Valencia: Spain's overlooked gem
When it comes to Spain, most Canadians are familiar with Madrid and Barcelona, but they miss out on Valencia, a region Europeans have flocked to for ages. Those who explore this Mediterranean region (which includes its namesake, the third-largest city in Spain, as well as the provinces of Castellón and Alicante) will discover mild weather, a vibrant heartbeat and a glorious number of contrasts.
This is a place that is both serious about its food (26 Michelin-starred and 29 Bib Gourmand restaurants), yet can also have some fun with it (annual La Tomatina food fight). A place where you can party at festivals or pay homage to religious relics. A place where you can get some fancy new footwear or go barefoot at the beach. A place where you can hike in the mountains or swim under a waterfall in a river.
In June, Air Transat unveiled a new nonstop route from Montreal to Valencia, becoming the first North American airline to do so. Seasonal flights depart every Friday through Oct. 3 this year and then pick back up on Saturdays from Feb. 21–April 25, 2026. If you're coming from elsewhere in Spain, domestic flights and high-speed trains make Valencia relatively easy to get to as well. A train east from Madrid is under two hours, while one south from Barcelona is under three hours. Read on to see the possibilities that await in Valencia.
Get the lay of the land
Plaza Ayuntamiento in the city of Valencia
In 2024, the European Commission named Valencia the Green Capital of Europe, thanks to its green spaces (about 123,000 acres). Turia Nature Park, for example, is a nearly nine-kilometre converted riverbed where cyclists and pedestrians can cut through the city. In addition, many pedestrian-only zones were created during the pandemic and stayed put, helping to lower pollution. Valencia also has an enviable irrigation system that goes back centuries, which helps to keep the nearby orchards (nearly 30,000 acres) in L'Horta full of fresh produce for the local population and visitors to Mercado Central (more on that later).
While Valencia works hard at its sustainability, it also offers plenty of ways for visitors to have fun in traditional world-class city ways. That is to say, those looking to stay out well past their bedtime can find a lively nightlife in Barrio del Camen. Walk in the footsteps of history at La Lonja, the Silk Exchange, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be spoiled for choice with the IVAM (Valencian Institute of Modern Art), National Museum of Ceramics or the contemporary art museum Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero. Surround yourself with more than 95,000 pieces (on display alone) at the L’iber, The Toy Soldiers Museum. Admire the architectural wonder of the City of the Arts and Sciences complex, designed by Santiago Calatrava, and be sure to go inside for Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe.
Alicante is not just the name of a city, but also a province within Valencia. The coastline here is called Costa Blanca, full of seaside villages stretching from Denia to Pilar de la Horadada. The city of Alicante is a mixture of old and new as many buildings were damaged or destroyed during the Spanish Civil War. Stroll around and soak in the various architecture; be sure to walk along the mosaic promenade of marble tiles along La Explanada de España. There’s a tram that runs from the city center to the white sands of the beach as well.
The old town, Barrio de la Santa Cruz, is full of winding, narrow and whitewashed houses, many with colourful doors and flower pots adorning any available space. While there, walk or take the elevator to the medieval Castillo de Santa Barbara for its panoramic views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea.
Located within the province of Alicante, Elche is known as the “Shoe Capital of Spain” as it employs nearly 20,000 people in the footwear industry. Keep some extra space in your luggage as this city’s numerous factories produce everything from leisure shoes to designer heels.
The city is also home to the largest date palm grove in Europe. Palmeral de Elche, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similar to Valencia’s irrigation system, the Palmeral de Elche is another example of ancient Moorish agricultural practices from centuries ago. The grounds contain 67 orchards, with around 45,000 date palms.
Though it’s just north of the city of Valencia, Castellón de la Plana flies a bit under the radar. Nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the inland hills (and nearby vineyards), this beachside town is home to eight nature reserves. The Islas Columbretes Nature and Marine Reserve is particularly recommended for scuba diving and other watersports. The hills offer trails for various skill levels, such as La Magdalena for hiking or Via Verde Benicassim Oropesa for biking. And for the beach bums among us, stay on the sand during the summer months for the concerts, film screenings and theatrical performances.
Fill your belly
Valencia is the birthplace of paella, the iconic rice dish that typically includes protein (chicken and rabbit), along with green beans, tomatoes, garlic, paprika, saffron and olive oil. Learn from the local masters while there and take a cooking class to learn how to make a traditional and authentic paella. If you’re lucky, the chef will be Michelin-trained, as this is also a region with award-winning restaurants.
Stews are also popular here. Try puchero Valenciano (Valencian stew), a dish in which everything is cooked together in a pot but then served separately. All i pebre (eel stew) is often on menus here; the most famous is from Palmar, a small hamlet with postcard-worthy views of Albufera Natural Park.
While sightseeing, stop for a snack of cocas, which can be sweet or savoury. Essentially, it’s a flatbread with different toppings, like coca de tomata (tomato) or coca amb Tonyina (stuffed with tuna, onions and pine nuts). Coca de llanda is a sponge cake flavoured with lemon or cinnamon. Fartons are sweet pastries that are often paired with horchata, a drink made from tiger nuts grown nearby.
Of course, there are many local drinks to try while in Valencia. Created in 1959 at Café Madrid, Agua de Valencia translates as “Valencia water,” but this cocktail uses the fruit star of Valencia—oranges, along with cava, vodka and gin. Mistela is an after-dinner digestive sweet wine that pairs well with desserts or cheese.
