3 Day Valencia Itinerary: Day-by-Day Plan for Americans
A 3 day Valencia itinerary with airport transfer, where to stay, Old Town, City of Arts and Sciences, beach, rainy-day swap, Albufera and tickets to book.
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Photo: Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Reviewed by MMT
Is 3 days enough in Valencia?
The city’s flat terrain makes it easy to explore on foot, according to Visit Valencia’s getting-around guide. Two days cover the core sights. The third day adds Albufera, an ecological park about 10 km (6 miles) from the city, and the beaches, as Visit Valencia’s three-day plan lays out.
Many travelers on Rick Steves’ forum report that a three-day plan works better when the Old Town, the City of Arts and Sciences and the beach each get their own day instead of crossing the city repeatedly.
| Day | Area | Main stops | Getting around |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Old Town | Silk Exchange, Cathedral and Miguelete, Colón Market, San Nicolás | On foot; metro Xàtiva or Colón |
| Day 2 | City of Arts and Sciences and Turia Garden | Oceanogràfic or Science Museum, Turia Garden by bike or foot | Tram Line 10 or bus 95 |
| Day 3 | Albufera and beach or Bioparc | Albufera boat trip, Malvarrosa beach or Bioparc | Bus 24/25, tram 4/6 |
Getting from Valencia airport to the city (metro, bus, taxi)
The airport is in Manises, 8 km (5 miles) from the city, per the official airport page. Metro is the default. Metrobus 150 and taxis are the alternatives.
Metro: the default
Line 5 (Aeropuerto / Marítim) and Line 3 (Aeropuerto / Rafelbunyol) serve the airport, with departures every 15 to 20 minutes, according to Visit Valencia’s metro guide. Single tickets come only from station machines, which take credit or debit cards. The airport ticket is €4.80 plus a reusable card of €1.10 (cardboard) or €2.10 (plastic), so your first purchase totals €5.90 to €6.90, about $6.56 to $7.68.
Many travelers on Reddit report that the airport metro is convenient but needs the correct airport-zone ticket. A normal city ticket won’t cover it. Metro runs 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. on weekends.
Metrobus 150 and taxi
Metrobus 150 stops at Terminal T1, Floor 0, outside arrivals. It takes around 45 minutes and runs every 20 to 30 minutes, 6:21 a.m. to 10:36 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 7:35 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. on Sundays. In the city it stops at Ángel Guimerà, Mercat Central and Av. Ramón y Cajal.
Landing after 11 p.m.? Take a taxi, about €20 (about $22) to the center. You can call +34 96 357 13 13 or use the Pidetaxi app. A night bus also runs Monday to Thursday every 45 minutes and from 3 a.m. on weekends.
Check Metrovalencia and your airline for current service notices before travelling.
Tourist Card at the airport
With a Valencia Tourist Card you skip the single ticket and the card fee at the airport. Airport metro journeys are included.
Where to stay for 3 days in Valencia
Xàtiva and Colón are also interchange stations, so changing lines is easy.
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Compare hotels in this area, or book direct on the hotel’s own site: hotel websites for current rates and cancellation terms
Your 3 day Valencia itinerary, day by day
Day 1: Old Town
Start at the Silk Exchange, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. It’s free with the Tourist Card, per the Tourist Card FAQ. Check the Silk Exchange opening hours before you go.
Next, climb the Cathedral’s Miguelete tower: 207 steps to a 360º view. Check Cathedral hours and ticket price. The Tourist Card gives 20% off the Cathedral.
Visit the Central Market before it closes. It’s open Monday to Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and closed Sundays and public holidays, per its official page. Colón Market covers 3,500 m² (about 37,700 sq ft) of food and leisure space.
Finish at San Nicolás, from €16 (about $17.80), with €1 (about $1.11) off on the Tourist Card. Have time left? The Hortensia Herrero Art Centre shows more than 50 contemporary artists, and the Museum of Fine Arts is free.
Day 2: City of Arts and Sciences and Turia Garden
Oceanogràfic is Europe’s largest aquarium, with 500 species and 45,000 specimens. Tickets start at €37 (about $41). The full-complex ticket starts at €45.55 (about $50.68).
Hours vary by date. The Oceanogràfic page says a visit takes three to four hours, so go in the morning. Visiting outside summer? Check hours and entry rules first.
Buy ahead and show the ticket on your phone. The official City of Arts and Sciences site sells tickets directly, or compare here: Browse Valencia tours and activities on Viator
In the afternoon, tour the Turia Garden, 9 km (5.6 miles) long and crossed by 18 bridges, on foot or by bike. Bike rental starts at €10 (about $11.13). One traveler on Reddit reports that bike rentals and some small businesses prefer cards or mobile payment, so don’t rely on cash.
