With kids · Valencia · Spain
Valencia with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Valencia is one of Spain's easiest cities for families: the Oceanogràfic, the interactive science museum, the Bioparc and the climbable Gulliver figure are all near the traffic-free Turia Gardens, and sandy city beaches are a tram ride away. Top picks: L'Oceanogràfic, City of Arts and Sciences and Turia Gardens. Families usually base themselves in Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences).
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences)
- Rainy-day options
- 2
- Busiest months
- March
Best things to do with kids
Aquarium · Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences)
1.L'Oceanogràfic
One of Europe's largest aquariums, set in buildings with Félix Candela's shell-like roofs, recreates marine environments from the Mediterranean and tropical seas to the Arctic and Antarctic. Underwater tunnels pass through shark tanks, and there are beluga whales, penguins and a large dolphinarium.
Arrive at opening and see the shark tunnels and Arctic area first, before tour groups and school visits arrive.
- Time needed
- 4–5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Buy tickets online in advance in summer and school holidays, when queues at the ticket office are long.
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Architecture · Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences)
2.City of Arts and Sciences
Santiago Calatrava's complex of white, skeletal buildings rises from shallow pools at the eastern end of the Turia Gardens. It includes L'Hemisfèric, an eye-shaped cinema and planetarium; the Museu de les Ciències, an interactive science museum; the Palau de les Arts opera house; and L'Umbracle, a landscaped walkway of palms and sculptures. Walking around the outside is free.
Visit at dusk, when the buildings are lit and reflected in the pools, and book the science museum for the hottest part of the day.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Kids
- Photo spot
- After dark
Park · Ciutat Vella
3.Turia Gardens
After a devastating flood in 1957, the Turia river was diverted south of the city and its old bed became a 9-kilometre park running from the Bioparc to the City of Arts and Sciences. Paths for walking, running and cycling pass under historic stone bridges, past orange trees, sports fields, fountains and playgrounds.
Rent a bike or use the Valenbisi bike-share and ride the whole length; it is flat, traffic-free and the best way to get across the city.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
- Iconic
Park · Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences)
4.Gulliver Park
A giant figure of Gulliver lies pinned to the ground in the Turia Gardens, and children climb over his body, ropes and hair and slide down his clothes as if they were Lilliputians. It is free and one of the city's most popular play areas.
Go in the morning or late afternoon in summer, as the surfaces get very hot in the midday sun.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Outdoors
- Active
Zoo · Turia Gardens
5.Bioparc Valencia
A zoo at the western end of the Turia Gardens designed as immersive African landscapes, where barriers are hidden so that lions, giraffes, elephants and lemurs appear to share the savannah and forest with visitors. Lemurs roam freely in one area.
Check the schedule for the bird show and keeper talks, and plan two to three hours.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Beach · El Cabanyal and Malvarrosa
6.Malvarrosa beach
A wide, sandy city beach backed by a promenade of paella restaurants and beach bars, running north from Las Arenas towards Patacona. It has lifeguards and facilities in summer and is about 20–30 minutes from the centre by tram or bus.
Walk the promenade for a beachfront paella at lunchtime; locals eat it around 2pm.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
Rainy-day ideas
- L'Oceanogràfic — Arrive at opening and see the shark tunnels and Arctic area first, before tour groups and school visits arrive.
- Museo Fallero — Visit after the City of Arts and Sciences; it is about a 10-minute walk away.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and first-timers
Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences)
The modern district around the City of Arts and Sciences has newer hotels and apartments with more space, close to the Oceanogràfic, the science museum and the Gulliver playground in the Turia Gardens. The old town is about 30 minutes on foot through the park, or a short bus ride, and the beach is a similar distance.
- Good
- Walk to the main family attractions; Larger, modern rooms; Park access for running and cycling
- Watch out
- Fewer traditional restaurants; Bus or long walk to the old town
- Nearby
- City of Arts and Sciences, L'Oceanogràfic, Gulliver Park, Turia Gardens
Family travel tips
- Stay near the City of Arts and Sciences to walk to the Oceanogràfic, the science museum and Gulliver Park.
- Rent bikes with child seats or trailers to ride the Turia Gardens.
- Spanish meal times are late; feed children earlier at cafés or plan a big lunch.
- During Fallas, firecrackers and crowds can overwhelm small children; choose a quieter month if you can.
- City beaches have lifeguards and facilities in summer; Patacona is usually calmer than Malvarrosa.
Day trips for families
- 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.
- Peñíscola (About 1.5 hours by car) — 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.
- 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.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–June and September–October. March is the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Valencia good for kids?
Valencia is one of Spain's easiest cities for families: the Oceanogràfic, the interactive science museum, the Bioparc and the climbable Gulliver figure are all near the traffic-free Turia Gardens, and sandy city beaches are a tram ride away.
+What can kids do in Valencia?
L'Oceanogràfic, City of Arts and Sciences, Turia Gardens, Gulliver Park and Bioparc Valencia.
+Where should families stay in Valencia?
Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences): Modern apartment blocks beside Calatrava's museums and the end of the Turia.