Speaking of wine, Valencia’s Mediterranean position blesses it with just the right mixture of sun, soil and spacing for optimal grape growing. In fact, some vineyards date back to Roman times. The red, white and sweet wines from Valencia, Utiel-Requena and Alicante are all marked DOP, which stands for Protected Designation of Origin. This guarantees that all steps of the process—i.e. where the grapes were grown, where the wine was produced and bottled—adhere to quality standards and traditional practices. Just note that the Mediterranean climate means the grapes tend to have higher sugar levels; as you might recall from chemistry class, the yeast converts sugar into alcohol during fermentation. All that to say, you’ll get a good buzz from Valencia wine.
Valencia’s Mercado Central (Central Market) makes it easy to try as much of these culinary delights as possible. With about 300 stalls, it's the largest food market in Europe, attracting locals and visitors. Known as “la catedral de los sentidos” (“cathedral of the senses”), its bounty bursts with fresh produce, meat, cheese, spices, seafood as well as wine and beer. As eye-catching as the goods, the building itself is worth a picture both inside and out. An example of Art Nouveau architecture, the main dome stretches up nearly 30 metres and features stained glass windows. Ceramic tiles depicting agricultural scenes, like orange picking, can be found as you walk around the exterior.
Explore the outdoors
It’s not every day that you get to see where your food comes from, but in Valencia, it is possible. Visit the Albufera Natural Park, home to Spain’s largest coastal lagoon, where you can take a boat tour through the rice paddies; this is the rice used for paella. The boat ride is also a great way to see birds like flamingos, herons, egrets and various types of ducks up close. The park is about 25 kilometres away from Valencia’s city centre, making it an easy day trip.
Full of dramatic cliffs and coves, Sierra de Irta Natural Park is where the beaches slope upward into woodland and then mountains. Plant life here includes palm trees, carob trees, heather, thyme, strawberry trees, juniper and chamomile. Small towers dot the landscape, like the Badum watchtower that looked out for 16th-century pirate attacks. The park stretches from Alcoceber in the south to Peniscola in the north, and there are hiking trails available from either end.
While there’s no denying that swimming in the Mediterranean Sea is a great way to spend the day, if you head inland, Valencia offers you an alternative. Here, you can go swimming in rivers that have waterfalls. Get there early as these popular gems get busy quickly. While the swimming hole at Algar Waterfalls in Callosa d’en Sarrià is so clear you can see the bottom, wear water shoes as it can be rocky; the area has several parking areas along with bathrooms and a picnic area. Fed by the Sellent River, Chella Waterfall in Chella drops 25 metres down a cliff, forming a swimming hole. Adventurous travellers should head to Gorgo de la Escalera in Anna, where water canyoning is popular. This involves rappelling down the sides, traversing the river on foot and sliding down waterfalls (all with a helmet on, of course). For a less heart-pounding canyon experience, head to Fuente de los Baños in Montanejos, where the mineral-rich thermal waters will provide plenty of relaxation.
Act like a local
La Tomatina
Spain is no stranger to celebrations and Valencia eagerly takes part as well. Rest assured, a trip to Valencia that coincides with a festival will be Instagram-worthy. Among the most famous is La Tomatina, which celebrated its 80th anniversary this year. What began as a food fight during a parade in Buñol in 1945 has become an annual tomato-throwing tradition on the last Wednesday of August. The "fight" lasts just one hour and uses about 320,000 pounds of overripe tomatoes. Participants must crush the tomatoes before throwing them to avoid injuries. The event is limited to 20,000 people and often sells out, so book your tickets for 2026 well in advance.
From March 15-19, Las Fallas festival combines puppetry with pageantry. Local artists spend months creating larger-than-life caricature sculptures (“ninots”) that get paraded through town as part of multi-tiered structures called fallas, ultimately to be burned at the end of the festivities. (There is a public vote to save one ninot from going up in flames, and it is then displayed in the Fallas Museum.)
Traditionally, residents of Alicante celebrated the arrival of summer by going to dinner in the countryside on June 23 and dancing around a bonfire at midnight. In 1928, the Bonfires of San Juan were officially established. Today, each Alicante neighbourhood creates hogueras—enormous cardboard and wooden figurines—and sets up a bonfire. The celebration lasts several days and includes parades of international dance groups and fireworks shows. As the clock strikes midnight and the date changes to June 25, the bonfires are set alight all over the city. There is then a fireworks competition for four more nights.
Religion has always played a huge role in Spanish history. The Moors arrived in Spain in the eighth century and were driven out in 1492. The Reconquista, or “Reconquest,” comes alive in the Moros y Cristianos theatrical festival. This colorful parade includes elaborate costumes, horses, dancers and battle reenactments. Several towns around the Valencia region hold these parades and the dates vary. Sometimes the event takes place during Las Fallas and other times it happens on Oct. 9, the Day of the Valencian Community. The most famous one is in Alcoy and it occurs annually on St. George's Day (April 23).
You’ll see many churches and cathedrals while touring the province of Valencia. One that shouldn’t be missed is Valencia Cathedral, whose claim to fame is the Holy Chalice used by Jesus at the Last Supper. The historic building started as an ancient Roman temple, then became a mosque and still preserves many elements from its past. There are Renaissance frescoes behind the main altar and the cathedral’s museum houses works by Goya.
One of the oldest churches in Valencia, San Nicolas de Bari, is also worth a peek. The incredible Baroque fresco ceiling has compelled visitors to call it the Valencian Sistine Chapel.
If Peñiscola Castle looks familiar, you may have seen it on Game of Thrones or in the 1960s movie “El Cid.” Completed in 1307, the Templar castle juts out into the Mediterranean Sea and was once home to Pope Benedict XIII after he was excommunicated and exiled. With its sweeping views of the sea, you might find yourself wanting to live there yourself.