Day 3: Albufera, beach or Bioparc
Take bus 25 to the pier for the boat trip. EMT lines 24 and 25 reach Albufera in less than an hour, per the official Albufera tours listing, which also lists a 2-hour Albufera Tourist Bus tour. Boat trip with paella tickets start at €26 (about $29).
Check return bus times before you leave the city. Prefer a set schedule? Book a tour: Browse Valencia tours and activities on Viator
In the afternoon, choose Bioparc (African savannah, from €31.50, about $35) or the beach. Bioparc closes at 8 p.m. in summer and 6 p.m. in winter. Lines 3, 5 and 9 go to Nou d’Octubre for Bioparc.
For the beach, take tram Line 4 or 6 to Malvarrosa. The city’s urban beaches are Cabanyal, Malvarrosa and Patacona.
Rainy-day swap
Move the Oceanogràfic or the Science Museum to the wet day, and push Turia Garden, the beach or Albufera to another day. Colón Market, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Hortensia Herrero Art Centre are good indoor backups.
Tapas and paella: when and where to eat
Plan for later meal times than at home. The Tourist Card includes a free tapa and drink at participating venues. Many travelers on Tripadvisor advise reserving paella in advance, especially in Malvarrosa, Las Arenas and El Palmar.
Book directly through the restaurant’s own website. The Albufera boat trip with paella is another option, from €26 (about $29).
Valencia Tourist Card: is it worth it for 3 days?
It’s worth it only if you’ll ride transport often and visit several paid sights. The 24, 48 and 72-hour cards give unlimited transport. The 72-hour adult price is €30 (about $33.38), and €25.50 (about $28.37) for ages 6 to 12, per the official Tourist Card shop.
The card gives free entry to the 14 main municipal monuments and museums, including the Silk Exchange, Serranos Towers and Quart Towers. It gives 10% off Oceanogràfic, Hemisfèric and Science Museum tickets, and 10% off Bioparc.
Do the math: a bus ride costs €2 (about $2.23), and the airport metro round trip €9.60 (about $10.68). That leaves roughly €20 of rides and entries to cover before the 72-hour card pays off. The card covers metro zones A and B, including the airport.
It activates at first use, not at purchase, and runs for consecutive hours from then. If you use it on the airport metro, the clock starts on arrival. Tap it on every boarding, or risk a fine of up to €50 (about $56).
Each attraction accepts it once. Online buyers must collect a physical card from a kiosk or tourist info point, or request hotel delivery. The 10% web discount applies only on the official site.
Tickets to book ahead and getting around
- City of Arts and Sciences / Oceanogràfic tickets: buy in advance. Official option: City of Arts and Sciences ticket page. Browse Valencia tours and activities on Viator
- Valencia Tourist Card (optional): buy before arrival and collect the physical card. Official option: Valencia Tourist Card site.
- Paella reservation: reserve ahead, per traveler reports. Official option: the restaurant’s website.
- Albufera boat trip: check how far ahead to book. Official option: bus 25 to the pier. Browse Valencia tours and activities on Viator
- Hotel near Xàtiva or Colón: book as soon as dates are fixed. Official option: book direct. hotel websites for current rates and cancellation terms
Check live departures and route changes in the official EMT Valencia and Metrovalencia journey planners.
FAQ
Is 3 days enough in Valencia?
Yes, for the highlights. The city is flat and walkable, and the third day adds Albufera and slower meals.
How many days in Valencia is enough?
Two days cover the core sights. Three adds Albufera and the beach.
What to see in Valencia in 3 days?
The Old Town, the City of Arts and Sciences, Turia Garden, Albufera and the beach.
3 day Valencia itinerary with kids
Make Oceanogràfic and Bioparc the big days. Bike rental in Turia Garden starts at €10 (about $11.13).
Which ticket should I buy for the airport metro?
Buy the airport-zone ticket at €4.80 (about $5.34) plus the card fee, or get a Tourist Card, which covers the airport trip.
How much buffer for an airport departure given strikes?
Airport metro runs every 15 to 20 minutes. Check strike news before departure day and allow extra time.
Sources
- Visit Valencia: three days in Valencia
- Visit Valencia: getting around
- Visit Valencia: metro
- Visit Valencia: airport
- Visit Valencia: buses
- Visit Valencia: Tourist Card FAQs
- Visit Valencia: Central Market
- Visit Valencia: Oceanogràfic
- Visit Valencia: Tourist Card shop
- Visit Valencia: Albufera guided tours
Last checked: 2026-11-12
