda, the Mercado Central and the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where the Fallas mascletàs explode in March. Hotels range from boutique conversions of old palaces to chain hotels near the town hall, and Xàtiva and Colón metro stations are on its edge.
- Good
- Walk to every historic sight; Many restaurants and tapas bars; Easy metro link to the airport
- Watch out
- Very loud and crowded during Fallas; Narrow streets with little parking
- Nearby
- Valencia Cathedral, Lonja de la Seda, Mercado Central, Plaza del Ayuntamiento
Romantic day trips
- Albufera and El Palmar (About 30–40 minutes by bus) — 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.
- Xàtiva (About 1 hour by train) — 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.
- Chulilla (About 1 hour by car) — 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.
- Requena (About 1 hour by car or train) — 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.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Paella valenciana, Arroz a banda and Black rice. Tap water is safe, but most locals drink bottled water with meals; ask for 'agua del grifo' if you want tap.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Valencia romantic?
Valencia suits couples who like long lunches, warm evenings and the sea: sunsets over the Albufera, illuminated Calatrava buildings and terrace dinners in old-town squares.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Valencia?
Sunset boat on the Albufera: Take a traditional flat-bottomed boat out on the lagoon at El Palmar as the sun sets over the rice fields.
+Where should couples stay in Valencia?
Ciutat Vella: Gothic old town of the cathedral, the Lonja and the Mercado Central.