ES · Valencian Community · 39.47°N 0.38°W

valencia

Paella by the rice fields, a park in an old riverbed and a long sandy city beach.

Best time
April–June and September–October are warm and good for cycling and the beach. July–August are hot and humid; mid-March brings the Fallas, with giant papier-mâché figures, fireworks and huge crowds.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop, usually via Istanbul, about 18–20 hours all in, or fly to Madrid and take the fast train (under 2 hours). Spain is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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ES · Valencian Communityvalencia39.47°N 0.38°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Paella by the rice fields, a park in an old riverbed and a long sandy city beach.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingValenciaES, Valencian Community
KLvalencia
≈ 10,815 km from KL, as the crow flies
Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences) at night, Valencia, Spain

Photo: William Warby · CC BY 2.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Valencia is the home of paella, with an old market quarter at one end and the white, futuristic City of Arts and Sciences at the other. In between runs a long park in a dried-up riverbed, and the beach is a bike ride away.

Makan

  1. Paella valencianaThe original is rice with chicken, rabbit and green beans, cooked in a wide pan and eaten at lunch.Map ↗
  2. Arròs negreRice cooked black with squid ink, served with garlicky allioli.Map ↗
  3. Horchata and fartonsChilled tiger-nut milk with long, sugary buns for dunking.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Central Market and La LonjaA tiled art nouveau market hall full of produce, facing a Gothic silk exchange.Map ↗
  2. Turia GardensAbout 9 km of park, cycle paths and old stone bridges in the former riverbed.Map ↗
  3. City of Arts and SciencesGleaming white buildings over shallow pools, with an aquarium and a science museum inside.Map ↗
  4. AlbuferaA lagoon and rice fields just south of the city; take a boat at sunset and eat paella in El Palmar.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Paella is a lunch dish, usually for two or more, and good places cook it to order, so expect a wait.
  • Seafood rice like arròs negre and paella de marisco is the easy way round the chicken and rabbit; halal kebab and Moroccan places are scattered around the centre.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.